Gambler In Love

The Story

Catherine 'Cat' Carnahan grw up on the Erie Canal, working side by side with her father on their boat, towing freight from Albany to Buffalo. Gutsy and independent, she holds her own with the roughnecks who work the canal, including the brutal, lascivious Simon Maphis. She has yet to discover her own passionate nature, until she and her father rescue a mysterious stranger who has been beaten by thugs. His head wounds have left him with no memory of his past, but his gold pocket watch identifies him as Morgan Kane. Obviously a gentleman, he gratefully accepts Cat's offer to recuperate aboard the boat, doing odd jobs for his keep. It is Morgan's presence that finally awakens Cat to her own womanhood. And it is Morgan who fulfills her passion one languid evening on the canal. Rich in colorful detail, Gambler in Love recreates the adventurous lives of the brave men and strong women who helped carve a civilization out of the wilderness that was New York in the early 19th century. It is Patricia Matthews at her very best.