A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy) Read Free Page A

September."
    Dakota was not the least bit interested in lying low, but
    he figured once he'd done the personal favor, he could talk
    Brace around.
    "Whaf s the favor?" he asked, knowing it didn't matter;
    he would do whatever Brace needed.
    "Can you escort my niece to Stillwater?"
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    "Darvi?" Dakota guessed, knowing she used to visit
    every summer. He'd even met her one year.
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    "Yes. A friend of hers moved, and she wants to see her."
    "Certainly. When does she want to leave?"
    "Probably next week, but 111 ask her."
    Dakota nodded.
    "And until then," Brace said unyieldingly, "you can just
    enjoy the sights of Austin. If I see you working, I'll shoot
    you myself."
    Dakota knew he had no choice, but he didn't like it
    Fighting the urge to say more, he stood.
    I'm headed to get a bath."
    "All right. Why don't you come to dinner some night?
    You name the day."
    Dakota nodded. 'Ill get back to you."
    Brace watched him leave, looking for signs of injury. He
    wouldn't have admitted it for the world, but it looked to
    him as though Dakota was right: He was ready to come
    back to work.
    %r%r$ff
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    Darvi's attempt to find an escort to Stillwater was
    proving fruitless. For a time she had traversed the streets
    of Austin, hoping to find an advertisement or anything that
    might indicate a guide service, but she knew such possibilities
    were remote.
    From her place in Austin's reading room, Darvi looked
    out the window and told herself this was not going to
    work. But I don't know what else to do, she then answered
    herself. I can't exactly walk the streets looking for a man to
    hire--Uncle Marty would have a fit. But I'm feeling just about
    that desperate.
    Just about ready to give up and open a book that had
    caught her eye when she came in, she spotted him. Darvi
    was willing to bet her grandmother's inheritance that he
    was a Ranger. She'd certainly spent enough time around
    A Texas Sty 19
    her uncle to spot the type. Not even remembering to
    replace the book to the shelf, Darvi came to her feet as
    gracefully as speed would allow and made a beeline for the
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    door.
    Dakota knew he was being followed, but he wasn't
    overly concerned. After all, the streets were fairly crowded
    and the bathhouse was on a main street. Still, there was no
    doubt that he heard footsteps that matched his own. And
    unless he missed his guess, it was the light tread of a
    woman. He let it go a few seconds longer before stopping
    and slowly turning around. Sure enough, about ten yards
    behind him, a woman stopped as well.
    "Did you need something?" he asked politely, removing
    his hat
    "No," she answered softly, but everything in her voice
    and manner said the opposite.
    "Are you all right?"
    This time she only nodded and looked away, dearly
    embarrassed.
    Dakota studied her for a moment, replaced his hat, and
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    turned back on his way. He nearly shook his head when
    she continued behind him.
    Thinking she was simply going his way, and not
    wanting to make her feel awkward, he left it alone. Not
    until he was ready to walk up the steps of the bathhouse
    did he let himself look again. What he saw stopped him.
    The woman--quite pretty he could see from this distance --was even closer and staring right at him.
    "Are you certain you're all right?"
    "You are a Texas Ranger, aren't you?" the woman suddenly
    blurted.
    "Yes, ma'am. Is there something I can do?"
    Dakota watched her composure slip a little more before
    she visibly gathered her courage and went on.
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    *
    32
    "Do your duties happen to take you into the hills Very
    often?"
    "The hills, ma'am?" Dakota asked, completely at sea.
    "Yes. I have a need to go to Stillwater, and I'm looking
    'for someone to escort me."
    Dakota had all he could do not to react, asking himself
    if this could actually be Darvi. Gone was the child he'd met
    years ago, and Dakota was left wondering how long it had
    been.
    "You see," she tried again, this time catching herself and
    now standing like a