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woman.”
    “But too young,” she whispered.
    “Yes, too young for some things.” He cupped
her elbow in one hand and led her toward a fallen tree.
    When they were seated side by side, Hunter
leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees and thoughtfully
lacing his fingers together.
    “I shall wait for you, you know.”
    With that firm comment, he suddenly realized
her infatuation was even stronger than he had suspected. Hunter
turned his head until he could see her profile. She refused to look
at him; instead she was sadly staring across the pond.
    “You will soon be meeting many, many young
men, Maggie. You will go to parties and picnics and make many more
friends as you grow up. You’ll soon forget me,” he added
gently.
    She turned her head abruptly and he could
see moisture gathering in those bright blue eyes. It was a look
that would haunt him, Hunter was certain.
    “I will never forget you,” she said
adamantly. “You must promise to come back.”
    “I have enjoyed my time at Treemont,
Maggie,” he said evasively. “And I shall miss your company. But now
it's time for me to go.”
    “Why did you stay in England for so many
years?” she asked, blatantly changing the subject.
    He straightened, studying her expression in
hopes of gleaning some purpose to the question. “I was getting an
education.”
    “And after that?” she asked, returning her
gaze toward the pond. “You stayed for many years after that.”
    Clearly perplexed, Hunter responded warily.
“I visited farms to learn about planting various crops and their
advantages, and about breeding fine horses.”
    “You have been away from your home for many
years,” she said quietly.” A few more days will not matter.”
    “Oh, Maggie.” The tender way he spoke her
name seemed to be more than she could bear.
    She jumped to her feet and moved quickly
away to stand staring out over the small pond, although seeing
nothing. “This was one of my mother’s favorite places.” She
flinched when his hands settle lightly on her shoulders
    “Maggie, look at me.”
    “I know it’s hopeless,” she whispered as her
head fell forward, “and I’m sorry, Hunter. You think I’m just a
girl but I don’t feel like a girl. This is all very confusing. I’ve
never felt this way before about anyone and I can’t seem to help
myself.”
    He knew she was crying now. “Maggie,” he
said again as he turned her into his arms and held her lightly
against his chest. “I’m sorry, little one. I’ve been a fool.”
    “No!” she returned fiercely, struggling
against her tears because she did not want to disappointment him.
She hated this lack of sophistication. Surely a true woman would
not carry on so. She wanted him to remember her as happy and pretty
and instead he would have a vision of her ugly, damp face. She tore
herself from his arms and stepped back a pace; a pace too far.
    As she teetered back, Maggie reached out,
grabbing desperately for his hand. But her sudden, frantic
movements pulled Hunter off balance and they both ended up in the
pond.
    Maggie landed on her back, as did Hunter,
who twisted away so as not to fall on top of her and drive her
deeper under the water. Gaining enough control to sit up, Maggie
watched him struggle to right himself. The astonished look on his
face when he turned her way sent her into fits of laughter.
    Finally seeing the humor of it all, Hunter
gave in and joined her, even as Maggie threw herself at his chest,
almost choking him when her arms went around his neck. “Oh,
Maggie,” he said, still laughing, “I will miss you.”
    Maggie’s cheek settled firmly against his as
she responded. “I’m going to grow up, Hunter Maguire,” she
breathed, “and you are going to miss all of that.”
    In that moment, Hunter made the decision he
felt he would never regret; he would speak to Alastair Downing
about the man’s eldest daughter before he left.
     
     
     

CHAPTER 5

    Treemont Farm, 1883
     
    The tree-lined