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Back Savage Desire Save as PDF
Chapters (59)
  1. COVER
  2. ROSEMARY ROGERS
  3. DEDICATION
  4. THE BEGINNING
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. NEW ORLEANS
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. MEXICO
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. LA CORTESANA
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. THE JOURNEY
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. THE DESTINATION
  51. 42
  52. TURNING POINTS
  53. 43
  54. 44
  55. 45
  56. 46
  57. THE PROMISE
  58. Epilogue
  59. COPYRIGHT

Beth sat back, her muscles aching, and tried to get more comfortable in the straight-backed chair. “Yes. Steve Morgan’s kind of life could never have been mine. I wanted peace and stability in my life, not a life of wandering the world and never knowing where I’d be tomorrow. He’s the kind of man who needs a woman to share his world. He would never be happy in mine.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

“I am right. Would you like to meet my children?”

It was an offer and a claim, and she saw that Virginia Morgan understood it. She smiled faintly.

“Yes. Did you know that we have two children—twins?”

“Yes, I know. A girl and a boy. Steve told me.” She struggled to her feet. “Matthew looks very much like him.”

When the children were introduced, she saw Virginia’s eyes widen, and her lower lip quivered the slightest bit as she gravely returned their greetings.

Matthew, as usual, was restless, and young Emily was wide-eyed with awe at the sight of the beautiful woman in green velvet. To her credit, Virginia Morgan did not try to force her attention on Matthew, but allowed him to respond to her as he wished. Once, she put a hand atop his head, her bare fingers drifting through the glossy threads of his dark hair. It was a light touch, swift and faintly poignant, then she straightened as Matthew took his leave.

Before she left, she turned back to smile at Beth. “Your son and mine could be twins.”

“But they are not. My son belongs to me. I think you know that I would never do anything to hurt him.”

“Yes, I know. It’s as it should be. I’m glad I came. I wasn’t sure, you see, if I would be. But I had formed this picture of you in my mind, and…and now I see that I was wrong.”

The well-sprung brougham dipped noiselessly as the driver helped her up into the gleaming cab. When she was seated, Virginia Morgan looked out at Beth where she stood on the top step of her sprawling house. Emily leaned against her legs, and Beth’s hand rested atop the curve of her belly as she returned Virginia’s gaze.

Relief gleamed in the lustrous green eyes and a smile curved her mouth as she nodded understanding.

“Goodbye, Mrs. Burneson. And thank you.”

41

A thin rut of road followed the edge of the narrow barranca leading to the Galena Mine. A hot wind blew over the riders, stirring up clouds of dust that coated leaves and horses in a fine red powder.

Paco rode at the head of the snaking line of mounted men, garbed in a uniform taken from one of the Rurales. It was rugged landscape, cratered and stark in places, with sheer cliffs plunging down to twisted knots of river that looped through rock.