Page 83 of The Enchanted Land

“No, Morgan, you don’t need me. Not when you have Lupita fighting for you. I’ve got to get home. The wife’ll want to know what kept me overnight in Santa Fe anyway. I may needyouto come defendme. Jake’s a hummingbird compared to my Louisa.”

Lupita and Morgan watched as Frank rode off in the buckboard. When he was out of sight, they turned to one another.

“Lupita… I…”

“There’s no need for you to explain anything. I never believed a word of it. Now, let’s get out of this sun. If there’s going to be a baby, then there are many things to be done.”

“But, Lupita, I can’t just come back here to live, not after all that’s happened. Frank nearly forced me to come.”

“And he was right. This is your home. This is where Seth’s baby should be born.”

Morgan stopped. “Seth’s… How do you know? What makes you so sure it’s his baby? I’ve been gone a long time.”

“Señora Colter,” Lupita laughed, “you do not have to explain anything to me. Jake and Paul will need explanations but I do not. Now come on inside or that baby will get a fever from the sun.”

Morgan turned startled eyes to her rounding stomach. Her hand went to the mound. She had so recently learned that she was to have a baby that she hadn’t had time to think of it much yet, to get used to its constant presence.

“Yes,” she smiled up at Lupita. “We will have to take care of her.”

“Her? Already you know what it will be?”

Laughing, their arms around one another, they walked to the house. It was cool within the thick adobe walls. The familiar rooms brought Morgan home at last. Everything had been good in this house. All the many happy memories came flooding back to her.

She turned to Lupita, her face reflecting joy at being home.

“You are right. This is my home. This is where Seth’s daughter will be born.” She watched as Lupita’s grin widened. “Yes, it’s Seth’s child.”

Lupita again ran to Morgan and hugged her tightly. “I knew you’d find one another. I knew it. When will the Señor join us? Why did he ever allow you to travel alone? I will have many words to say to him for this.”

“No, Lupita. Seth doesn’t know about the baby. He won’t be coming here.” She paused. “Now you will let me explain.”

“No! It does not matter. What is between you two is your business. Come into the kitchen and let me feed you two girls.”

“Two girls?” Morgan laughed when she realized Lupita’s meaning. “Lupita, do you think we could make someempañaditasthis afternoon?”

The rest of the day was blissful. It was good to remove the whalebone corset she had worn in San Francisco. Lupita’s cool cotton blouse and skirt felt marvelous against her body. She brushed her hair, glad not to have a maid standing nearby waving a hot curling iron.

“Now you look like yourself. The chickens all ran and hid from you before.”

“Yes,” Morgan laughed. “I feel like me again. Like I’ve really come home. Lupita, no matter what happens, I have a right here, don’t I? I want my baby born here.” The tears came once again. “This is where I was happiest. Where Seth and I were happy.”

“Yes, Morgan, no one will make you leave. Seth’s child will grow up here.”

“Look at me. Sometimes I think I’ve spent the last year crying. I think we ought to get started with the cooking. Does Paul still eat as much as he used to? Of course, it was always Seth who could eat more than the rest of us put together,” she laughed. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “It’s not going to be easy, is it, Lupita? I know Jake believed Joaquín’s story.”

Lupita looked at her with sympathy. “No, it won’t be easy. But soon it will all be worth it, Morgan.”

As Morgan began putting flour and butter together, she said quietly, “I like being called Morgan by you.”

That evening when Jake walked into the house and saw Morgan, he was torn. He wanted to kill her. And at the same time, he wanted to leave and never see her again. He stood rooted, staring at the young woman who had caused everyone so much misery.

Lupita spoke first. “Paul, you come in, too, and welcome Morgan back.”

“Her! It’s because of her that Seth left. It’s not right when a man has to leave his own home. We should get the sheriff for what she’s done. Get tired of your lovers, did you, honey?”

Defeated entirely, Morgan turned to leave. “It’s no use, Lupita. I’ll go.” Then she saw the gun in Lupita’s hand, aimed at the two men. “Lupita! No! It doesn’t matter. I’d rather leave than cause all this trouble. Please.”

“You’re right. Get out! We don’t want you.” Jake took a step toward her, in spite of Lupita’s revolver. “He almost died because of you. When he got over all the wounds, he was still sick. Sick over your treachery.”

---