He turned sharply at the crash of the punch glass. Morgan’s face was totally without color. She was staring at Dave. “Morgan, what’s wrong?” He looked from her to Dave, who seemed to be the cause of Morgan’s distress. “Do you know Dave?” There was dread in his voice.
“No, I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure. Maybe I remind Mrs…. Colter of someone she’s met before.”
“Is that it, Morgan? Does Dave remind you of someone?”
Morgan stood staring, speechless.
“I think I’ll take Morgan upstairs. Something about you has upset her.”
“Please do. I’m very sorry to have upset you, Mrs. Colter. Maybe you’ll forgive me when you find I’m not the same man you think I am. Goodnight.” He watched as Gordon led Morgan away.
Morgan still hadn’t spoken when they reached her bedroom. Gordon picked her up and put her on the bed, her hair spreading around her.
“Morgan, what’s wrong? Do you know that man? Does he remind you of someone?”
“Yes.” Her whisper was hoarse.
“Who?”
“Seth.” He barely heard her. Seth! My God! He had been afraid she was still in love with her husband, but if she reacted this way to a man who only resembled Seth! He stroked the hair on her forehead. “I’ll send Carol up to help you undress. There’s no need for you to come downstairs again. When everyone is gone, I’ll come back.”
Carol had come and gone, and Morgan lay in the bed in her nightgown. It had taken a long time before she could begin to think. Now the first shock of numbness was beginning to wear off.
Seth was here! She hadn’t seen him since the night he had come to Theron’s house. That horrible night when he had accused her of—She stopped. She didn’t want to remember. What did he want here?
The shock of seeing him again had caused her more pain than she had thought possible. She had hoped that living with Gordon would make her forget Seth. She hadn’t had enough time! She needed time to get to know Gordon, to forget Seth.
He can’t do this to me! The tears collected in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Adam and I are happy. We have a home now. Why can’t he let us be?
She wiped away the tears as something occurred to her—she didn’t have to let him upset her! No, she didn’t love him anymore. She knew him for what he was. This time he wouldn’t be able to charm her, because she knew now what lay behind his dimpled smile. She knew how to handle this. She would totally ignore him!
She sat up straighter in the bed, and smiled. Mrs. Colter, he called her. Well, Mr. Blake, you will be another hired hand, just as Boyd and the others are. No special favors, and no recognition, either. If he had come in spite, to punish her for crimes he believed she’d committed, he was going to be surprised. She wouldn’t allow him to upset her. He no longer had any control over her.
She answered Gordon’s knock. His concern faded rapidly when he saw Morgan’s smile.
“Feeling better now?”
“Yes, much better.”
“Morgan, I just wanted to tell you that you’ll have to remember that Dave Blake is an entirely different person from Seth. Just because a physical resemblance is there doesn’t mean they’re at all alike.”
“You’re perfectly right. Mr. Blake is another man. It was such a shock, that’s all. I don’t know how I’ll ever make it up to him. The poor man. He must have thought I was insane.”
Gordon patted her hand. He was still shaken by Morgan’s feelings for Seth. “I doubt that. You’re much too beautiful for any man to take offense at anything you do.”
Morgan laughed. “Did you know that at one time I was considered very plain?”
Gordon ignored her question. The idea was too absurd to consider He kissed her forehead, blew out the light, and left her.
Before Morgan fell asleep, she saw Seth’s smiling face. He hadn’t changed at all. He was still very handsome.
Seth sat under the stars for a long time after the party ended. The carriages were gone and the bunkhouse was silent.
He had almost left the party when he first saw her. He had watched her for over an hour, being careful that she didn’t see him. He had known right away that she was bored. Morgan had never liked a lot of people around her. She was happiest when there were just the two of them. He had seen the way Gordon hovered over her, always watching her, protecting her. It was obvious that Gordon was in love. That’s what had made Seth want to leave. But as he watched Morgan’s face, he knew she didn’t return Gordon’s love. He didn’t know if he’d been joyous or sad when he saw that she was not in love with Gordon. Part of him wanted her to be happy, at whatever cost to himself, but the other part was selfish and wanted her to be his alone.
Where was this Adam that Gordon had mentioned? He’d said the party was for Morgan and Adam. Maybe she loved Adam. Adam! What was he like?
Seth rubbed his hands on his thighs. He felt he’d won one round in the battle for Morgan, but it had taken a lot of his strength. He dreaded the outcome of the next round. This was a fight for his life.
It was still very early when Morgan heard her son banging on her bedroom door. “Mama, eat. Mama, eat. Horse.”
Drowsily, Morgan left her bed and opened the door for him.
Still mostly asleep, Morgan stumbled back to the bed. Adam ran ahead of her, reaching it before she did, and began bouncing up and down on the mattress. “Horse. Horse,” he shouted. “Gor, horse.”
Morgan smiled at her sturdy son. “Well, my talkative little son, I take that to mean that you are ready for Gordon to take you on his horse?”
Adam smiled at her, pleased she had understood.
“You little imp! You may have everyone else on this ranch hanging on your every monosyllable, but not me.” She lunged at him, catching the tail of his nightshirt. Adam collapsed on the bed, laughing helplessly.
Hearing the commotion, Gordon came to Morgan’s open bedroom door to investigate. The sight of Morgan and Adam wrestling on the big bed made him laugh. Then he grew serious as he watched Morgan. She wore a thin muslin gown and it was wrapped tightly about her body to expose smooth, golden legs. As she pulled Adam to her, the outline of her breasts swelled, full and sensuous. He felt little beads of sweat on his upper lip.
Feeling another presence in the room, Morgan turned. She saw Gordon and followed his eyes to her exposed legs. Hastily, she pulled a sheet over her body.
“Gor! Horse! Eat!”
Even with the sheet pulled to her neck, Morgan was beautiful. Her hair tumbled about her shoulders in a disarray of fat golden curls, some honey-colored and some almost white. Her face was slightly flushed. Gordon recovered himself just in time to catch Adam as he jumped from the bed into Gordon’s arms.
“Good morning,” she murmured.
Gordon’s face broke into a wide grin and he looked at Adam. “Good morning. You sure are a lucky man, Adam. I’d like to crawl in bed with your mama some morning.”
Morgan gaped at Gordon. Never had he said anything like that to her before.
As Gordon turned to leave, Adam in his arms, he smiled back at her. “You really should close your mouth, Morgan, beautiful though it is.”
By the time Morgan was dressed, Gordon had dressed Adam, packed some bread and cheese, and left the house. She ate breakfast alone, trying not to remember that Seth was somewhere on the ranch.
“Hey! Gordon’s bringing Adam today!” Seth heard the men yelling in the bunkhouse. Well, she certainly has picked a popular man this time, he thought. As the men all left through one door, Seth quietly made his way to the other door. He wanted to postpone meeting Morgan’s new lover as long as possible. His horse shied away from him when he angrily tossed the heavy saddle onto its back. Of course, she had every right to take on a new lover, after the way he’d treated her.
But she was his wife!
Whoever this Adam was, he was going to have to fight Seth for Morgan’s love and Seth meant to fight any way he could.
“Dave, are you in h
ere?”
Seth didn’t want to talk to Gordon. Probably wants me to shake the bastard’s hand. If he’s a pretty little fop, I may put my fist through his face. Even if he’s twice as big as I am, I may try to do it anyway.
“Dave! There you are. There’s someone I want you to meet. This is the real boss of the Three Crowns. This man’s word is law.”
Now I know I’m going to hit him, Seth thought. Slowly he turned, jaw clenched. He saw only Gordon.
“Adam.” Gordon looked down and then behind him. He laughed, turned, and picked the boy up. “This is Adam Colter. Like I say, he’s the real boss of this ranch. Adam, this is Dave Blake.”
Gordon looked from one to the other. Neither spoke. Man and child stared at one another with an incredible intensity.
Gordon had never seen Adam be still so long, or be so solemn. Then Gordon saw the resemblance. No wonder Morgan thought this man looked like the boy’s father. They both had the same shade of blue eyes, the same wavy hair, though Adam’s was honey blond while Dave’s was darker. Adam would someday be as large a man as Dave Blake.
“Morgan’s right.”
Without moving his eyes from Adam’s piercing stare, Seth asked, “About what?”
“Well, Morgan said you resembled the boy’s father. You two could easily pass for father and son.”
Seth looked at Gordon and grinned, showing dimples like Adam’s. “Is that so? Well, I’ve taken a real liking to this boy. Do you mind?” He held out his arms to Adam.
“No, not at all, but he won’t usually leave me. We’re pretty good pals.”
Adam fell into his father’s arms with no hesitation. Seth held the boy, running his hands over his arms and legs, over the back of his head. He smiled at the boy and Adam returned a mirror-image smile.
“Yes, sir, I do like this boy.”
Gordon straightened his shoulders. “Well, we need to get to work.” His voice was cool. Don’t be silly, he told himself. Maybe Adam just feels a kinship with the man because they look alike. It doesn’t mean anything. He tried to calm himself. He turned to saddle his own horse, and another beast felt the brunt of someone’s anger.
Seth carried Adam into the morning sunlight. “Well, son, you are certainly a surprise. And you’re one more reason why I have to get your mother back. It’s not going to be an easy task.”
Adam smiled up at his father and put out a hand to touch his cheek. “Horse.”
Seth returned the smile and kissed the small hand, so like his own. “No, son, I’m not a horse. Less sense than one sometimes, but I’m what is known as a daddy. Can you say ‘Daddy’?”
“Da da.” Adam laughed delightedly, always happy saying new words.
“That’s close enough.”
Gordon came to stand by them. “Adam, are you ready to get on the horse?”
Adam smiled at his friend, content with Seth. He made no move to go to Gordon. “Da da.”
Gordon looked puzzled and then laughed. “His first attempt at ‘Dave’. Morgan complains that no one except her tries to teach him new words. She’ll be glad to hear this one.”
“I hope so.”
Gordon took Adam and put him on the front of his saddle and them climbed up behind him. They waited as Seth mounted. Adam took one look at Seth on the horse and lunged toward him. Seth caught him and put him in front of him. The saddle could barely hold the two of them.
Gordon had to laugh. “You know, it’s not easy for me not to be jealous. For six months now, Adam has been like my own son. Sometimes he’d rather stay with me than go to his own mother.”
Seth tried to make his voice sound light, and Gordon didn’t notice the way the big man’s hands tightened on the reins. “The mother! Now she’s a beauty. It must have been like having her for a wife for the last six months.”
Gordon laughed aloud. “I wish you were right. That’s what a lot of men think, but Morgan has a mind of her own. She has … problems … concerning the boy’s father. But some day—maybe. I’m going very slowly with her right now.”
“I would have thought living in the same house with a beautiful young widow was the kind of situation men dream about.”
“It’s a dream all right, but that’s all. Oh … and Morgan’s not a widow. She’s still legally married.” He started to turn his horse away and then looked back. “I must be as silly as Adam. I don’t usually discuss my private affairs with the hands.”
“I thank you for the confidence.”
“Well, here’s where we part. You’re to work with Boyd today and I’m leading another crew. Adam, are you ready to go with me?”
Adam pressed his back closer to Seth’s chest. “Da da.” Gordon shrugged.
“Well, it looks like you’re stuck with him.”
“My pleasure.” His hand was on the boy’s knee. “I can’t imagine anyone I’d rather spend the day with.”
“I’m not sure you know what you’re asking for. When he’s tired, he can really be a nuisance. Right now he’s happy, but—”
Seth tousled the boy’s hair. “There’s no need to worry. I’ll take care of him as though he were my own son.” Seth reined his horse toward Boyd and the other men. His son’s little body near his own felt comfortable and familiar, as if they’d known one another for years.
The other men looked up sharply as they saw the new hand with Adam in front of him. Gordon never allowed the boy out of his sight. But then they shrugged. There was something about Dave Blake that made a man trust him, something even the nineteen-month-old Adam must feel.
All day Seth stayed with his son. It was true that his work would have been easier without Adam to look after, but Seth had been by himself too long to begrudge a little extra work now. Whenever Adam stepped too near a skittish horse, a large hand was there to guide him to safety. Seth felt a peace that he hadn’t experienced in a long time. He was content now to take his time with Morgan, to go slowly, to give her time to trust him. Now, he had Adam.
Morgan was nervous all day. As soon as she entered the kitchen, she cut herself. She stared at the cut unseeing. Roselle bandaged it for her. Later, when she was removing a hot tray of rolls from the oven, she forgot to use a potholder. Roselle smeared her palm with cool butter and told her to leave the kitchen. Morgan didn’t understand.
“Mrs. Colter, something is wrong today. Go outside, ride your horse, read, but please stay out of the kitchen.”
Morgan removed her apron and went to the drawing room. Roselle was right, something was wrong. Seth Colter had come back into her life. She knew he must have seen Adam by now. What did he think of his son? Maybe he didn’t even realize Adam was his. That would be just like him—he’d probably think Adam was Joaquín’s son, or Theron’s.
She picked up Jane Eyre. She scanned pages, anxious for Jane and Mr. Rochester to get together again. As she read, she began to realize that she was seeing herself as Jane and Seth as Rochester. She remembered clearly every muscle of Seth’s body. She put the book aside and wandered from room to room, checking to see if anything was out of order.
Lunch was a lonely meal, adding to her nervousness. She had Donaciano saddle her horse and rode to her favorite place by the river. She spread a blanket and wished Adam were there to keep her busy. The thought of Adam brought visions of Adam and Seth together to her mind. I wonder how Seth felt when his own son preferred Gordon? Adam would rather be with Gordon than with anyone else in the world.
It was hot, and the place was alive with dragonflies and numerous other flying insects. Morgan removed her riding boots and stockings, wiggling her toes, glad to be rid of them. It wasn’t long before she fell asleep.
She awoke dazed, not knowing where she was, her body stiff from the hard ground. The sun was low. It was well past time for her return. Hastily, she tried to pin her hair back into its careful coiffure, but finally gave up. Pulling the pins and ribbon out, she thrust them into her pocket.
She rode quickly back to the house. Breathless, she tossed the reins to
Donaciano. “I’m late. Would you give her a good rubdown, please? I need to go—Gordon and Adam will be here soon.”
Donaciano was willing to do anything for his young mistress when she smiled at him like that.
She started running toward the house and then turned to call thank you to Donaciano. She caught her breath as she ran into something; a hand caught the back of her head and tangled in her hair.
She looked up into Seth’s sparkling blue eyes. His hand was burning her skin, causing chills down her back. Their eyes locked, each seeing only the other, oblivious to the rest of the world. Seth’s hand moved along the back of her neck, fingers caressing the tendons, touching each muscle. Along the scalp, her hair was warm, almost hot. Involuntarily, Morgan’s eyes began to close. It had been a long time … Her eyes flew open. He was staring at her with a slow smile, a smug smile. She jerked away from him but he held her easily.
“There you are, Dave. I wondered where you’d gone.” Gordon looked from Seth to Morgan and Seth dropped his hand from her hair. Immediately Gordon felt the tension between them.
“Mrs. Colter ran into us, running from the barn.”
Only then did Morgan notice Adam in his father’s arms. The boy slept peacefully, his head cradled against Seth’s shoulder. She turned startled eyes to Gordon.
“I know. It’s the strangest thing. I never saw Adam take to anyone as he took to Dave. He spent the whole day with Dave, and no matter how many times I tried to get him to come with me, he refused to leave. The way they stared at one another, you would have thought they’d known one another all their lives.”
“I’m afraid the boy’s worn out. If you’ll show me his room, I’ll carry him to bed.”
Seth’s smile infuriated her. He was so smug, just because Adam liked him. Well, Adam was just a little boy. He didn’t have much knowledge about all the dishonesty in the world. She smiled back at him, icily. “Mr. Blake, isn’t it? I am quite capable of putting my own son to bed. Adam.” She put her hands under the sleeping child’s arm, trying not to touch Seth. Adam opened his eyes only slightly and saw his mother. He went to her willingly and she carried him into the house.