River

Ben

I’ve been here every night. Same tavern, same table. As soon as Gregor calls a halt for the evening I come here. I can’t very well climb up the hill and go hunting for Samuel. All I can do is hope that he will return here.

And, finally, my efforts are rewarded. In he comes with some other fellow. He looks even finer than I remembered. His trim body is dressed in the clothing of a gentleman, waistcoat and buckskin breeches covered by a double-breasted dress coat. His clean-shaven face shows off his sharp jawline, his other features are elegant and oh so appealing. I try not to be too obvious as I feast my eyes upon the figure he presents.

“Samuel!” David calls out to him, still oblivious to their prior connection. He only remembered Gregor from that exchange, not having paid any real attention to the gentlemen we were accosting. “Come and join us!”

Samuel makes a visible effort to tear his eyes away from me. It encourages me. I can tell from his expression that he has been remembering me as well. I will not let this opportunity pass me by this time. I am determined. I will not spoil this chance. It will be entirely up to him, and I will do whatever it takes to try to make him comfortable. Even if I have to have a whole actual conversation to do it.

He behaves in a cordial manner, of course, the adorable gentleman that he is. “Thomas,” he introduces us, “this is David and Ben. They are working on Gregor’s crew.”

So yes, he knows. Gregor told us that he mentioned it to him the first evening that he had hired us. Then he strangely added, in an aside only to me, that he doesn’t think Samuel remembers us from the Trace, and he’d be perfectly happy to keep it that way. What a peculiar fellow. I have no idea why he wants to help keep our secret, but I’m glad of it. If I ever do get to know Samuel, I will tell him someday, but not yet.

David adds, “I’m eager for a repeat of last week’s poker game!” My, I wish he hadn’t said that and reminded Samuel that he had been losing badly, but Thomas chimes in.

“So I’ve heard,” he says. “We are hoping for fortune to be in our favor tonight!”

“It is good to see you, Samuel,” I tell him quietly as he takes the seat next to me, and am gratified when he looks relieved to hear it.

David starts dealing the cards.

Samuel Duncan

My heart is pounding, but somehow my hands are steady. They are the hands of a doctor, after all. As David deals the cards, I see Ben smiling over at me, just a little smile under his beard. It isn’t one of the furtive glances from the other night. He obviously wants me to know that he is glad that I am here. It is such a relief. He apparently is willing to forgive me for fleeing from him like a frightened child.

I return his smile, briefly, then look down at my cards. Somehow, I feel calmer, just knowing that he is accepting of my presence here. Finally, my mind feels like it can focus on what I am actually doing. With him sitting beside me at the table, I concentrate on the game, all the while vibrantly aware of his presence.

Thomas and David are chattering away, both such voluble fellows, talking of their lives and endeavors. Thomas is interested to hear David’s description of the progress of Gregor’s dock project, with the piles already being driven into the silt at the edge of the river, starting to line up in a row to show where the new dock will be.

Ben and I are mostly silent, but I don’t think it seems peculiar to the others. I have known Ben long enough to know that he doesn’t talk much, and I am not such a chatterbox that my silence seems too unusual.

I am just silently enjoying the company. I’m not even losing every hand. It is so pleasant.

Time passes quickly, and eventually Thomas says, “Well, I’ve been on the road for a few weeks and I’m tired. And looking for some company. I think I’ll head over to Madam Beverly’s.”

David says, “Gregor has us all set up in a nice boarding house, so I don’t really need the bed, but now that you mention it, it has been a few days since I was there. I’ll tag along.”

They both grin and rise from the table. “Sorry to break up the game, fellows,” Thomas says to Ben and I.

Ben shrugs. “I was about finished anyway. See you tomorrow, David.”

When they have left, Ben looks over at me. “Well,” he remarks, “that seems convenient.”

It takes me by surprise and makes me laugh. He grins to see that he has amused me. “Would you like to take a walk with me?” he asks.

I nod, struck dumb again by his presence, which in the absence of the others begins to overwhelm me anew.

He nods back, and I follow him out the door.

We stroll in silence together, and I realize where we are going. He is heading back to the little grove we had been in the other night. My breathing rate accelerates to match my pulse.

When we arrive, he turns to me and says, “I thought this would be a good place to talk.”

I nod nervously.

“We don’t have to do anything but talk, if you don’t want,” he adds. “I’m sorry I rushed you the other night.”

I let out a whoof of air, relieved that he has addressed the obvious, rather than letting it hang oppressively over us. “I’m sorry I ran away.”

He nods again. “Look,” he says, indicating a blanket on the ground. “I brought some things.”

It is so nice. A blanket has been laid on the ground and up against a large rock, making a perfect little sofa for conversation. I see that he even has a couple of drinking glasses set by. He clearly has been working to be prepared for this moment. I look up at him with delight. “This is perfect. Thank you!”

He picks up the glasses, and fills them from a tiny spring trickling nearby, on its way down to join the mighty river in front of us. He hands me one, then settles onto the blanket. “Care to join me?”

It is not a large blanket, he will be so close. But honestly no closer than how we were just sitting at the poker table. But here, in the privacy of the little grove, it seems so much more intimate. I only hesitate a second before joining him, leaning up against the backrest provided by the rock.

“It’s a nice view,” he comments, gazing out over the river, which we can see flowing by through the greenery along the banks. It is late twilight, very close to fully dark.

“Yes,” I agree, unable to think of any more illuminating conversation. I take a sip of the cold water in the cup he gave me. It is very fresh and sweet.

We just sit together for a while, quietly, enjoying the peace of the night, the sound of the water lapping against the shore.