Page 108 of The Enchanted Land

Gordon looked puzzled and then laughed. “His first attempt at ‘Dave’. Morgan complains that no one except her tries to teach him new words. She’ll be glad to hear this one.”

“I hope so.”

Gordon took Adam and put him on the front of his saddle and them climbed up behind him. They waited as Seth mounted. Adam took one look at Seth on the horse and lunged toward him. Seth caught him and put him in front of him. The saddle could barely hold the two of them.

Gordon had to laugh. “You know, it’s not easy for me not to be jealous. For six months now, Adam has been like my own son. Sometimes he’d rather stay with me than go to his own mother.”

Seth tried to make his voice sound light, and Gordon didn’t notice the way the big man’s hands tightened on the reins. “The mother! Now she’s a beauty. It must have been like having her for a wife for the last six months.”

Gordon laughed aloud. “I wish you were right. That’s what a lot of men think, but Morgan has a mind of her own. She has … problems … concerning the boy’s father. But some day—maybe. I’m going very slowly with her right now.”

“I would have thought living in the same house with a beautiful young widow was the kind of situation men dream about.”

“It’s a dream all right, but that’s all. Oh … and Morgan’s not a widow. She’s still legally married.” He started to turn his horse away and then looked back. “I must be as silly as Adam. I don’t usually discuss my private affairs with the hands.”

“I thank you for the confidence.”

“Well, here’s where we part. You’re to work with Boyd today and I’m leading another crew. Adam, are you ready to go with me?”

Adam pressed his back closer to Seth’s chest. “Da da.” Gordon shrugged.

“Well, it looks like you’re stuck with him.”

“My pleasure.” His hand was on the boy’s knee. “I can’t imagine anyone I’d rather spend the day with.”

“I’m not sure you know what you’re asking for. When he’s tired, he can really be a nuisance. Right now he’s happy, but—”

Seth tousled the boy’s hair. “There’s no need to worry. I’ll take care of him as though he were my own son.” Seth reined his horse toward Boyd and the other men. His son’s little body near his own felt comfortable and familiar, as if they’d known one another for years.

The other men looked up sharply as they saw the new hand with Adam in front of him. Gordon never allowed the boy out of his sight. But then they shrugged. There was something about Dave Blake that made a man trust him, something even the nineteen-month-old Adam must feel.

All day Seth stayed with his son. It was true that his work would have been easier without Adam to look after, but Seth had been by himself too long to begrudge a little extra work now. Whenever Adam stepped too near a skittish horse, a large hand was there to guide him to safety. Seth felt a peace that he hadn’t experienced in a long time. He was content now to take his time with Morgan, to go slowly, to give her time to trust him. Now, he had Adam.

Morgan was nervous all day. As soon as she entered the kitchen, she cut herself. She stared at the cut unseeing. Roselle bandaged it for her. Later, when she was removing a hot tray of rolls from the oven, she forgot to use a potholder. Roselle smeared her palm with cool butter and told her to leave the kitchen. Morgan didn’t understand.

“Mrs. Colter, something is wrong today. Go outside, ride your horse, read, but please stay out of the kitchen.”

Morgan removed her apron and went to the drawing room. Roselle was right, something was wrong. Seth Colter had come back into her life. She knew he must have seen Adam by now. What did he think of his son? Maybe he didn’t even realize Adam was his. That would be just like him—he’d probably think Adam was Joaquín’s son, or Theron’s.

She picked upJane Eyre. She scanned pages, anxious for Jane and Mr. Rochester to get together again. As she read, she began to realize that she was seeing herself as Jane and Seth as Rochester. She remembered clearly every muscle of Seth’s body. She put the book aside and wandered from room to room, checking to see if anything was out of order.

Lunch was a lonely meal, adding to her nervousness. She had Donaciano saddle her horse and rode to her favorite place by the river. She spread a blanket and wished Adam were there to keep her busy. The thought of Adam brought visions of Adam and Seth together to her mind. I wonder how Seth felt when his own son preferred Gordon? Adam would rather be with Gordon than with anyone else in the world.

It was hot, and the place was alive with dragonflies and numerous other flying insects. Morgan removed her riding boots and stockings, wiggling her toes, glad to be rid of them. It wasn’t long before she fell asleep.

She awoke dazed, not knowing where she was, her body stiff from the hard ground. The sun was low. It was well past time for her return. Hastily, she tried to pin her hair back into its careful coiffure, but finally gave up. Pulling the pins and ribbon out, she thrust them into her pocket.

She rode quickly back to the house. Breathless, she tossed the reins to Donaciano. “I’m late. Would you give her a good rubdown, please? I need to go—Gordon and Adam will be here soon.”

Donaciano was willing to do anything for his young mistress when she smiled at him like that.

She started running toward the house and then turned to call thank you to Donaciano. She caught her breath as she ran into something; a hand caught the back of her head and tangled in her hair.

She looked up into Seth’s sparkling blue eyes. His hand was burning her skin, causing chills down her back. Their eyes locked, each seeing only the other, oblivious to the rest of the world. Seth’s hand moved along the back of her neck, fingers caressing the tendons, touching each muscle. Along the scalp, her hair was warm, almost hot. Involuntarily, Morgan’s eyes began to close. It had been a long time … Her eyes flew open. He was staring at her with a slow smile, a smug smile. She jerked away from him but he held her easily.

“There you are, Dave. I wondered where you’d gone.” Gordon looked from Seth to Morgan and Seth dropped his hand from her hair. Immediately Gordon felt the tension between them.

“Mrs. Colter ran into us, running from the barn.”

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