Wings Of The Morning Part 7

"Ill tell Jen she can expect you," Tate called to her retreat-Ing back.

Smokey tossed a grin in his direction as she exited the She'd been buying and selling since before her father

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died, trading with s.h.i.+pping magnates and ama.s.sing a small fortune for herself in the last few years. But she didn't know when the sale of her cargo had ever felt so fine.

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"I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU, SMOKEY." Jenny's VOice was hushed as the two women sat close together on the large sofa in the Pembertons' parlor.

"What is it?"

"We haven't told anyone, and I need you to keep it a secret."

"All right," Smokey agreed and watched as Jenny's eyes glowed with excitement.

"I'm going to have a baby."

"Oh, Jen," Smokey whispered. The two women embraced for long moments, and when they broke apart their eyes were suspiciously moist.

"When will the baby come?" Smokey's voice was now as hushed as Jenny's.

"Next summer."

"That long?" Smokey's voice became quite loud, her brow wrinkling in disappointment.

"It does take time, you know." Jenny was laughing so hard over Smokey's reaction that she could barely talk.

"I know, but next summer! Why, that feels like years away!"

Again Jenny went off into gales of laughter. It was contagious, and Smokey laughed too. They talked of babies for the next hour, and then Jenny asked Smokey about her plans for J&ristmas.

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"I'll be with Da.r.s.ey at Willa's. Her children live in the area, and they'll all come on Christmas Eve."

"What about Christmas Day?"

"It's pretty quiet. By the time the family goes home on Christmas Eve, Willa is pretty worn out."

"Would they be terribly upset if you spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with us?"

Smokey blinked "I don't know, Jen."

"Now what does that hesitant look mean?" Jenny couldn't have asked that question several weeks ago, but having Tate and Jenny learn of Smokey's occupation seemed to bring down the wall that separated them.

However, Smokey had not told anyone about the way she felt when she even thought about Dallas Knight. She didn't think she was ready to share, not even with Jenny.

"I'll think about your offer, okay, Jen? Maybe I'll discuss it with Da.r.s.ey."

"Da.r.s.ey means a lot to you, doesn't he?"

"Oh, yes," Smokey told her with a smile. "He was my father's first mate before he was mine, and he's been beside me since I was a baby. Willa told me that Da.r.s.ey sees me as the daughter he never had."

"Do you miss your father?"

"I do, but the anguish is gone. That first year, the pain was so intense I didn't think I'd make it." Smokey suddenly grew very quiet.

"I'm sorry if the subject brings back all the pain."

"It's not that," Smokey told her. "You and Tate have been wonderful, but there's something more about me that I want to explain."

"All right," Jenny's voice was expectant, but something in Smokey's look made her heart thump with trepidation. Her mind ran with every crazy thing Smokey could possibly say, from being a pirate to having a husband and child of her own somewhere.

"Not now," Smokey said, much to Jenny's disappointment.

"I want to talk to you when Tate is here too."

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After two beats of her heart, Jenny agreed, knowing she would have to put her curiosity on hold. It would be hard, but she knew Tate deserved to hear the news firsthand. This was obviously something very important to Smokey. Jenny wanted to do all she could so Smokey would feel free to tell them in her time, secure in the knowledge that Jenny's love was unfailing, no matter what she shared "I'm not ashamed of what I do for a living," Smokey told Jenny and Tate that evening. They were alone in the library, and dinner was over. "But I find that I'm something of a curiosity."

"And you would rather we didn't tell everyone we know that you are the captain of theAramis?" Tate interjected with an understanding smile.

"Well, that would help, but I need to explain why." Smokey stopped and took a breath. "You loved me and befriended me when we were strangers, and I was a bit hesitant with you because that's never happened before. I'm at sea so much, and when I am home and people learn what I do, they become quite curious. One question usually leads to another and I--"

Smokey stopped again, took a deep breath and went on.

"My father was the most wonderful father a girl could ever hope to have. He was warm and caring, and he loved me to distraction. My parents were not married until later in life, and I wasn't born until he was 50 years old.

"I grew up at sea and loved it. I've never known any other life. My father loved G.o.d, and he instilled in me a deep faith in Jesus Christ. There was a lot he didn't know, and in turn, I have much to learn, but he tried very hard to teach me from his small store of knowledge." Smokey paused again, but Tate and Jenny, feeling a bit confused, were absolutely quiet. Smokey found she could no longer stay in her chair; she stood and paced as she continued "My father told me once that he never wanted to be a hero to me. He only wanted to be my father, teaching me G.o.d's way and making sure I knew he loved me.

"Nearly everything I know, I learned from him. My knowledge of G.o.d, sailing, and life in general was learned at his knee. He was my teacher, just as his father had been for him.

Many have heard of my father, but most know him only by his first name. No one, not even when my last name is spoken, thinks to tie him to me, unless they find out that I sail.

"And as proud as I am to call him my papa," Smokey's voice dropped as she finished her speech and finally stood still before her host and hostess, "most of the time it's easier if people don't know that the legendary Clancy was my father."

The room was utterly still for the s.p.a.ce of many heartbeats, and then Jenny was coming toward her, her eyes wet with tears.

There were no speeches about how blessed Smokey was or how honored the Pembertons felt to have her in their home, just a long, loving hug between friends. The hug ended with a bit of relieved laughter when Jenny shared that she thought Smokey might share about being a runaway wife or pirate.

"I have admired your father since I was a little boy," Tate told her when they were once again seated and Jenny had poured tea.

"So have I," Smokey told him with a smile.

"You know," Tate went on, "I always thought Clancy had been born over a hundred years ago."

"You're not alone in that belief." Smokey's voice was dry.

"His father's name was Clancy also, so the name Clancy has been on the sea for many years. He told me once that to have done everything that's been credited to him, he would have to have been 200 years old"

"No wonder you're so good at what you do," Jenny complimented Smokey.

"Isn't that the truth! If our son wants to go to sea," Tate's face filled with excitement at the thought, "he could sail with you and learn from the best."

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"Oh, no," Smokey said with a laugh. "I'd be an old woman by then, and I really hope I won't be sailing that long."

"Do you have to put some money aside before you can stop?" Jenny's voice was filled with tender compa.s.sion, but late and Smokey burst out laughing.

Smokey had just collected a small fortune from Pemberon s.h.i.+pping, which, even though some of it would pay for business expenses, held a large chunk of profit. Jenny was clearly naive as to the success of Smokey's business.

"It's not that, Jen," Smokey took pity on the confused look on her friend's face. "It's just that until I met you, I thought I would be at sea until the day of my death, just as my father had been."

"What happened when you met Jen?"

"I wanted what she has. Not you personally, Tate," Smokey told him with a cheeky grin. "But a husband of my own, a home for us to share, and children, if G.o.d wills. There was a man who was in love with me a few years ago. He asked me to many him for over three years, and even though I cared for him, and still do, I could never say yes."

"What happened to him?" Jenny wanted to know.

Smokey shrugged "He gave up on me and eventually married someone else. I never see him anymore."

"Do you have regrets?"

"No, but I think I know why I could never say yes. I mean, he was romantic, and I love romance. I also enjoyed listening when he painted a lovely picture of us sailing the world together. But just recently I realized that if ever I marry, I want to have a home--a real home. And I don't want my husband to be a sailor who's gone for months at a time!"

Smokey's last sentence was uttered with great pa.s.sion, and she was suddenly embarra.s.sed at her own actions. She forced herself to sit back in her chair, her face heating as she looked down at her folded hands in her lap.

"We'll be praying that if G.o.d has a special man for you, you'll know it."

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"Thank you, Tate." His words relieved some of her embarra.s.sment.

"That means alotto me. I've thought about what Jen suggested when I was here before, and IVe decided that I will make your church my own."

"Oh, Smokey, that's wonderful!"

"I'll still be gone at times; I do have a business to run."

"Of course," Jenny agreed. "But whenever you're home, we'll expect you."

It was growing rather late, so all in the room were surprised when Polly knocked on the door a moment later with a note from Buck. It was brief, just wanting to inform them that Dallas was in port and planned to visit on the next day.

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