The Enchanted Land Read online

  Just before dinner, Morgan went upstairs to wash, and as she left the room to return downstairs, she heard Seth talking with another man. She paused at the top of the stairs to look at her father-in-law.

  She had seen some of Seth’s expressions in his mother’s face, but looking at William Colter was like seeing Seth in twenty years’ time. He was a large man. The two of them seemed to fill the room. The older man still had an abundance of hair. And they had the same indulgent, patronizing looks on their faces as they watched the three sisters.

  Seth looked up and saw her first. For a second she wished he had looked at her the same way she had seen some men look at their brides, but she buried the desire.

  “Well, well, well, I have another daughter, and such a pretty one, too.” William Colter extended his arms.

  Morgan took both his hands in hers, and said, “I am indeed your daughter, but you certainly must not be seeing me correctly!” She said this with a smile.

  William took her arm through his, patted her hand, and smiled. “All women are pretty to me. Shall we eat? I’m starved.”

  They all entered the dining room, and sat at a large mahogany table. Morgan was seated between William and Seth, with Nora across from her. Austine and Eleanor sat beside Nora, and Jennifer was beside Seth. It was easy to see that Jennifer, especially, adored Seth.

  “Papa,” Eleanor started, “Morgan needs some new clothes and we must have them made before they leave. Could you take us to Louisville tomorrow to purchase fabric?”

  William turned to Morgan, and for the first time noticed her dress.

  “May we, Papa?” Jennifer continued.

  “Yes, of course. I need to make some purchases myself.”

  Nora looked at Morgan, aware of her stress. She knew enough about her new daughter-in-law to know that she would not like a day shopping with the three giggling girls.

  “Girls, you forget that Morgan is a new bride. I am sure she’d like to spend the day with her husband.”

  Morgan sent Nora a grateful look. “Do you ride, Morgan?” Nora asked calmly.

  “Yes, but I haven’t been on a horse in two years.”

  “All right then. Seth, you must take your wife on a tour of the Colter plantation.”

  Seth said, “Why, of course.” He took Morgan’s hand from where it lay on the tablecloth and raised it to his lips. His eyes were mocking as he said, “I’d love to take my little bride for a day in the country. Is that all right, mi querida?”

  “Oh, Seth,” Jennifer breathed, “you are so romantic!”

  Morgan turned to see the entire family watching. Eleanor and Austine had rather dreamy expressions, but Nora and William looked like two fat, contented hens. They were pleased that their son had finally married.

  Again, Jennifer was the first to break the silence. “But how will we know what to buy for Morgan? She must go with us.”

  Morgan calmly said, “As you can see, I know little about clothes. Whatever pleases you will please me.”

  Nora said, “No. My daughters tend toward flounces and laces. You are too small for those. And also,” she seemed to inventory Morgan’s face, “their dimpled, round, good looks tend toward pastels. You need clear, bright colors—reds, greens, black, and bright blues.” Nora spotted the bored look on her son’s face. She laughed. “Yes, dear. I will stop talking of clothes.”

  “Just make sure all the material is sturdy,” Seth added.

  The rest of the meal was filled with talk of the plantation.

  After the meal, Morgan retired to their room upstairs. The last two days had been exhausting. She entered the room to find Bessie filling a large, white bathtub.

  “I knew you’d be too tired to stay up very late, so it’s all ready for you.”

  “Thank you so much, Bessie. You don’t know how much I’m going to enjoy this.” She reached up to unpin her hair.

  “Here, young ’un, you just sit down and let old Bessie help you. I’ve done this more times ’an you can count, what with three little girls to raise.”

  As Morgan’s hair tumbled from the hard knot at the back of her head, Bessie drew in her breath. “Land sakes, child! Why do you want to keep all that beautiful stuff hidden?” She grabbed an armful of it and piled it on top of Morgan’s head. “You should let me fix it up for you, like this,” she said, as she pinned it loosely on top of Morgan’s head.

  Morgan laughed and stood up as Bessie unfastened the tiny buttons on the dress. As she stepped out of it, and then her undergarments, Bessie exclaimed, “Why, I thought you were kind of thick-waisted and that you had no bosom at all. But just look at you.”

  Morgan felt an urge to cover herself. She had never been nude before anyone except her mother and her nurse, and not since she was a child. She stepped into the tub, leaned back, and closed her eyes. She lay there, dreaming, and did not hear the door close behind Bessie, or open again.

  Seth stood for some minutes, looking down at his little wife. The blond hair was piled on her head, a few curls falling down her back and a few clinging to her steam-dampened face. Her skin was flawless, glistening over smooth shoulders, its creamy texture leading to the two round swellings just glimpsed above the cloudy water. One slim arm was on each side of the tub. He was looking at these when he realized her eyes were open.

  They looked at one another for a second, and Seth grinned. “My sisters sent me to ask you if you have any preference for a style of clothing. That seems to have a good deal of bearing on what fabric they choose.”

  Morgan, still holding his eyes, said evenly, “No. I know nothing about it.”

  Seth turned to go and then looked back, his eyes mischievous. “May I tell them that I prefer the style you have on now? That bathtub is by far the most becoming thing I have seen you wear.”

  “You!” Morgan glanced around for something to throw.

  Seth laughed. “Careful, or I’ll see more than just the bathtub.” He turned and left the room, chuckling.

  She tried to return to her dreaming, but Seth had ruined it for her. She finished bathing, stepped from the tub, and dried. Then she climbed into the big bed. As she drifted off to sleep, she remembered Seth’s eyes. Why had his gaze made her feel so warm?

  She was asleep when Seth returned to their room. He undressed quietly, and settled onto the couch.

  “Wake up. I thought you wanted to see the plantation.” Seth was shaking her gently.

  She stretched and smiled up at him. God! he thought. She looked like a cat, all grace in the early-morning light. As he looked at her, he began to feel his desire for her growing. “Either you get out of that bed, or I’m getting in with you.”

  She was startled by his tone and her eyes flew open. She rolled across the bed and climbed out the side farthest from him. As she ran toward the dressing room, she heard him mumble something about being a bull in the mornings. She couldn’t stifle a giggle as she slipped into the same gown she had worn the day before.

  She saw Seth’s frown as she stepped back into the bedroom. “If you will remember, it was you who told me to leave my clothes behind. This and my nightgown are my only articles of clothing.”

  He left the room and returned in a few minutes with a riding habit. “This is Jennifer’s. Try it on.”

  She returned in moments in the light-green whipcord habit. Jennifer was taller than Morgan, and weighed a great deal more. The outfit fit as poorly as the one her uncle had bought for her.

  Seth grimaced. “I guess it will have to do.”

  No one was up yet, even in the stables. Seth handed her a thick slice of bread covered with butter, and saddled the two horses for them. Morgan’s mare was gentle, and she was glad, because she did not feel up to fighting a horse.

  They rode in silence, both of them enjoying the cool March morning. After they had ridden for an hour, Seth slowed his horse. “This stream is the boundary of the Colter plantation. Let’s get down and I’ll show you a place where I used to play as a child.” He helped Morgan