Page 104 of The Enchanted Land

“I guess I am. My name’s Gordon Matthews.” Gordon extended his hand and found it engulfed in the man’s larger one. It was hard and calloused from work.

“Dave Blake.” He smiled and Gordon had a sudden flash of recognition. What was familiar about the man?

“I’d like a job.”

“What experience do you have?” Gordon knew he was going to hire the man even before he answered.

“I used to run my father’s plantation in the East, and I’ve worked out here about six years.”

Gordon smiled back at him. “I can always use a good hand. You’re on. That’s Boyd, my foreman, over there. He can put you to work.” He watched the man turn his horse and ride off. The way he moved his hands was naggingly familiar. Yet he couldn’t remember having seen this man before.

The rest of the day, he watched Dave work. He wasn’t like most new hands. He didn’t wait to be told what to do. It was as if he’d been working on the ranch for years. The other men took to him quickly, liking the quiet way he stepped in. Yet they held him off, too, and did not bombard him with questions.

Gordon noticed one of the younger members of the crew asking Dave what he should do when he’d finished the task Boyd had assigned him. Gordon watched his foreman for signs of hostility. But Boyd, never an ambitious man, was content to let Dave take over where he could. On the ride back to the bunkhouse, Gordon sought out the new man.

“Dave, I watched you work today, and I want to say welcome to the Three Crowns.”

Dave smiled at his employer, and again Gordon tried to remember whom Dave reminded him of.

“We’re having a little party at the house tonight. Everyone’s invited. Plenty of beer and hard stuff and all the food you can eat.”

Dave laughed, his laughter deep. “I’m afraid you might get more than you want. After a day like this, I could eat my horse—even the horseshoes. What’s the occasion?”

“Morgan and Adam have been living with me for six months now, six very happy months.”

“A party because two men have moved in with you.”

Gordon was puzzled for a second, then grinned broadly. “Come tonight and meet my guests. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.” He left to return to the house. Dave was certainly going to be surprised all right, after thinking of Morgan as a man.

Adam was just running down the stairs when he saw Gordon. Morgan ran close behind Adam. The boy leaped, knowing Gordon would catch him. Gordon held Adam close and looked up at Morgan. She was beautiful. She had just washed her hair and it hung down her back, still slightly damp.

“One of these days, he’s going to jump at someone and miss. How was your day, Gordon?”

“Now that I’m home, it’s a beautiful day.” He kissed Morgan’s cheek, put Adam down, and the three walked to the courtyard to look at the party preparations. “I hired a new man today.”

“Oh?”

“The strangest thing.” Gordon had his mouth full, and Morgan looked up sharply.

“Gordon, stop eating those! I have them arranged in a design and you’ll mess it up. Now, what was strange?”

“This new man I hired. I know I’ve never seen him before, but I feel like I know him. The way he walks, certain ways he moves. It’s like I’ve seen them hundreds of times.”

“Maybe you’re just imagining it.”

“I guess you’re right. I’ll go get ready now. You going to wear that?” He looked at her everyday cotton dress.

“Don’t be silly. I have a dress you’ve never even seen before. The silk is from Italy and it is gorgeous.”

“With you in it, it will be.”

Morgan watched him go, smiling. Gordon was so pleasant. She constantly wondered at herself for not being in love with him.

Dave walked into the bunkhouse and then busied himself while listening to the men talk.

“A real looker, ain’t she?”

“Nearly bust my britches every day when I see her ridin’ by on that horse.”

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