Page 78 of The Enchanted Land

Theron held her, rocking her gently. In the five months they had lived together, they had become very close. Theron thought of Morgan as his little sister. He enjoyed teasing her and, at times, protecting her.

“Morgan, sweet, don’t cry. We’ll find him. If we have to turn the town upside down, we’ll find him. I’ll send men into the gold fields to look for him. Whatever it takes, we’ll find him. Now, please calm yourself. I can’t stand to see you cry.”

When Morgan couldn’t stop her tears, built from months of loneliness and longing, Theron carried her back to bed.

“Morgan, please, I’m getting too old to keep climbing those stairs,” he teased. Morgan’s unresponsiveness sobered him. “If you’ll rest, I’ll go out again and look for him. Now.”

Theron left her, worried about the frantic look in her eyes.

It took Seth only a few seconds and the flash of some gold to get the little tailor’s promise to have a suit altered in a few hours.

It was night when he left the shop. No longer did he fit in with the tired, dirty prospectors in from the East. The charcoal gray suit and white shirt set off his hair and tanned skin.

His long strides took him to the rather quiet, unassuming house on First Street. A carriage pulled up and two men went to the door. A tall butler opened it, smiled, and ushered the gentlemen in.

Seth knocked on the door. The butler looked him over carefully. “Yes?”

“I am new to San Francisco, just arrived today, and I heard that some enjoyment might be had at Madame Nicole’s.”

“Just a moment, sir, and I will see.” He closed the door. Within moments it reopened and Seth saw an enormous woman with beautiful black hair.

“Madame Nicole, of course.” Seth bowed slightly. His eyes raked over her, making her feel as beautiful as her vanity allowed. “Seth Blake at your service, ma’am.”

“Well, Mr. Blake, Edwards tells me you’d like to visit my humble establishment.”

He smiled at her, showing deep dimples.

“Mr. Blake, I declare you can certainly charm a girl.” Her eyes swept down his massive chest. “I believe I just may keep you for myself.” She possessively took his arm and led him into the large drawing room.

“Will you be in town long, Mr. Blake?”

“I’m not sure yet. I have a ranch in New Mexico. I thought I might try my hand in the gold fields.”

She led him to a table covered with various hors d’oeuvres and wines. When Seth refused refreshment, she asked him more questions.

“Tell me, Mr. Blake, what would interest you tonight? Nicole has a wide variety of beautiful young women.”

“Well, I saw one today that interested me. I believe she once worked for you—a little blonde, blue eyes. I believe she now works with an importer?”

“Ah, Morgan,” Nicole smiled. “She was here for a while, yes. But she was sold right away.”

“Sold?”

“Yes, twice a year I have a sale of beautiful young women. The highest bidder wins the lady. Morgan was the most beautiful woman yet offered in San Francisco.”

Nicole did not see the muscles clenching and unclenching in Seth’s jaw. He had hoped it wasn’t true, that the men had lied. “So she did work here then?”

Nicole did not want to tell the handsome and possibly rich young man that she had never had such a beautiful girl work for her. Her reputation might suffer.

“Yes, I have many beautiful young women working for me. Let me show you a few.” She clapped her plump hands and three women in thin, nearly transparent gowns entered the room.

Nicole had been around men for many years and could sense their needs. Something was troubling this young man, something deeper than simple need for a woman. He hardly looked at these. Nicole raised her hand and dismissed them.

“Seth, I don’t know you, but I think I know your problem. You’re in love.”

Seth raised one mocking eyebrow.

“Go to her. Tell her you love her. Take her by force if you need to, but let her know how you feel.”

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