Page 24 of The Enchanted Land

Jake, who had been quiet through the whole awkward scene, nearly jumped at Seth. “What’s the matter with you, boy!”

Seth leaned back against his chair and smiled at Morgan. It was a cold smile, and it did not spread to his eyes. “My little wife is quite capable of saying no to a man when she chooses to.”

Morgan rose, very slowly and steadily, avoiding Seth’s eyes. “Excuse me. I don’t think I am hungry after all.” She turned and left the room after assuring Joaquín that she needed no escort.

By the time she reached her room, she was so angry that her entire body was shaking. She sat on the bed. There was a great deal of thinking to do. Nothing was going as she had planned.

Morgan spent the day in the shops while the men loaded the wagons. She paused before a window, taken by a shiny dress that caught the sunlight. She was drawn inside, hypnotized, her eyes never leaving the dress.

“May I help you with anything?” a soft voice asked.

Morgan was startled, embarrassed at having been caught staring. The dress was scarlet, the neckline was cut very low, and there was an inch and a half of very fine burgundy lace across the bodice. What wasn’t entirely revealed by the low neck would be just barely covered by the openwork lace. Above the waist, just under the lace bodice, was a satin ribbon that tied in the back in the Empire style. The thin fabric was tightly fitted below the ribbon until it reached the waist, where it tapered into a long, flowing, bell skirt. The sleeves were puffy and reached only to the middle of the upper arms.

The woman followed Morgan’s eyes and began to visualize how the blond young woman would look in the elegant red dress. It would suit her perfectly. The woman continued staring at Morgan for another moment. “I am Miss Satterfield. That dress was made for you.”

Morgan heard the earnestness in her voice. “Yes,” Morgan whispered, “yes.”

Recovering herself, Miss Satterfield said, “That dress has the strangest history. Last year a young woman came in here and asked for a job as a needlewoman. Of course, I couldn’t hire her without seeing some of her work, and I told her that. She seemed really excited when she left, and came back in a couple of hours with this dress. I could see her needlework was excellent, even if the dress was forty years out of fashion. She said she had copied the style from a book. I never did understand where she got such fabric as that, but I do know she tatted the lace herself.”

Both women stared at the dress for a moment. “Would you like to try it on?” Her eyes gleamed.

Morgan, who had never cared much about clothing, remembered wondering, on the night of Cynthia Ferguson’s ball, how she would look in red satin. She was certain the dress would fit.

“No, I don’t think I’ll try it on. But I would like it wrapped please, very plainly. I’m leaving on a wagon tomorrow, and the package can’t be too large.”

“All right.”

As Morgan left the store, she wondered what had caused her to do such a thing. She could never wear the dress. All the way back to the hotel, she told herself she should return the dress at once.

Morgan had lunch with Frank and Jake. Seth and Joaquín were busy in town. She was glad, as she didn’t want to see either one of them.

At dinner. Seth avoided her eyes, and she was kept busy trying to avoid Joaquín. He was so charming, and seemed so concerned with her welfare.

Seth didn’t come to their room that night. She lay awake, gazing out the window at the stars, wondering where he was sleeping.

Chapter Five

EVERYONEtold Morgan that the first part of the trip was the easiest, but to her it was unbelievably difficult. The days were long and hot, and the nights were too short. The first week she was so tired she could hardly speak. Always, someone made a bed for her under the wagon. She never knew who it was. She was usually too tired to eat, even to wash. She wanted only to lie down and be still, to quiet her body after the jolting of the wagon. But the hard, cold ground gave her no relief.

By the eighth day she began to become aware of her surroundings. She became used to the long days and the hard bed. For the first time, she sat by the fire and drank a cup of Jake’s coffee.

“Well, it’s nice to see you back with us.” Frank smiled down at Morgan.

Morgan returned his smile.

“It is always nice to have a beautiful woman near, no matter where one is.”

Joaquín’s flattery made Morgan uneasy. She couldn’t help being pleased, but Seth always seemed to be scowling in the background. As Seth tossed down a load of firewood, he growled, “Well, maybe my wife will be able to help with some of the work around here now rather than letting the men wait on her.”

Morgan gave him what she hoped was a very sweet smile and said, “Of course, Seth, I’d like very much to help.” She wasn’t going to allow his gruffness to upset her.

Seth tossed the blankets at her. “Then you make the beds tonight.”

At her puzzled look, he motioned her to the wagon. He showed her how to make the blankets into a passable bed. This was her place. She knew it was because she had crawled under the wagon between the blankets to sleep for the last several nights. She watched silently as Seth spread another bed under the wagon hardly a foot from her own sleeping place.

“What—?” she started.

Seth grinned at her. “That is your husband’s bed. You have been asleep each night when I came to bed, but you’ve slept very close to me every night.” Suddenly his grin faded, and he left her abruptly.

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