Page 97 of The Enchanted Land

Seth realized that San Francisco was going to grow. Hundreds of people poured into the town every day. The gold fever attacked them like a disease. Many of these people would eventually settle here. He began using the gold he found to buy land. He rented land to the gold diggers. He leased it to men to put up new buildings. But he never sold it. What he bought, he held onto.

Johnny and Lee Ann were content to let Seth use their money for them. But after eight months, they were tired of living in a tent. They wanted to get married and buy a little home of their own. Seth tried to persuade them to hold onto their land, but they wanted out. Seth bought their shares of land from them.

Their wedding was quiet and Seth envied them their joyful faces. How he wished he and Morgan could have met one another normally and had an ordinary courtship. They might still be together.

It won’t be long, Morgan, he vowed.

Seth missed Lee Ann and Johnny. Without Lee Ann there to make sure he ate, he lost weight. And he worked even longer hours. He dedicated himself to panning more gold and to collecting his rents and buying more land. He noticed little else.

“Hello.”

Seth looked up to see a woman with red hair and a too-generous mouth. Her clothes were dirty, but had once been good.

“Hello.” He smiled back.

“Well.Well!Won’t I be the envy of every woman in this here camp? Mr. Good-Lookin’ hisself has spoken to me.”

Seth looked puzzled.

The woman laughed loudly. “You ought to know, honey, that every woman in camp has been pantin’ after you. Not only are you the best-lookin’ man here, you make the other women’s men all look lazy.”

Seth liked her easy openness. “Well, I guess we ought to remedy that. How about if we get out of the sun and sit a spell?”

“Wowee. I sure would like that, Mr….”

“Blake. Seth Blake.”

“Seth?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing really. Just the name Seth reminds me of someone. My name’s Jessy.”

“Well, Jessy, I’m very glad to make your acquaintance.”

Seth brought Jessy a tin cup of water, laced generously with whiskey.

“Real good water,” she smiled. “Your woman about?”

“I don’t have one. Not here, anyway.”

Jessy propped herself on one arm and studied Seth. He sat on a wooden box and leaned against the tent pole. His massive legs were spread in front of him. She imagined him without his clothes. She liked her imaginings very much.

“How’d you like to have a roommate?”

Seth looked at Jessy’s unwashed hair, at the dirt on her neck. He grinned at her, showing dimples. “That’s the best offer I’ve had all day, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass.”

“Mmmm. Too bad. Maybe I could do a little cookin’ for you?”

“Now that I’d like.”

“Well, then … thanks for the drink and I’ll be seein’ you. Maybe we’ll work out somethin’, Seth. A man like you is too temptin’ to give up after just one try.”

Seth went back to his work. Jessy’s visit cheered him. True to her word, she brought a heaping plate of indescribable stew. Lee Ann’s cooking had been a royal feast compared to Jessy’s.

“Could I get you anything else?” Jessy asked when he’d finished. “Maybe you could use a little company overnight?”

Seth laughed and thanked her for both the food and her offer, but declined.

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