this routine tomorrow, beginning early in the day.â Â
Dismissed from the cabin, Sam strode back to the mess, eager to relate the news to Ethan. Â Tomorrow, then! Â He could see Anna Daisey again. Â This time, he resolved, would be different. Â He would be quicker with his words, and hold a proper conversation with the young lady.
Â
Sam lay awake in his hammock, the time creeping by as slowly as the stars in their tracks. Â He almost always slept well onboard ship, for the darkness in the hold was nearly complete, but no darkness could quiet his mind that night. Â One berth over, Ethan turned in his hammock. Â
âEthan,â hissed Sam. Â âYou awake?â Â Ethan was.
Sam paused before he spoke. Â âThe house Iâm working on? Â The widow?â Â
Ethan was impatient. âYes?â Â Â
âI had a fine conversation with her daughter.â
âWell, then? What are you tryinâ to tell me?â Â
âSheâs a lovely girl, thatâs all Iâm tryinâ to tell you.â Â Sam could picture Ethanâs smile, even in the dark. Â
âI met some lovely ones myself. Â They passed by quite regular while I was working. Â Made it look like they were just happening past, but I could tell they came that way on purpose. Â You just tip your cap and they come right over to chat. Â Some right pretty lasses.â Â
âNever mind,â said Sam. Â
Ethan chuckled softly. Â âI was wondering when you were going to tell me what was up.â
âAm I that plain?â
âYes. Â You surely are.â
Â
CHAPTER THREE
Father was a Market Gunner
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So eager was Sam Dreher to return to Chincoteague Island that he rose early to cook breakfast even though it wasnât his turn for three days. Â After the meal the boatswain called the roll of sailors who would go ashore. Â Accounts of the previous day had travelled around the ship; Benjamin Harvey had the full attention of every seaman when he read his list. Â Dreher and Platt were first again. Â In minutes, gear was assembled and the launch was dropped into the channel.
Squinting against the light, the men put their backs into their oars, and the boat flew across the water. Â
âEthan,â Sam asked, âDo you plan ahead what youâll say in a conversation with a girl?â Â
âNo,â Ethan replied. âI donât believe you do.â Â Sam scowled. Â âSorry,â said Ethan. Â âIf it makes it any easier for you, I donât believe youâve ever cared what you said to a girl.â Â They rowed in silence, Sam rehearsing his talk with Anna Daisey.
On the steps of the Atlantic Hotel, the party divided up their assignments. Â Ethan recruited men for the heavy work of splitting rails and setting fence posts for Lovey Copesâ pigpen. Â Sam set off for the Daisey home, citing the difficult carpentry it required. Â He promised to rejoin them by midday.
The closer he got to the house, the more loudly his heart pounded in his chest. All was quiet when he arrived; Beau was sleeping, and Mary Daisey was in the kitchen. Â She answered Samâs knock with a broad smile. Â
âMr. Dreher!â she greeted him. âAre we blessed with another visit today? Â Please come in.â Â He stepped inside the door, his nervousness all too evident. Â Â âWe are so grateful for your excellent work yesterday, Mr. Dreher. Â Are we not, Anna?â Â Sam caught his breath. Â Anna appeared in the kitchen doorway, a mixing bowl cradled in the crook of her arm. Â
âWe are, Mr. Dreher.â Â
Mary pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Â âI'd like to get to work on your shutters today,â Sam suggested. Â Several of the shutters were on their last legs. Â Mary was pleased. Â
âThat would relieve my mind greatly,â she said.