A Most Unsuitable Match Read Free Page B

When the old guy hesitated, Samuel nodded. “It’ll be all right. Just do it.”
    With a fifty-pound sack on each shoulder, Samuel got in the line headed on board. Stacking his two bags in the hold, he again leaped across the narrow swath of muddy river separating ship from landing. Quickly, he got another roustabout to hoist two more bags onto his shoulders. When he finally dared to look up, the captain had put his pipe back in his mouth and was standing motionless, Samuel’s black coat folded over the railing next to him.
    Samuel strode back on board, unloaded his second two flour sacks, and hurried up the stairs. Hoping he didn’t sound desperate, he said, “You can see how strong I am. I’ll work harder than anyone you’ve ever hired.”
    The captain peered at him for a moment before saying, “I expect you think you’re worth more than the average.”
    “All I want is fast passage up the river. Food enough to keep body and soul together would be nice.” Samuel lowered his voice and added, “And please don’t fire the old guy for dropping that flour sack.”
    Busch arched one eyebrow. “How do you know Lamar Davis?”
    “I don’t. But when he heard me asking about work earlier, he was kind enough to point you out. And he seemed a little worried about keeping his job.”
    The pilot harrumphed. “How I treat Lamar Davis is none of your affair. But in case you’re sweet on the old boy, suffice it to say I promised someone a long time ago I’d keep the old coot on, and while I may be a foulmouthed, whiskey-loving, womanizing so-and-so, I am also a man of my word.” He handed Samuel his coat even as he groused, “I expect you eat twice as much as most men, too.”
    “I’ll eat whatever’s offered, sir, and I won’t complain.”
    Busch tilted his head. “You running from the law?”
    Samuel shook his head. The captain’s eyes showed suspicion, but Samuel remained quiet, willing his hands to stay loose. Balled-up fists could be misinterpreted, and he had nothing to hide. At least not anything that would make Busch’s letting him earn passage north a problem.
    After what seemed like an eternity, the captain thrust his lower jaw forward. “All right.” He punctuated his next words with pipe flourishes in the air. “But I don’t care if yer Goliath himself, if I find out you lied about the law, I’ll put you ashore in Indian Territory and not look back.”
    He waved at a wagon just now pulling up to the landing. “Let’s see how fast you can unload that. There’s china teapots and perfume bottles and all manner of dainty whatnots in those crates. They’re promised to a customer in Sioux City who won’t take kindly to damaged goods. Drop one and you’re fired.”
    “Yes, sir,” Samuel said, trying to keep the triumph from sounding in his voice as he grabbed coat and carpetbag and headed below.
    “And don’t let Davis near those crates!” Busch shouted.
    Samuel couldn’t help but smile as he saluted the captain and hurried to unload the wagon. He paused on the main deck long enough to tuck his coat and bag out of sight atop a tall stack of crates and to roll up his sleeves. He’d heard stories about Otto Busch, but none of them had prepared him for the man in the flesh. Lucky for Samuel he was used to being called names, used to being sworn at, and used to being threatened. For all the pilot’s blustering profanity, Samuel saw no evidence that he punished his employees with a blacksnake whip applied to shirtless backs.
    This job would be easy compared to living with Pa.

    “You can’t fool me, Fannie Rousseau,” Minette said, giving the swing a push. “You didn’t come next door two hours before dinner and drag me out to the garden just to hear the latest news about Daniel and me. Something’s happened. I can hear it in your voice. So . . . tell me what’s bothering you.”
    When Minette held her hand out, palm up, Fannie grasped it. There was no use denying Minette’s