Spring Blossom by Jill Metcalf Read Free Book Online Page A

and his frustration level
was not particularly stable, either. “I don’t understand. What are
you trying to tell me? What sort of accident?”
    Shifting uncomfortably, Alastair began
choosing his words carefully. “I would prefer that Margaret explain
the details. Perhaps once the two of you have had some time to
renew your acquaintance…” He held up a hand when Hunter was about
to interrupt. “I admit be being deliberately evasive, my friend,
but I have my reasons and I hope you will come to understand. I do
want to warn you, however, that Margaret is scarred.”
    Hunter stared silently, feeling as if his
gut had just turned to stone. “She was badly injured, then?” he
asked softly and felt a slight lessening of the pressure in his
chest when Alastair shook his head.
    “The scar is relatively small,” he said,
“but there are greater wounds.”
     
     
     

CHAPTER 6

    Dressed only in a soft, sheer shift that
accented her young woman’s curves, Margaret Downing stood before
the open doors of her clothespress and rummaged through the
multitude of gowns there before selecting a garment suitable for
the occasion.
    Holding the gown aloft she frowned, first
over her decision and then over the few wrinkles in the skirt.
Dropping the gown to the floor, she paced to the open window and
stared out over the neatly clipped lawns of her beloved
Treemont.
    Hunter Maguire had returned to her home. She
wasn’t sure how she felt about that; certainly, she was strangely
unsettled. But she would be in control of her faculties by the time
evening arrived and she descended to the parlor to meet him for the
first time in three years. Margaret had become a master at
controlling her thoughts and emotions over the past year and
tonight would be no different. Many men came to visit her father to
negotiate the sale of crops or horses, and Margaret had dealt with
them all when they anticipated the possibility of more; in spite of
her previous feelings toward him when she was a girl, Hunter
Maguire would be no different.
    Then why did her insides feel as if she had
eaten too many green apples?
    Striding back across the thick oriental
carpet, Margaret took her thoughts firmly in hand, scooped up the
gown she had left lying in an ice-blue puddle on the floor, and
opened the door of her room, intending to call for Anna. To her
surprise, she was met by the grinning, freckled face of her
youngest sister.
    “He’s here!” nine-year-old Jennifer grinned
up at her. “I came to tell you.”
    “I know he’s here.” Margaret frowned and
looked down the wide corridor in both directions. “Where is
Anna?”
    Jennifer’s eyes lost some of their happy
shine, but her smile remained as she boldly entered her sister’s
room and plopped down on the edge of the bed. “Somebody stole his
horse?” she piped lustily and then laughed. “He had a really long
walk up the road.” She eyed her older sister with curiosity. These
days Margaret seldom smiled, but Jennifer knew she used to be fun
and she often played tricks on strangers. “Have you seen Mr.
Maguire’s horse?” she asked.
    Margaret frowned at the girl. “Now, what
would I want with another horse? We have a barn full of horses.”
The twinkle in her eye told Jennifer all she wanted to know and she
grinned up at her idol until Margaret’s manner changed. “He should
take better care,” she said snidely.
    Jennifer frowned, getting to her feet.
“What’s wrong, Maggie?”
    Margaret held the blue gown up, more
agitated than Jennifer had seen her in a very long time. “What’s
wrong?” Margaret parroted. “Look at this gown. It was put away
wrinkled and there's a smudge near the hem. I can’t wear this. Anna
should be here,” she continued impatiently. “She knows I have to
see to the running of the house and the farm. I can’t be expected
to do everything. I asked her to prepare this gown and look at it,”
she repeated, waving the dress angrily. “I can’t even trust her