entertained.”
“Morgan needs to help me clear up the camp,” Jake snapped.
Joaquín turned cold eyes on Jake, “I don’t believe Morgan usually does that, and I don’t see why she should now. May I escort you?” He offered his arm to Morgan.
They walked silently in the moonlight for awhile. “How did you come to marry Seth, Morgan?”
Morgan was startled. She had hoped that no one other than Jake knew of the marriage arrangement.
Before she could answer, Joaquín continued. “I ask because I am an observer of people, and I see that there is something wrong between the two of you. I know that each night Seth sleeps away from his little bride.” He touched Morgan’s cheek. “If I had a bride so lovely, I would not have ridden away from her, no matter how many creeks were in danger of flooding.”
She jerked away from his touch. “Don’t say anything about Seth! I owe him a great deal and he is good to me.”
“I am sorry. I only meant to be your friend, to tell you that if you need someone to talk to, I will listen.”
She looked at him closely. His slim, smooth handsomeness was so different from Seth’s huge maleness. “I’m sorry for getting angry, Joaquín. Thank you for the offer. I will remember it.”
Seth rode all that night, thinking of Morgan’s softness, her eager returning of his kisses. He shook himself out of his reverie and spurred his horse on. He wanted to get back to Morgan.
Joaquín was never far from Morgan’s side for those two days. He asked no more questions about Morgan and Seth’s relationship. Instead, he concentrated on being a pleasant companion and on making Morgan forget Seth.
Joaquín and Morgan went to gather water. Morgan gazed into the water and remembered the day before, when she had sat by the stream and held Seth’s head in her lap.
Joaquín laughed quietly. “You look like a nymph by the water, looking for her lover. Tell me, little Morgan, what is on your mind?”
“I was just thinking about the water and its coolness.” She smiled and looked away from him. “Joaquín, have you ever been in love?”
He scrutinized her carefully before answering. “Yes. Once when I was very young.”
“Did it change you a lot? I mean … did you seem to forget everything and everyone else except the one you loved?”
“Yes. It was like that.” His eyes clouded as he looked away.
They were silent a moment. “But Jake said you weren’t married.”
“No.” His voice was low. “She was killed in a riding accident a few days before our marriage.” His voice had hardened. In a whisper, he said, “I died with her.”
Morgan was embarrassed by something in Joaquín’s voice, and remained silent.
“Morgan, we are too serious. It is a beautiful sunset, and I am alone with a beautiful woman, and yet I talk of serious things.”
“Joaquín, I’m not beautiful. Surely you can see that.” Her voice was teasing and light.
“I have seen many women, and I know you could be beautiful. The last few days I have seen a look in youreyes that has changed you. Too often you are sad, and you try to hide it.”
Seth had ridden most of two nights to return to Morgan. He was not used to the feeling he had. He longed to see her, to hold her in his arms, to see her run to him.
He thundered into the camp and jumped off his horse, throwing the reins to Jake. “Where is she?”
“At the stream.” Seth ran down the path toward the stream as Jake watched. Jake had never seen such a look on Seth’s face. “That young ’un has finally fallen in love,” he muttered and grinned. Then his smile changed to a frown. “God, I hope that Montoya isn’t up to some of his tricks with that little girl.”
As Joaquín was telling Morgan that she could be beautiful, he put his fingertips under her chin, lifting her lips to his, and bent his head to hers.
Seth entered the clearing just as Joaquín kissed Morgan. It took a second for him to take in the scene. He turned and
“Morgan needs to help me clear up the camp,” Jake snapped.
Joaquín turned cold eyes on Jake, “I don’t believe Morgan usually does that, and I don’t see why she should now. May I escort you?” He offered his arm to Morgan.
They walked silently in the moonlight for awhile. “How did you come to marry Seth, Morgan?”
Morgan was startled. She had hoped that no one other than Jake knew of the marriage arrangement.
Before she could answer, Joaquín continued. “I ask because I am an observer of people, and I see that there is something wrong between the two of you. I know that each night Seth sleeps away from his little bride.” He touched Morgan’s cheek. “If I had a bride so lovely, I would not have ridden away from her, no matter how many creeks were in danger of flooding.”
She jerked away from his touch. “Don’t say anything about Seth! I owe him a great deal and he is good to me.”
“I am sorry. I only meant to be your friend, to tell you that if you need someone to talk to, I will listen.”
She looked at him closely. His slim, smooth handsomeness was so different from Seth’s huge maleness. “I’m sorry for getting angry, Joaquín. Thank you for the offer. I will remember it.”
Seth rode all that night, thinking of Morgan’s softness, her eager returning of his kisses. He shook himself out of his reverie and spurred his horse on. He wanted to get back to Morgan.
Joaquín was never far from Morgan’s side for those two days. He asked no more questions about Morgan and Seth’s relationship. Instead, he concentrated on being a pleasant companion and on making Morgan forget Seth.
Joaquín and Morgan went to gather water. Morgan gazed into the water and remembered the day before, when she had sat by the stream and held Seth’s head in her lap.
Joaquín laughed quietly. “You look like a nymph by the water, looking for her lover. Tell me, little Morgan, what is on your mind?”
“I was just thinking about the water and its coolness.” She smiled and looked away from him. “Joaquín, have you ever been in love?”
He scrutinized her carefully before answering. “Yes. Once when I was very young.”
“Did it change you a lot? I mean … did you seem to forget everything and everyone else except the one you loved?”
“Yes. It was like that.” His eyes clouded as he looked away.
They were silent a moment. “But Jake said you weren’t married.”
“No.” His voice was low. “She was killed in a riding accident a few days before our marriage.” His voice had hardened. In a whisper, he said, “I died with her.”
Morgan was embarrassed by something in Joaquín’s voice, and remained silent.
“Morgan, we are too serious. It is a beautiful sunset, and I am alone with a beautiful woman, and yet I talk of serious things.”
“Joaquín, I’m not beautiful. Surely you can see that.” Her voice was teasing and light.
“I have seen many women, and I know you could be beautiful. The last few days I have seen a look in youreyes that has changed you. Too often you are sad, and you try to hide it.”
Seth had ridden most of two nights to return to Morgan. He was not used to the feeling he had. He longed to see her, to hold her in his arms, to see her run to him.
He thundered into the camp and jumped off his horse, throwing the reins to Jake. “Where is she?”
“At the stream.” Seth ran down the path toward the stream as Jake watched. Jake had never seen such a look on Seth’s face. “That young ’un has finally fallen in love,” he muttered and grinned. Then his smile changed to a frown. “God, I hope that Montoya isn’t up to some of his tricks with that little girl.”
As Joaquín was telling Morgan that she could be beautiful, he put his fingertips under her chin, lifting her lips to his, and bent his head to hers.
Seth entered the clearing just as Joaquín kissed Morgan. It took a second for him to take in the scene. He turned and
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