The Enchanted Land Read online

  Her anger was gone now, but many years of training by her mother cried out in her head. The anger was replaced by a look of determination and arrogance. “My mother was correct when she told me that men could not love, that they cared only for horses and business and that they used women. Since I have met you, Mr. Colter, you have shown me less consideration and friendliness than you show your horse. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do at the wagons.”

  She left him standing alone.

  “What is it, my pretty little dove?” Joaquín’s voice was soft and very close.

  Morgan was leaning against a tree, trying to fight the tears that threatened.

  She sniffed and smiled nervously up at Joaquín. “I guess I don’t understand men.”

  “Ah, but men are very easy to understand. It is women who are mysterious. It is women who control men.”

  “Control men! I don’t even seem to be able to talk to one.”

  “A lover’s tiff. Soon you will make up, and then you will be happy again.”

  She took Joaquín’s arm and he escorted her back to the wagons.

  The next day Frank took over Morgan’s shooting lessons. Seth avoided her.

  One day as Joaquín and Morgan returned from a spring, both laughing, Seth met them on the pathway. His eyes showed amusement.

  “My little wife seems to enjoy your company, Joaquín. She is usually not so friendly with men.”

  Joaquín looked from one to another. “Morgan is an enjoyable person. I envy any man with such a wife. Excuse me, I have some things I need to do before our journey tomorrow.”

  Silently, Morgan started down the path. Seth walked beside her.

  “Look at that!” Seth pointed to the trees.

  “I don’t see anything.”

  Seth moved behind her, his hands on her shoulders, and turned her to see a brilliant, red cardinal sitting quietly on a branch. They both smiled.

  “I was just going for a walk. After all day on a horse, it feels good to stretch my legs. Want to come?”

  She smiled up at him. He stretched his hand to her and she took it.

  “Come on, then.” They ran, Morgan stumbling along behind to keep up with him.

  “This greenness reminds me of Kentucky. But we’ll leave it behind soon enough.”

  “Tell me more about New Mexico. Is it really flat and barren?”

  “It’s not flat at all. To some people it seems barren, but I don’t think of it that way. The deserts and the mountains have always seemed like enchanted places to me.”

  They rounded a curve in the stream to a secluded area where the trees overhung the banks.

  “That water looks good after the dust of the trail. I think I’ll take a swim. Like to join me?” His eyes twinkled.

  Before she could answer, Seth had removed his boots and shirt. His muscles were enormous and stood out easily. Morgan watched, fascinated.

  As he started to remove his pants, she gasped, “Seth…” He smiled, “Remember, mi querida, we are married. I see nothing wrong in undressing in front of one’s wife. Anyway, you could turn your head.”

  She turned to stare at a tree trunk behind her until she heard a loud splash.

  “The water’s so warm. Sure you won’t join me?”

  She longed to get into the water, to get rid of the trail dust. Sponge baths in the wagon never got her really clean.

  “No, I’ll just sit on the bank and put my feet in.” She watched as Seth swam a ways down the creek. His back and arms were powerful in the water. She could see him clearly as he glided across the water: his arms and back, and then tapering to his buttocks and the tops of his thighs. Morgan shivered as she watched. She did not go in. Seth returned a bit later, and she walked ahead as he dressed.

  “It’s all right. You can come back now. I won’t shock you any longer.” His hand reached out for hers. “Sit down a minute—I’d like to dry off.” He had not put his shirt back on but was using it to towel his wet hair.

  She sat down, leaning against a tree. Seth sat beside her, then turned and lay his head in her lap. He closed his eyes.

  “Seth, talk to me about you. You know so much about me. Jake has told me about you, but I want you to tell me about yourself.”

  His hands were crossed on his chest. She moved a hand to remove a leaf from his stomach and then left her hand there. His skin was so warm. Her other hand twisted a curl of his hair, now very gray in the sunlight.

  “What did Jake tell you about me?” Seth was keenly aware of Morgan’s hands.

  “He said he didn’t think you had ever been in love, that you only used women.” She paused. “And he said there were lots of women who wanted you to marry them.”

  Seth smiled. “I guess that’s true. But I figure most women want to get married. I just happened to be single.” He snuggled his head deeper into her lap, and his hands covered hers, both pairs of hands lying on his chest.

  “What about the other part—have you ever been in love?”

  He took a minute to answer. “I guess not. At least I’ve never met a woman I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. I usually grow tired of a woman after a very short time.” He raised her hand to kiss her palm, his eyes still closed. He felt Morgan jump slightly at the touch of his lips.

  “What about your girl in New Mexico?” He looked at her, then closed his eyes again. His cheeks showed long dimples from trying to suppress his laughter.

  “Jake told you a lot, didn’t he? Marilyn’s very pretty and very … uh … obliging, but no, I’m not in love with her.”

  Morgan leaned her head against the tree and smiled, feeling very happy.

  “Seth, you said my mother was wrong—that she should have taught me about men and women.” She paused. Seth remained silent, but listened closely. “I don’t understand about men. And I don’t understand you at all. You are sometimes so kind, and then sometimes you look like you hate me. Then again, there are times, like now, when I feel I’ve known you all my life.”

  Seth’s eyes were serious. “Yes, little one, sometimes I don’t understand myself. Sometimes I hate you, and sometimes I want to pick you up and toss you in the air. Right now, I just want to be still.” He closed his eyes again.

  Morgan relaxed against the tree again and then she whispered, “Do you ever want to toss Marilyn into the air?”

  Seth roared. “It would take a bigger man than me to toss Marilyn Wilson in the air. I can see you’re not going to let me rest. Let’s go and see what Jake has for supper.”

  He turned over and studied her for a minute. “God, I hate the way you hide your hair.” He reached behind her, unfastened the knot of hair, and pulled it forward over her shoulders. “That’s better.”

  He stood up, took Morgan’s hand, and pulled her up beside him. She gazed up at him with complete trust.

  “Oh, Morgan,” he groaned, “how am I going to keep my hands off you for a whole year?”

  Morgan smiled. “That’s easy—if you can’t catch me, you can’t touch me!” she called over her shoulder as she ran down the trail.

  Seth paused to grab his shirt, stuffing it into his belt, and took off after her.

  Just before they reached the wagons, Seth sent one long arm shooting out to encircle Morgan’s waist. She struggled, kicking and hitting against him while laughing uncontrollably. “Can’t catch you? You’re no bigger than a mosquito,” he teased.

  He lifted her above his head and turned her around in the air several times. Morgan screamed, “No, no,” repeatedly, choking with laughter.

  Seth then threw her over his shoulder, slapping her firmly on the behind when she struggled. He walked into the camp carrying her this way.

  Jake and Frank looked up from the fire.

  “I thought maybe we was being attacked by Indians.” Jake frowned. Seth just grinned.

  Embarrassed now, Morgan whispered into Seth’s back, “Seth, put me down.”

  As Seth crossed in front of them, going toward the
wagon, Morgan heard Jake tell Frank, “At least that boy knows how women ought to be handled.”

  No one saw Joaquín standing in the shadows, a scowl on his face.

  Seth put Morgan down on the far side of the wagon, away from the campfire. Her back was against the wagon, and one of his arms was on each side of her, closing her in.

  “Seth, that was awful. What will Jake and Frank think of me?” She tried to scold, but she was too close to laughter to sound sincere.

  He moved his face closer to hers. “Keep looking at me like that, and I may do more than throw you over my shoulder.”

  She hadn’t realized how she had been looking at his bare chest, the soft, curling hair on the bronze skin. She blushed and looked away. As she did so, he bent and kissed her on the ear. His lips, so moist, so sweet, caused her to turn toward him again.

  “Morgan, sweet one,” he whispered. His arms closed around her shoulders, and she put her arms around his waist. He held her, without speaking, for some minutes.

  Morgan could feel his skin against the side of her face, could feel his hand gently stroking her head and tangling into her hair. Her mind was blank, she felt only security and contentment while being so close to this man.

  He was the first to pull away. “You’re a witch, you know that?” His voice was husky. “Go out there and get me something to eat, like a good little wife.”

  “Aren’t you coming?” She didn’t want to leave him.

  “Morgan, you have a lot to learn about men. I’ll stay back here a minute or so until I’m more presentable for company.” He glanced downward.

  Morgan followed his eyes to the large bulge in his pants. “Oh,” she murmured, unnerved, and turned and walked quickly to the campfire.

  Joaquín was very quiet that night. He usually managed to sit close to Morgan and always found ways of slipping compliments to her. But tonight Morgan had no ears for Joaquín. He noticed that every look, every gesture, was directed toward Seth.

  Once, Seth glanced at Joaquín and was startled to see a look of undisguised hatred. At Seth’s glance, Joaquín quickly recovered his countenance. For a few seconds, Seth puzzled over what he had seen on Joaquín’s face, but soon dismissed it. Many things about the Spaniard were strange to him.

  Joaquín Montoya was the head of a very wealthy ranch south of Seth’s more modest ranch. Seth seldom thought about Joaquín except for an occasional feeling of distaste for his too-smooth manners. Of course, Joaquín’s beautiful sister, Lena, was another matter. The first time Seth kissed her, she bit his lip nearly through, and then threw back her head and laughed. Making love to her was like making love to a wildcat. His back had been sore for a week, and her teeth had made a wound on his shoulder that had taken two weeks to heal. Seth did not think about the Montoyas very often.

  Seth stayed around the campfire to talk of plans for the trip, while Morgan went to her bed under the wagon. She lay with her hands behind her head and looked up at the underpinnings of the wagon. She thought of the day, and the remembrance of Seth, laughing with him, touching him, being so near all day, made her skin glow and her breath come deeper and quicker.

  When Seth came to his bed, so near to hers, she stretched out a hand to touch him.

  “Oh, no, mi querida,” he whispered. He kissed her fingertips, and put her hand by her side. “I don’t think I could stand any more kissing and touching today. I am only human. Go to sleep now, and don’t test me anymore.” He turned onto his stomach, and before long Morgan heard his quiet, even breathing.

  The next night they camped at Diamond Springs. Seth took Morgan’s hand and led her to see the spring flowing from a large, hollow rock. The water was clear and cool. They lugged the heavy water barrels back to camp, laughing at one another.

  Morgan washed her hair in buckets of the clear, cool, spring water. As she sat in front of the fire, turning so her hair would dry, the four men watched.

  “I never saw hair like that in my life,” Jake murmured.

  “My little girl has hair almost that color, but not so much of it,” Frank added.

  Seth grabbed a handful of the hair, jerking Morgan around. “I think I should get you out of here before I have to fight for you.” Seth pulled Morgan to her feet.

  “Seth, you’re hurting me.”

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you weren’t a lady. That’s a nice trick—to sit by a fire and spread all this around you.” His hands were buried in her hair.

  He led her into the dark woods, away from the camp.

  “Seth,” she said angrily, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I don’t either. I guess it’s just that you look better to me every day. I’m beginning to think about you a lot. I can’t even take a trip to the bushes without wishing you were with me.”

  Morgan felt her heart beat harder. “Seth…” She lifted her arms to him, and their lips met. He set off a fire in her. Her lips moved with his, feeling his tongue touch her own. Her arms pulled him closer. One of his legs parted her own, and she could feel his thigh, so hard and so exciting.

  He kissed her neck, and she could feel his teeth making small nibbling bites on her skin. Chills went up her spine and down the backs of her thighs.

  From a long way off, she heard Frank calling for Seth. Neither of them wanted to hear it.

  “Damn him!” Seth muttered in her ear. “I have to go, sweet. Maybe Frank is your guardian angel.”

  “Maybe he’s the devil,” Morgan whispered under her breath.

  Seth drew back, surprised. Then he chuckled. “I think I’m going to like spending a year with you.” He kissed her on the forehead and left.

  Morgan walked closer to the camp and stood, watching Seth as he talked to Frank. She didn’t want to think, but she knew she wanted him to come back to her in the cool forest. Maybe I do love him, she thought. I wonder if it is possible to fall in love so quickly.

  After waiting some minutes, she gradually became aware of the chill in the air and returned to camp.

  A rider had come to their camp, and Seth was leaving that night with him to scout the area ahead, to find the best way of crossing Cottonwood Creek.

  As he packed his gear, he told Morgan he’d see her at the crossing in two days.

  He held her in his arms a few moments before leaving, and kissed her gently. “Think about me while I’m gone?” His eyes were laughing.

  “Maybe.” They smiled happily at one another, and then he was gone.

  At supper that night, Joaquín was especially attentive. “Possibly you would walk with me after supper. I’m sure my old friend Seth would want me to make sure his wife was entertained.”

  “Morgan needs to help me clear up the camp,” Jake snapped.

  Joaquín turned cold eyes on Jake, “I don’t believe Morgan usually does that, and I don’t see why she should now. May I escort you?” He offered his arm to Morgan.

  They walked silently in the moonlight for awhile. “How did you come to marry Seth, Morgan?”

  Morgan was startled. She had hoped that no one other than Jake knew of the marriage arrangement.

  Before she could answer, Joaquín continued. “I ask because I am an observer of people, and I see that there is something wrong between the two of you. I know that each night Seth sleeps away from his little bride.” He touched Morgan’s cheek. “If I had a bride so lovely, I would not have ridden away from her, no matter how many creeks were in danger of flooding.”

  She jerked away from his touch. “Don’t say anything about Seth! I owe him a great deal and he is good to me.”

  “I am sorry. I only meant to be your friend, to tell you that if you need someone to talk to, I will listen.”

  She looked at him closely. His slim, smooth handsomeness was so different from Seth’s huge maleness. “I’m sorry for getting angry, Joaquín. Thank you for the offer. I will remember it.”

  Seth rode all that night, thinking of Morgan’s softness, her eager returning of his kisses.
He shook himself out of his reverie and spurred his horse on. He wanted to get back to Morgan.

  Joaquín was never far from Morgan’s side for those two days. He asked no more questions about Morgan and Seth’s relationship. Instead, he concentrated on being a pleasant companion and on making Morgan forget Seth.

  Joaquín and Morgan went to gather water. Morgan gazed into the water and remembered the day before, when she had sat by the stream and held Seth’s head in her lap.

  Joaquín laughed quietly. “You look like a nymph by the water, looking for her lover. Tell me, little Morgan, what is on your mind?”

  “I was just thinking about the water and its coolness.” She smiled and looked away from him. “Joaquín, have you ever been in love?”

  He scrutinized her carefully before answering. “Yes. Once when I was very young.”

  “Did it change you a lot? I mean … did you seem to forget everything and everyone else except the one you loved?”

  “Yes. It was like that.” His eyes clouded as he looked away.

  They were silent a moment. “But Jake said you weren’t married.”

  “No.” His voice was low. “She was killed in a riding accident a few days before our marriage.” His voice had hardened. In a whisper, he said, “I died with her.”

  Morgan was embarrassed by something in Joaquín’s voice, and remained silent.

  “Morgan, we are too serious. It is a beautiful sunset, and I am alone with a beautiful woman, and yet I talk of serious things.”

  “Joaquín, I’m not beautiful. Surely you can see that.” Her voice was teasing and light.

  “I have seen many women, and I know you could be beautiful. The last few days I have seen a look in your eyes that has changed you. Too often you are sad, and you try to hide it.”

  Seth had ridden most of two nights to return to Morgan. He was not used to the feeling he had. He longed to see her, to hold her in his arms, to see her run to him.

  He thundered into the camp and jumped off his horse, throwing the reins to Jake. “Where is she?”