Fate's Intervention Read Online Free PDF Page A

th e very objections Matthew was thinking about this minute .
    His distaste for the other horses remained unvoiced, but working with White Star made his job the more bearable and enjoyable. Although he needed to train the horse on his own time, he hoped that one day his boss would see the benefits and something would happen to change his circumstances – for the better. Not like before or the time before that or the time before that, and so on.
    It made him a bit nervous that his circumstances here were similar to former employment. Namely, each had a daughter that reached marriageable age while he was there, and each time those girls set their sights on him. This situation was the same. Clifford Stanharbor had one daughter. The eldest of nine children. She was thirteen going on marriage-minded, and already he ’ d caught her eyeing him , similar to the way Mary Lou had when she ’ d been thirteen going on fourteen. Why Mary Lou took a liking to him when she hit the age of maturity, he still didn ’ t understand. He was more than twenty times her senior.
    Still, it seemed, that no sooner had they cut the cake celebrating her birthday, than her attempts to snare him multiplied a hundredfold. She ’ d already been watching him with the horses, bringing him picnic lunches , and dropping hints that were none-too-subtle, but when the day came that declared her a “ woman ” , she went after him like a mare in heat.
    Man, but he couldn ’ t abide little girls that tried to be women before they even possessed a woman ’ s body or intellect.
    He popped the whip again and the stallion eased to a halt.
    Matthew slid a grain cookie out of his pocket and stood with his back toward the stallion, slowly wrapping up the whip. A snort sounded behind him and he heard hoof beats walking slowly in his direction. He could almost feel the horse ’ s caution with each step.
    He smiled when he felt the nuzzle push up against his shoulder. A horses ’ curiosity beat out their tentative natures – nearly every time.
    With slow movements, he attached the whip to his belt and turned slowly. Keeping his eyes averted from those of the horse, he raised his flattened palm, offering the cookie.
    “ That ’ s a boy, ” he praised, as the horse took the proffered treat. He gradually lifted his other hand and stroked the horse on the jaw, praise flowing softly. “ You worked hard today, White Star. Maybe we can see about placing a saddle on you tomorrow. Okay, boy? ”
    The horse neighed and nudged Matthew ’ s hand, “ So rry fella. Only one cookie per session. Of course, if I get that saddle on you tomorrow, then I might just make it two. ”
    He turned and headed toward the paddock gate, pleased to hear the horse following him. His boss would be pleased too . He ’ d only had the horse in training for a week , and already White Star was responding to simple unspoken commands. The mark of an intelligent beast.
    A stable hand appeared seemingly from nowhere as Matthew pushed through the door . He moved to take the horse back to the stables, but Matthew waved him away. This exceptional animal was ready for a real test. Would he follow Matthew all the way back to the stables? Some horses were so skittish that the slightest distraction would cause them to bolt, but if Matthew read this animal correctly, it was steady.
    If his assessment was incorrect, however, and the animal bolted, it could be lost, hurt, or stolen. In that case, Matthew would be looking for another job before the sun set . Still, he ’ d never been wrong before about a horse and he didn ’ t think he was now.
    Without breaking his stride, Matthew moved at a steady pace past the house, listening intently for the sound of the horse ’ s hooves pounding the dirt behind him. Still there. Good.
    When the barn came into view, Matthew sighed and picked up his pace a little. The horse followed unerringly.
    He was glad to see the stable doors open. If he had to stop and open it, it