The Enchanted Land Read online

  “Or. Or.” Adam tugged at Gordon’s pant leg, wanting to be picked up.

  They all rode back to the house slowly, Adam riding in front of Gordon. Morgan had too many thoughts for further talk, so Adam and Gordon kept up a conversation between themselves.

  Jake was waiting for them, close to the house, with a rifle. Morgan felt that, as much as anything, he didn’t like another man so near Adam.

  “This is Gordon Matthews. He and I are partners in the ownership of the Three Crowns. It’s…”

  “The Three Crowns! Glad to meet you, Mr. Matthews. I’ve heard about the Three Crowns since I first come to New Mexico. You say Morgan’s your partner?”

  Jake warmly clasped Gordon’s hand. As they walked together toward the house, Gordon turned and caught Morgan’s eye. He put two fingers to the back of his head and wiggled them, like feathers. Then he winked at Morgan before returning to the conversation with Jake.

  Morgan laughed at Gordon’s play. She felt better than she had for a long time. She hurried after Adam, who was trying to catch up to the two men.

  Supper that night was fun. Adam decided he wanted his chair moved next to Gordon’s. “Gor,” he learned to say.

  Morgan sat quietly with her own thoughts through the others’ conversation.

  “How many head of cattle you run on a place like that?” Jake asked. “What about Injuns? Any trouble with them?”

  Morgan felt Gordon’s silent laughter at the question. After supper, the two of them walked outside together, Adam toddling behind.

  “I can feel the difference between the altitudes of Santa Fe and of Albuquerque.” As Adam’s steps slowed, Gordon picked up the boy, who snuggled against his shoulder.

  “Come live with me, Morgan.”

  She didn’t move, but stared ahead.

  “I know something’s wrong here. No one mentions Seth’s name, yet I feel he’s still alive.”

  “Yes, he is,” Morgan whispered.

  “Whatever’s happened is your business. I don’t need to know, but I do know that your father would have wanted you to come to the ranch. I know I’d like for you to come. I’m a bachelor. My father’s people are in the East. My mother’s people are Comanches and, in spite of my games, I know little about them.

  “There are too many memories for you here, Morgan. Come back with me. I’ll make a home for you and Adam.” He stroked the hair of the sleeping child.

  “I don’t know, Gordon. I really don’t know you. But what you say about there being too many memories here is correct. Let me think about it and give you an answer soon. Right now, I need to put my son to bed.”

  She walked ahead as Gordon followed with the dozing Adam. “Do you know that I’ve loved your mother since she was twenty minutes old? I don’t care where your father is, because I plan to move heaven and earth to become your new daddy. Would you like that, son?” He kissed the dimpled cheek of the boy. “We’ll go to the ranch. And inside of a year, I’ll be your pa.”

  It took Gordon two days to persuade Morgan to go with him to the Three Crowns. The major opposition came from Jake; he couldn’t stand the idea of Adam’s leaving.

  “I have to, Jake. What if Seth returns? I can’t be here then. I don’t want to see him.”

  Gordon could hardly control his elation as he loaded the wagon with Morgan’s and Adam’s clothes. “I’ll send a hand back to return the wagon, and he’ll let you know that we got there safely.”

  The goodbyes were tearful. “Send us letters. Tell us about yourself and the boy. The house will be sad without you,” Lupita cried. Paul gave Adam two more carved wooden horses for his ranch house. Jake took it the worst, almost refusing to see them off.

  Adam waved to them for a long time, enjoying the unusual pleasure of riding in a wagon. By the time they reached Santa Fe, he was fretful and Morgan was glad to stop. She wanted to purchase fabric for some new clothes for him. The days were getting longer and the afternoons hotter. Gordon had told her it was much warmer farther down the mountains toward Albuquerque.

  Gordon had taken Adam with him and promised to meet Morgan by the wagon in an hour. Morgan’s last stop took her to a new shop, one she’d never seen. It carried imported silks and velvets, handmade laces, as well as the sturdy cottons she needed for Adam. She didn’t hear the footsteps behind her.

  “Well, Mrs. Colter, it is such a surprise to see you here again.”

  “Miss Wilson.” Marilyn Wilson was the last person Morgan wanted to see. “How have you been? Is this your shop?”

  “I’ve been quite well, thank you, and yes, my father bought this shop for me about six months ago. I hear you came back alone from San Francisco.”

  Morgan clenched her hands into fists.

  “Tell me, how is Joaquín Montoya? Wasn’t it strange how he and his sister packed up and left for Spain that way, just a few days after their party?”

  Before Morgan could answer, Marilyn continued, “All of Santa Fe thought it was strange how you and Joaquín rode off together right in the middle of the party. Of course, as I mentioned to Seth, you two had spent a great deal of time together already.”

  “You…”

  Neither of the women heard the shop door open.

  “Then, of course, all of Santa Fe knew Seth spent the winter alone on the Colter ranch.”

  “Ahem.” Both women turned to see Gordon and Adam. Adam let go of Gordon’s hand and ran to his mother to show her the little wooden trees Gordon had bought him.

  Morgan picked her son up. “Pretty, aren’t they? They’ll go with the rest of your ranch. Oh—Miss Wilson”—Morgan acted as if she had just remembered the woman’s presence—“let me introduce my son to you. Adam, this is Miss Wilson.” Adam looked at the woman for only a second and then began jabbering to his mother about his trees. He smiled, showing dimples so like Seth’s.

  Gordon took Adam. “I guess it’s time we left Santa Fe.” He didn’t like the lightning atmosphere between the two women.

  As they got to the door, Morgan turned back. “I guess all of Santa Fe doesn’t know about my son. I think you’ll agree there’s no doubt who his father is. Goodbye, Miss Wilson.”

  In the wagon, Morgan was quiet at first. Then, a few miles outside of Santa Fe, the tears began to flow. Gordon pulled the wagon over under some large cottonwoods. Without a word, he set Adam on the ground and then lifted Morgan from the wagon. He held her in his strong arms and let her cry. He sat under a tree and rocked her gently. Adam heard his mother and came to investigate. When he realized she was crying, he began to cry, too. Gordon tried to keep one arm around each of them, but the more one cried, the more the other cried.

  It took him a few minutes to realize that Morgan was laughing. “What’s so blasted funny?”

  “You. The look on your face. Two people crying in your arms and you trying to comfort both of them. I never saw such frustration.”

  Gordon grinned at her. “I’ll have to remember the look for the next time you cry, so I can make you laugh. Anyway, it was worth it for a chance to hold you.”

  Gordon’s seriousness made Morgan realize her position. She quickly moved from his lap and gathered Adam to her. Adam was happy again when he saw his mother smile, and ran to explore a nearby sound.

  “You want to tell me about it?”

  Morgan shook her head.

  “Who was that woman, anyway? You seemed to know one another pretty well.”

  “Know one another! I’ve only seen that … viper a few times in my life. And each time, she’s caused me problems. Her vicious tongue helped break up my marriage!”

  “No. It was Seth’s temper and jealousy that caused the rift between you.”

  Morgan looked at Gordon in puzzlement.

  “Jake told me the whole story.”

  “Jake told you! He had no right. Does he tell everyone he meets, or just overnight guests?”

  “Calm down, Morgan. He thought I should know, and he’s right. He said it was Seth’s fault and that you