were already seated at the long table, eating eggs and bacon or hot cereal, or finishing a second or third cup of coffee. But wherever one looked, there was a man engaged in his own morning ritual, in a man's world, about to engage in man's work, and for the first time in her life Samantha felt totally out of place. She felt her face flush hotly again as she walked hesitantly toward the kitchen, smiled nervously at two of the men as she helped herself to a cup of black coffee, and then attempted to disappear into the woodwork at the far end of the room.
At first glance there was not a single face she remembered. Most of them were young and probably relatively new there, and only two or three of them looked as though they could have worked anywhere for a long time. One was a broad, heavyset man in his early or mid-fifties who looked a lot like Bill King. He had the same kind of build, but his eyes weren't as warm and his face wasn't as kind. He glanced only once at Samantha and then turned his back to her to say something to a young freckled redhead. They both laughed and then walked across the room to a table where they joined two other men. For an instant of paranoia Samantha wondered if she would be the source of amusement, if it had been totally crazy of her to come here, and even crazier for her to want to ride with the men. This was a far cry from her days here with Barbara, when they had come to play around on the ranch. For one thing they had both been very young and very pretty and it had delighted all the men just to watch them hang around and ride. But this was different. Samantha was trying to masquerade as their equal, something they would surely not tolerate, if they even noticed her presence at all.
Aren't you going to have some breakfast? The voice next to her was husky but gentle, and Sam found herself looking into the face of another man of the old foreman's vintage, but this one did not look as unpleasant as the first one. In fact, after another glance at him, she gave a soft gasp.
Josh! Josh! It's me, Sam! He had been there every summer when she had come with Barbara, and he had always taken care of them. Barbara had told Sam how gently he had taught her to ride when she was a little girl. He had a wife and six kids somewhere, Sam remembered. But Sam had never seen them anywhere on the ranch. Like most of the men he worked with, he was used to living his life in an exclusively male world. It was a strange, solitary life, a lonely existence carried out among others who were equally apart. A society of loners who banded together, as though for warmth. And now he looked at Samantha, blankly for a moment and then with rapid recognition and a warm smile. Without hesitation he reached out and hugged her, and she could feel the rough stubble of his beard against her cheek.
I'll be damned! It's Sam! He gave a soft whoop and she laughed with him. Now why the hell didn't I figure it out when Miss Caroline told us about her friend'? He slapped his leg and grinned at her some more. How've you been, dammit? Boy, you look good! She found it hard to believe with her face still half asleep and her body encased in her worst and oldest clothes.
So do you! How are your wife and kids?
Grown and gone, thank God. Except for one and the wife. And then he lowered his voice, as though telling some terrible secret. They live here on the ranch now, you know. Miss Caroline made me. Said it wasn't right for them to live in town with me living here.
I'm glad.
He rolled his eyes in answer and they both laughed.
Aren't you going to eat some breakfast? Miss Caroline told us that a friend of hers was coming from New York to help us out. He grinned evilly for a moment. You should have seen their faces when she told them her friend was a woman.
They must have been thrilled. Samantha said sarcastically as they made their way toward the kitchen. She was dying for some coffee and the food was beginning to smell good now that she had
At first glance there was not a single face she remembered. Most of them were young and probably relatively new there, and only two or three of them looked as though they could have worked anywhere for a long time. One was a broad, heavyset man in his early or mid-fifties who looked a lot like Bill King. He had the same kind of build, but his eyes weren't as warm and his face wasn't as kind. He glanced only once at Samantha and then turned his back to her to say something to a young freckled redhead. They both laughed and then walked across the room to a table where they joined two other men. For an instant of paranoia Samantha wondered if she would be the source of amusement, if it had been totally crazy of her to come here, and even crazier for her to want to ride with the men. This was a far cry from her days here with Barbara, when they had come to play around on the ranch. For one thing they had both been very young and very pretty and it had delighted all the men just to watch them hang around and ride. But this was different. Samantha was trying to masquerade as their equal, something they would surely not tolerate, if they even noticed her presence at all.
Aren't you going to have some breakfast? The voice next to her was husky but gentle, and Sam found herself looking into the face of another man of the old foreman's vintage, but this one did not look as unpleasant as the first one. In fact, after another glance at him, she gave a soft gasp.
Josh! Josh! It's me, Sam! He had been there every summer when she had come with Barbara, and he had always taken care of them. Barbara had told Sam how gently he had taught her to ride when she was a little girl. He had a wife and six kids somewhere, Sam remembered. But Sam had never seen them anywhere on the ranch. Like most of the men he worked with, he was used to living his life in an exclusively male world. It was a strange, solitary life, a lonely existence carried out among others who were equally apart. A society of loners who banded together, as though for warmth. And now he looked at Samantha, blankly for a moment and then with rapid recognition and a warm smile. Without hesitation he reached out and hugged her, and she could feel the rough stubble of his beard against her cheek.
I'll be damned! It's Sam! He gave a soft whoop and she laughed with him. Now why the hell didn't I figure it out when Miss Caroline told us about her friend'? He slapped his leg and grinned at her some more. How've you been, dammit? Boy, you look good! She found it hard to believe with her face still half asleep and her body encased in her worst and oldest clothes.
So do you! How are your wife and kids?
Grown and gone, thank God. Except for one and the wife. And then he lowered his voice, as though telling some terrible secret. They live here on the ranch now, you know. Miss Caroline made me. Said it wasn't right for them to live in town with me living here.
I'm glad.
He rolled his eyes in answer and they both laughed.
Aren't you going to eat some breakfast? Miss Caroline told us that a friend of hers was coming from New York to help us out. He grinned evilly for a moment. You should have seen their faces when she told them her friend was a woman.
They must have been thrilled. Samantha said sarcastically as they made their way toward the kitchen. She was dying for some coffee and the food was beginning to smell good now that she had
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