Free Higher Than Eagles (Donovans of the Delta) by Peggy Webb Page A

bank just above us. You won’t see anything outside the window until we climb out at about fourteen thousand feet. Think of it as taking a stroll through heavy fog.”
    If he hadn’t explained what was happening, she might have been scared. Instead she felt only a slight tremor as the Baron cut through the bottom of the clouds and entered the darkness that was without stars. Puffs of dark gray clouds rolled by the windows like dirty snow that had banked along some cold street corner. Smoky wisps floated toward them, then rose up toward the dark columns of clouds that surrounded the plane.
    “Are you okay, Rachel?”
    “Yes.”
    “We’re almost there.”
    Suddenly the nose of the plane lifted out of the clouds. Color so brilliant it dazzled her eyes poured into the plane. The cockpit was filled with a golden glow. It shone on her skin, glinted off the diamonds at her throat and ears.
    “Jacob!”
    “It’s the moon, Rachel. Look.”
    The moon, full and bright and so close she could almost touch it, hung between two banks of clouds, darkness above and darkness below. Its shining splendor touched the tops of the cloud mountains, gilding them.
    “It’s beautiful,” she said.
    “Have you ever seen anything like it?”
    “No.”
    “And you never will. Except up here in the sky.” He watched her, watched her awe-struck expression. “This is one of the reasons I fly, Rachel. This is one of the reasons I will never give it up.”
    “Nor should you.” She turned to face him. “It’s like being in the middle of a lovely song, Jacob. It’s like seeing the most incredible love song ever written come to life.”
    He smiled. “You understand.”
    At last, she did. “Yes.”
    Too late for regrets, he thought. Too late to wish he’d brought her with him into the sky more than six years ago.
    “Then let’s go home,” he said.
    In silence they left the ethereal otherworld of the sky and descended once more to the earth. So smooth was the landing that there was no indication they weren’t still flying except for the hiss of the tires as they connected with the runway.
    They sat for two full minutes, unwilling to break the spell that bound them together. At last Jacob spoke.
    “Is this why, Rachel?”
    She knew what he meant. “Partially, Jacob. I could see only the danger not the beauty. I’m sorry.”
    “So am I.”
    He helped her from the cockpit, careful not to keep her hand too long lest even that brief contact undo his control.
    Inside the car, she peeled off his jacket and handed it back to him. The scent of roses clung to the garment. He flung the jacket carelessly onto the back seat, as if he hadn’t noticed, but he knew it would be a long, long time before he could wear that jacket without thinking of Rachel. Maybe he never could.
    Neither spoke as they drove back to her house. Rachel was grateful he didn’t question her, thankful he didn’t press for the truth. She had other things on her mind. Jacob . She had Jacob on her mind.
     o0o
    He let her out at the gate, allowing her to make a graceful exit. If he had insisted on coming inside, insisted on kissing her, she didn’t, know what the consequences would have been. As she watched him drive away, she knew she had to leave. One by one Jacob was crumbling her defenses. If she stayed in Biloxi, she knew that her heart would betray her. It belonged to Jacob, always had, always would. She knew that now. The tragedy was that she couldn’t listen to her heart. She had to think of Benjamin.
    She didn’t bother trying to sleep. In the few hours of night that were left, she changed into slacks and packed her bags. When the first light of morning glowed on the eastern horizon, she tiptoed into Benjamin’s room and packed for him, too. As she packed, she could hear Vashti stirring. Rachel smiled. Vashti had never been one to while away the day in bed.
    She went into the kitchen, stopping by the stove long enough to pour herself a cup of coffee. It was strong