Page 10 of The Enchanted Land

“A month ago, my uncle told me of my father’s death. I never knew him so I could feel little grief. Two weeks ago his will was read. It was a great shock to me. It seems that everything—the business in Kentucky, the land in Kentucky, the large ranch in New Mexico, and Trahern House—all belonged to him. He left everything to me, but he stated that everything would be mine only if I married and lived with my husband for one year in New Mexico. If I did not fulfill this contract, everything would go to my uncle. As you can see,” her hand swept across her dress, “my uncle did everything he could to keep men from noticing me.”

Morgan paused and looked carefully at Nora.

“I went to a ball two nights before my uncle planned to take me out of the country. I heard some women mention that your son had a place in New Mexico. I offered him twenty-five thousand dollars if he would marry me and take me to live with him in New Mexico. He accepted.”

Nora said simply, “Good.”

It was too much for Morgan. She rose from the chair and came to stand before Nora, her eyes blazing. “Good? Good that a father would make his own daughter stoop to buying a man’s name, to living with a man she doesn’t even know?”

Nora waited an entire minute before answering, and her calm encompassed Morgan. “I meant that I was glad you are sensible. You were faced with an impossible situation, and you decided to fight for what you wanted.”

Nora rose now and walked to the sunlit window, looked out for a second, and then turned to face Morgan. “Let me tell you about my son. My son believes all women are like his sisters. Don’t misunderstand me. I love my daughters. But, as you can see, they are very young and have little else in their heads but dreams. Their father loves this and indulges them. My son does not see women as people.”

Nora returned to her chair. “So, I say ‘good’ to your story, because my son needs a sensible wife, one he can like as well as love. Seth is a very strong man, and when you two learn to love one another, you will make an excellent couple.”

Morgan stared at Nora. Didn’t she understand? “Mrs. Colter—Nora—you do not seem to understand. This is a marriage to fulfill a business contract. I do not intend to love your son.”

Nora looked at Morgan with what was very close to a smirk, and Morgan realized that she had seen the same expression on Seth’s face. “Do you really believe that you can spend twelve full months alone with a man, and at the end of that time feel nothing for him? Do you really believe that you’ll be able to leave easily and return to your solitary life?”

“I loved my aunt dearly, and I lived with her for two years, yet I left her.”

Nora then threw back her head and laughed. “How old are you, Morgan?”

Morgan tilted her head up and said, “Eighteen.”

“The love a woman has for another woman is very different from her love for a man.”

There was an awkward pause, and Nora could see the anger in Morgan’s eyes. “I am sorry. This is not happening as I meant it to. I asked you in here mainly to welcome you to the family, and to tell you that, from what I’ve seen, I like you. You are sensible, and I believe you will be a good wife for Seth.”

Morgan opened her mouth to protest, but instead let out a sigh of exasperation.

Nora walked to her, patted her shoulder, and said, “Please allow a mother to believe that her son has found a good partner.”

Morgan smiled and they walked to the door together. “About the clothes,” Nora said. “There won’t be time to get but a few things made, but my daughters would love to send yards of fabric with you.”

Morgan knew that Nora was her friend, and she felt good about their talk.

Morgan spent the day with Seth’s sisters. It wasn’t too difficult to feel at ease with them. Their chatter required little response and no deep thought. Austine and Eleanor talked of their fiancés. Morgan gathered that Austine’s beau was an older man and very sensible, but that Eleanor’s was quite the opposite. Eleanor’s intended was Jackson Brenner, and he was the oldest son of an old, very wealthy family. Austine’s fiancé was James Emerson, a widower with a young child.

Just before dinner, Morgan went upstairs to wash, and as she left the room to return downstairs, she heard Seth talking with another man. She paused at the top of the stairs to look at her father-in-law.

She had seen some of Seth’s expressions in his mother’s face, but looking at William Colter was like seeing Seth in twenty years’ time. He was a large man. The two of them seemed to fill the room. The older man still had an abundance of hair. And they had the same indulgent, patronizing looks on their faces as they watched the three sisters.

Seth looked up and saw her first. For a second she wished he had looked at her the same way she had seen some men look at their brides, but she buried the desire.

“Well, well, well, I have another daughter, and such a pretty one, too.” William Colter extended his arms.

Morgan took both his hands in hers, and said, “I am indeed your daughter, but you certainly must not be seeing me correctly!” She said this with a smile.

William took her arm through his, patted her hand, and smiled. “All women are pretty to me. Shall we eat? I’m starved.”

They all entered the dining room, and sat at a large mahogany table. Morgan was seated between William and Seth, with Nora across from her. Austine and Eleanor sat beside Nora, and Jennifer was beside Seth. It was easy to see that Jennifer, especially, adored Seth.

“Papa,” Eleanor started, “Morgan needs some new clothes and we must have them made before they leave. Could you take us to Louisville tomorrow to purchase fabric?”

William turned to Morgan, and for the first time noticed her dress.

“May we, Papa?” Jennifer continued.

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