Page 126 of The Enchanted Land

She was like a child. He cradled and rocked her. She needed his tenderness. And she desperately needed the release the tears brought. Gradually, her breathing quieted and he knew she was asleep. Gently, he put her in bed and pulled the quilt about her. She made a small sucking sound, like Adam. He kissed her cheek and the tears that remained in her eyelashes.

Reluctantly, he went to the door between their rooms. It was locked. Puzzled, he left the room through the door to the hallway. Out of curiosity, he tried the door again from his side. It opened.

Gordon, he thought. Somehow Gordon had found out about them and had arranged that they be alone together in the house. Of course, it wouldn’t have been difficult to discover the truth, what with Morgan constantly shouting, “Seth Colter! You—!” It was music to his ears. If he guessed correctly, Gordon planned to stay away until he received word that Morgan and Seth were together again.

Adam had just raised his fist to bang on his mother’s door when a big hand turned the unreachable knob. He looked up to see his father, his finger to his lips. Adam quietly followed Seth into the room, stopping to look down on the sleeping woman.

Seth planted a soft kiss on the little pulse point below Morgan’s ear. She smiled in her sleep. Adam grinned up at his father and decided to imitate him. The boy’s mouth missed the mark, falling loudly and succulently on his mother’s ear. Instantly, Morgan’s eyes opened and her hand flew to her ear.

Adam and his father laughed together in conspiracy. “The two of you! I can’t even sleep peacefully!” She had to laugh. They were so much alike. “At least you should behave better than your son. He has the excuse of extreme youth.”

Seth’s grin broadened and Morgan could swear his chest puffed out at least another two inches.

“Why are you strutting about this morning?”

“That’s the first time you’ve ever admitted that he’s mine.”

She frowned. “Of course, he’s yours. Just look at him. I don’t guess two people could look more alike.”

Seth looked at his son adoringly. “I know, but I like to hear you say it anyway.”

“You’re worse than Lupita’s roosters. Hehasto be yours. You’re the only man I ever—” She hadn’t meant to say that. He had no right to know.

Seth sat down heavily beside her. “I’m the only man who’s ever made love to you?”

She looked away, absently watching Adam, who was pulling the lace trim from a pillowcase. “Yes,” she whispered.

He grabbed her shoulders, pulled her to him, and kissed her loudly and heartily on the mouth. “I know it shouldn’t matter, and I love you no matter what, but that makes me very happy. Son, before you destroy your mother’s bed linens, how about a piggyback ride downstairs?” Adam climbed on his father’s back and they stopped in the doorway. “Why don’t you stay there? I’ll give Adam to Roselle and I’ll come back and join you.”

Morgan rubbed her mouth, then her ear. “I already have had two bruising kisses this morning. I certainly don’t need any more.”

“Maybe on second thought, I’ll just push Adam out the door. He can yell all he wants—we’ll never hear him.” He closed the door quickly, as the pillow hit the door. Adam kicked his father in the ribs, laughing with gusto. He liked this man because exciting things always happened around him, like his mother throwing a pillow at them. She never did those things around other grown-ups. “Horse. Horse,” he screamed.

At breakfast, Seth suggested that Morgan bring Adam to the river for a picnic lunch. He’d try to get away to join them.

“Well, it may be difficult. I have a lot to do.” He was taking too much for granted.

“What is so urgent?”

He sounded as if she spent her days lounging in bed. Her voice was hostile. “This is September, so I have a lot of food to put up for the winter. And there’s the household accounts, and…”

Seth looked down, contrite. “I just thought Adam might need a change of pace today.”

Morgan turned away. “If I can get away, maybe we can go.”

“Good!” She knew his pain had been an act. He kissed her cheek. “Have a good day, wife.”

“Stop calling me that. Someone may hear.”

He smiled at her. “I hope so, wife.”

“Wife.” Adam imitated his father.

“Oh, no. You’re going to have the strangest vocabulary when Gordon returns.”

“Gord?” Adam questioned.

They laughed together at their son.

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