Page 96 of The Enchanted Land

“Girls!” An older woman summoned the three women. Reluctantly, they left, amidst flamboyant goodbyes. Lee Ann kept her attention on the groceries.

“Now, young man, what can I get for you?” The clerk addressed Mr. Daniels.

“I’m not sure. I’ve never cooked anything before. What do I need?”

Lee Ann felt her heart lurch at the need in the boy’s voice.

“Beans, first of all.” He handed the boy a bag of dried beans.

“Aren’t they a little hard to eat?”

Lee Ann couldn’t suppress a giggle. She was still laughing when she felt a hand on her arm.

“Allow me to introduce myself—Johnny Daniels, Miss…”

“Lee Ann.” She couldn’t give Seth’s last name, and her parents seemed so far away.

“Well, Miss Lee Ann.”

“No, just Lee Ann.”

“All right, just Lee Ann, possibly you could explain how I make these”—he held out the dried beans—“fit to eat.” Johnny’s eyes sparkled and Lee Ann responded to the laughter in them.

Seth turned to see Lee Ann smiling into the boy’s eyes. He had not seen her look like that in months. There had been times when Morgan had looked at him in adoration. He tried to wipe the image from his mind.

He walked toward Lee Ann and she introduced them. As Seth watched Lee Ann’s face light up, he realized how much he owed this girl for taking care of him for so long. He was poor company even for himself, much less for this young girl.

“Why don’t you invite Mr. Daniels to supper, Lee Ann?”

Both Lee Ann and Johnny were happy at the prospect. As they left the store, Seth heard Johnny whisper to Lee Ann, “Is he your father?”

Seth looked down at himself. He felt old. He didn’t like what he had become. He remembered how happy he’d been in the few weeks when he and Morgan had been together.

All through dinner that night, as the three sat in the dingy tent, Seth watched Lee Ann and Johnny. The eyes were wide as they discovered mutual interests and explored backgrounds. Able to stand it no longer, Seth left the tent, needing the cool night air.

“Did we do something?” Johnny asked.

“No, he’s like that. Moody. Tell me some more about your family.”

Johnny frowned for a moment. He wanted to ask Lee Ann just exactly what her relationship to Seth was, but he didn’t know her well enough. Seth was a strange man.

Seth walked for a long while. Damn you, Morgan! Everywhere I look, I’m reminded of you. It’s been nearly a year since I saw you, and still I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind for even a few hours.

I want you! He stopped walking and stared at the moon. It was a revelation. No matter what you’ve done, I still want you, Morgan.

But how? He couldn’t just walk into that fancy house in San Francisco and demand to see her. What could he offer her that she didn’t already have? Why would she leave the wealth and luxury she had in California to return to a little dirt-poor ranch in New Mexico? He couldn’t expect that of her. She had her choice of men. Already all of San Francisco worshipped her beauty.

Money! That was the answer. He would go to her when he could lay diamonds at her feet. His eyes narrowed. Or sapphires, like the ones she wore at Montoya’s party. Whatever she wanted he would give to her. He loved her. It was time he admitted that to himself. He felt as if a great burden had been lifted from him.

Purposefully, he strode back towards the tent. He had to see to Lee Ann. He owed her a great deal.

“Lee Ann.” He burst into the tent. She and Johnny drew apart from their first tentative kiss. Seth knew then that he could use Johnny to repay Lee Ann. “Johnny, how’d you like to move in with us? Lee Ann would love to have you, and maybe the two of us could make a little money.”

“Yes, sir.”

Lee Ann stared at Seth. She had never seen him so animated. It had crossed her mind that he might be jealous, and she was willing to give up Johnny for Seth. What ever had caused the smile on his face now?

Lee Ann thought Seth had worked hard before, but it was nothing to what she saw now. The three of them worked together in the fields. No longer were Lee Ann’s days taken up with just cooking and caring for Seth. Sometimes the three of them rode into San Francisco. Lee Ann and Johnny spent the days looking at the new shops and houses which seemed to spring up overnight in the rapidly growing city. But Seth never joined them.

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