The Enchanted Land Read online

  He turned sharply at the crash of the punch glass. Morgan’s face was totally without color. She was staring at Dave. “Morgan, what’s wrong?” He looked from her to Dave, who seemed to be the cause of Morgan’s distress. “Do you know Dave?” There was dread in his voice.

  “No, I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure. Maybe I remind Mrs…. Colter of someone she’s met before.”

  “Is that it, Morgan? Does Dave remind you of someone?”

  Morgan stood staring, speechless.

  “I think I’ll take Morgan upstairs. Something about you has upset her.”

  “Please do. I’m very sorry to have upset you, Mrs. Colter. Maybe you’ll forgive me when you find I’m not the same man you think I am. Goodnight.” He watched as Gordon led Morgan away.

  Morgan still hadn’t spoken when they reached her bedroom. Gordon picked her up and put her on the bed, her hair spreading around her.

  “Morgan, what’s wrong? Do you know that man? Does he remind you of someone?”

  “Yes.” Her whisper was hoarse.

  “Who?”

  “Seth.” He barely heard her. Seth! My God! He had been afraid she was still in love with her husband, but if she reacted this way to a man who only resembled Seth! He stroked the hair on her forehead. “I’ll send Carol up to help you undress. There’s no need for you to come downstairs again. When everyone is gone, I’ll come back.”

  Carol had come and gone, and Morgan lay in the bed in her nightgown. It had taken a long time before she could begin to think. Now the first shock of numbness was beginning to wear off.

  Seth was here! She hadn’t seen him since the night he had come to Theron’s house. That horrible night when he had accused her of—She stopped. She didn’t want to remember. What did he want here?

  The shock of seeing him again had caused her more pain than she had thought possible. She had hoped that living with Gordon would make her forget Seth. She hadn’t had enough time! She needed time to get to know Gordon, to forget Seth.

  He can’t do this to me! The tears collected in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Adam and I are happy. We have a home now. Why can’t he let us be?

  She wiped away the tears as something occurred to her—she didn’t have to let him upset her! No, she didn’t love him anymore. She knew him for what he was. This time he wouldn’t be able to charm her, because she knew now what lay behind his dimpled smile. She knew how to handle this. She would totally ignore him!

  She sat up straighter in the bed, and smiled. Mrs. Colter, he called her. Well, Mr. Blake, you will be another hired hand, just as Boyd and the others are. No special favors, and no recognition, either. If he had come in spite, to punish her for crimes he believed she’d committed, he was going to be surprised. She wouldn’t allow him to upset her. He no longer had any control over her.

  She answered Gordon’s knock. His concern faded rapidly when he saw Morgan’s smile.

  “Feeling better now?”

  “Yes, much better.”

  “Morgan, I just wanted to tell you that you’ll have to remember that Dave Blake is an entirely different person from Seth. Just because a physical resemblance is there doesn’t mean they’re at all alike.”

  “You’re perfectly right. Mr. Blake is another man. It was such a shock, that’s all. I don’t know how I’ll ever make it up to him. The poor man. He must have thought I was insane.”

  Gordon patted her hand. He was still shaken by Morgan’s feelings for Seth. “I doubt that. You’re much too beautiful for any man to take offense at anything you do.”

  Morgan laughed. “Did you know that at one time I was considered very plain?”

  Gordon ignored her question. The idea was too absurd to consider He kissed her forehead, blew out the light, and left her.

  Before Morgan fell asleep, she saw Seth’s smiling face. He hadn’t changed at all. He was still very handsome.

  Seth sat under the stars for a long time after the party ended. The carriages were gone and the bunkhouse was silent.

  He had almost left the party when he first saw her. He had watched her for over an hour, being careful that she didn’t see him. He had known right away that she was bored. Morgan had never liked a lot of people around her. She was happiest when there were just the two of them. He had seen the way Gordon hovered over her, always watching her, protecting her. It was obvious that Gordon was in love. That’s what had made Seth want to leave. But as he watched Morgan’s face, he knew she didn’t return Gordon’s love. He didn’t know if he’d been joyous or sad when he saw that she was not in love with Gordon. Part of him wanted her to be happy, at whatever cost to himself, but the other part was selfish and wanted her to be his alone.

  Where was this Adam that Gordon had mentioned? He’d said the party was for Morgan and Adam. Maybe she loved Adam. Adam! What was he like?

  Seth rubbed his hands on his thighs. He felt he’d won one round in the battle for Morgan, but it had taken a lot of his strength. He dreaded the outcome of the next round. This was a fight for his life.

  It was still very early when Morgan heard her son banging on her bedroom door. “Mama, eat. Mama, eat. Horse.”

  Drowsily, Morgan left her bed and opened the door for him.

  Still mostly asleep, Morgan stumbled back to the bed. Adam ran ahead of her, reaching it before she did, and began bouncing up and down on the mattress. “Horse. Horse,” he shouted. “Gor, horse.”

  Morgan smiled at her sturdy son. “Well, my talkative little son, I take that to mean that you are ready for Gordon to take you on his horse?”

  Adam smiled at her, pleased she had understood.

  “You little imp! You may have everyone else on this ranch hanging on your every monosyllable, but not me.” She lunged at him, catching the tail of his nightshirt. Adam collapsed on the bed, laughing helplessly.

  Hearing the commotion, Gordon came to Morgan’s open bedroom door to investigate. The sight of Morgan and Adam wrestling on the big bed made him laugh. Then he grew serious as he watched Morgan. She wore a thin muslin gown and it was wrapped tightly about her body to expose smooth, golden legs. As she pulled Adam to her, the outline of her breasts swelled, full and sensuous. He felt little beads of sweat on his upper lip.

  Feeling another presence in the room, Morgan turned. She saw Gordon and followed his eyes to her exposed legs. Hastily, she pulled a sheet over her body.

  “Gor! Horse! Eat!”

  Even with the sheet pulled to her neck, Morgan was beautiful. Her hair tumbled about her shoulders in a disarray of fat golden curls, some honey-colored and some almost white. Her face was slightly flushed. Gordon recovered himself just in time to catch Adam as he jumped from the bed into Gordon’s arms.

  “Good morning,” she murmured.

  Gordon’s face broke into a wide grin and he looked at Adam. “Good morning. You sure are a lucky man, Adam. I’d like to crawl in bed with your mama some morning.”

  Morgan gaped at Gordon. Never had he said anything like that to her before.

  As Gordon turned to leave, Adam in his arms, he smiled back at her. “You really should close your mouth, Morgan, beautiful though it is.”

  By the time Morgan was dressed, Gordon had dressed Adam, packed some bread and cheese, and left the house. She ate breakfast alone, trying not to remember that Seth was somewhere on the ranch.

  “Hey! Gordon’s bringing Adam today!” Seth heard the men yelling in the bunkhouse. Well, she certainly has picked a popular man this time, he thought. As the men all left through one door, Seth quietly made his way to the other door. He wanted to postpone meeting Morgan’s new lover as long as possible. His horse shied away from him when he angrily tossed the heavy saddle onto its back. Of course, she had every right to take on a new lover, after the way he’d treated her.

  But she was his wife!

  Whoever this Adam was, he was going to have to fight Seth for Morgan’s love and Seth meant to fight any way he could.

  “Dave, are you in h