Part 20 (1/2)

”No,” Smokey began, ”but it's a long story and I--”

”I have time,” Dallas cut in.

Smokey nodded ”First of all, I'm sorry I kicked you. That was terrible, and I only hope you can forgive me.”

”Were you afraid of me, Smokey? Did you think I was going to force you to do something against your wishes?” Dallas*

face and voice were so pained that Smokey nearly cried.

”No, Dallas, no!” Smokey's hand went to her mouth in horror. ”Itwasn't that at all. I just panicked out offearforyou. I acted without thinking.”

”Fear for me?” Dallas' face was now a mask of confusion.

Smokey took a deep, calming breath and began to share.

”We were running behind schedule as you might have already guessed, or we would have been out of London before you arrived. We really should have rushed on, but I knew we wouldn't be back for some time and I wanted to see the folks at Clancy's.

”I left the back room long enough to take care of a personal need, and when I came out of Meg's private rooms, a man grabbed me. I fought, but he held a drug-soaked cloth over my mouth. Everything went black, and when I woke up I was on a s.h.i.+p.”

The hair stood up on the back of Dallas' neck, and fear pounded in his chest. He s.h.i.+fted in his chair, his face intense as he waited for her to continue, ”There was no one with me, and I was lying on the bed The room was rife with lewd art and paintings, but I wasn't given much time to look around When the door opened, a man came in.” Smokey wondered how detailed she should be.

She would be horribly embarra.s.sed to repeat all the pirate had said ”The man was Haamich Wynn.”

”The pirate?” Dallas broke his silence.

”Yes. He told me that my capture was deliberate and that he wanted to get to know me better. He insisted that I put on that red dress.”

163.

A flicker of skepticism lit Dallas' eyes, but Smokey, thinking she had imagined it, kept talking. She was babbling slightly, and some of her facts were getting muddled ”I noticed some fencing swords on the wall, and I told him I would fight him. He agreed to set me free if I won. I've never done such a thing before but I cut his face. He actually fainted at the sight of his own blood. I tied him up and ran away.

”I ran from the s.h.i.+p, but my escape was immediately noticed, and his men came after me. That's when I ran into you. I was afraid of your being found with me, so when you wouldn't let me go, I panicked.” Smokey ended with a small shrug and noticed that Dallas looked almost angry.

”I'd heard that Haamich Wynn was a huge man.”

”He is. As big as Da.r.s.ey, if not bigger.”

”And you want me to believe that you had a duel with him and won?” Dallas could no longer hide his doubt.

Smokey's whole body stiffened at his tone. She stood, her entire being radiating anger.

”I apologized for kicking you, Dallas, but I did not owe you an explanation.”

Dallas stood also. ”No, I guess you didn't, but there are some things that bother me. I'd like to get the entire picture.”

”No,” she told him. She could see that she had surprised him. ”I've told you all I'm going to, and if that isn't good enough, then that's too bad. As I said, I owe you nothing, and I might add that I don't deserve your judgment.”

”I'm not judging you.” Dallas fought to keep his voice even.

”So you believe me?”

Dallas hesitated, and it cost him.

”Get out, Dallas,” Smokey told him, her voice low with fury. ”Get out and do not come back, not until you're ready to apologize for believing me a liar.”

”Smokey, if you would just tell me again how you came to be in the dress, I--”

”Get out.” Smokey's voice was whisper soft, and Dallas knew he would have to give her some time.

164.

It was on his tongue to apologize, but he felt so muddled at the moment. With regret he moved toward the door. Knowing that he'd handled the situation very badly, he looked back, but Smokey was already leaving the room. He noticed that she did not even turn as she strode back toward the kitchen.

Q/w/fQmie a twenty-four hours later the Aramis set sail with a full crew. Da.r.s.ey was at the helm when Smokey came topside to check on the men.

”I want answers, Da.r.s.ey,” she told him as she stood next to the older man. ”I won't be home until I get some.”

Da.r.s.ey, having already read her motive for leaving Willa's, only nodded.

”You might be asking for trouble,” he told her, his face and voice calm.

”Well, I've never been afraid of trouble,” she said logically.

”And since I can't go on as I am, wondering and upset, I think I'd best do what I can.”

Da.r.s.ey only nodded. The old sparkle was back in her eye.

He knew that she had prayed constantly while they had been home, but he also recognized as Smokey just had, that she had been hiding. Now she was facing her fears and acting with the good sense she normally had If she had wanted to head out and trade in southern waters as she had originally planned, Da.r.s.ey would have been all for it. But now she needed to fit together the pieces of this puzzle, and Da.r.s.ey understood that just as well. He prayed for her and her responsibility as captain of their vessel. He also prayed for 166.

167.

Dallas, who was certain to come looking for Smokey again and find her gone.

”She's not here,” Willa told Dallas the afternoon after Smokey left.

”When do you expect her back?” Dallas asked, never dreaming that she was on her s.h.i.+p.

Willa was as unflappable as ever when she answered. ”It could be weeks, but I'm thinking it probably will be months.”

”You mean she's left on the Aramisr Dallas asked in astonishment.

”With Da.r.s.ey and the whole crew. I'm not sure how much trading they'll do, but Smokey needed to find some answers.”

Distracted, Dallas ran a hand through his hair and stood in frustration. He turned to leave, barely remembering to bid Willa goodbye.

Willa shut the door and then watched from the front room window. ”That Da.r.s.ey's got me to answer to when he returns!

Why didn't he ever tell me that Dallas was in love with her?”

”He's good, Da.r.s.ey; I'll give him that,” Smokey told her first mate some seven weeks after they had set sail.