Page 55 of The Enchanted Land

Seth dropped his arms from around her and quickly left the room, out the same door Morgan and Joaquín had used a few minutes earlier.

A few people turned and stared, and Marilyn nearly laughed aloud with joy. Little bitch, she thought, I’ll teach her to snub me.

The first thing Seth heard was Morgan’s laughter.

“Well, it looks like my little wife is enjoying herself.”

“Seth!” She ran to him and threw her arms around his waist. “I was so worried. You’re so late.”

He disengaged her arms, holding her from him. “Yes, I can see how worried you were.”

“Seth! For Heaven’s sake, you’re not going to be jealous, are you? Joaquín and I walked out into the garden together for a few minutes. That’s all. You are not going to spend our entire married life getting angry every time I speak to another man, are you?”

Seth looked at Joaquín. “No,” he said quietly, “I don’t think I’ll spend all our married life getting angry, because we may have had all the married life we are going to have. Now, if you will excuse me, I believe I can find other things to occupy myself than trying to keep my wife from her lover—or is it lovers? Goodnight.”

Seth was gone before she could react to his accusations. She started walking toward the house after Seth, but Joaquín caught her arm. “Morgan, you cannot think to pursue him after he has treated you as he has. No, you must wait for him to come to you, to apologize and to beg your forgiveness.”

She stared at him. “I don’t understand why he should be jealous. He’s the only man I’ve ever cared about. Howcouldhe accuse me of the things he did?”

Joaquín put a comforting arm around her shoulders. “He was wrong, and soon he will know it. He’ll come back to you and everything will be all right. Now, cheer up. A lover’s quarrel is not the end of the world. We will go back inside, dance, and show the world we do not care.”

She jerked from his arm, not seeing the frown on his face. “But I do care. I care more than you’ll ever know. I love him more than my own life, and he must know that. I must find him.”

Quietly, Joaquín agreed. “I will help you. We will go to my stables now, and we will find this ignorant husband of yours, and you may explain all night if you like.”

“But, Joaquín, your guests.”

“Pah! Lena is the one who loves parties. She will not even know I am gone, and she will be glad that your beauty is no longer there to compete with hers.”

It seemed they had traveled for hours when Joaquín stopped at a little house Morgan had never seen before. Joaquín began to dismount in front of the house.

“Joaquín, what are you doing? Seth isn’t here.”

“We must rest the horses, and I, for one, am very thirsty.”

It was very dark now, but she could see the look of determination on Joaquín’s handsome face.

The interior of the house was unexpected. There were mirrors everywhere, and the walls were covered with crimson silk. In front was a tiny living room and then an enormous bedroom. The furniture was gold and white, while the bed was draped in a sheer version of the crimson silk.

“What is this place, Joaquín?”

“Can’t you guess?” She turned quickly at the peculiar tone in his voice. His eyes were hard. He stared openly at her body. Involuntarily, her hand went to cover her breasts.

“Joaquín, why are you looking at me like that?”

He moved closer to her and took her hand, kissing it. “I have wanted you from the first moment I saw you. That husband of yours did not even see your beauty. I was glad when I saw how the two of you fought constantly and glad when he did not spend the night with you in the wagon.”

She backed away from him, beginning to be very frightened. “But, Joaquín, I love Seth.”

“Seth, Seth, Seth! That is what I hear from too many women—my own sister, and that cow of a woman, Marilyn Wilson. Do you think that one must be as big as Colter to be a man? I assure you, it is not so. Come, little Morgan, and I will show you tenderness. I will show you the fine art of lovemaking, not the crudeness of these Americans.”

“Joaquín, I’d like to go now.” She started firmly for the door.

“Oh, no.” He grabbed her arm, pulling her to him, clasping her body close to his. “I’ve waited a long time for this.” His lips on hers made her shudder. They were too soft, too moist. They didn’t make her feel as Seth’s lips did.

She twisted in his arms, pulling her mouth from his. “No, Joaquín.” His lips moved down her throat leaving a damp trail, like a snail.

“No!” She fairly screamed the word and pushed against him with all her might, catching him off guard. He nearly fell. She looked into his eyes, and the hatred she saw there made her realize the danger she was in.

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