First Love Forever Blitz Tour

A Most Reluctant Bride

Cynthia Hickey

Ozark Mountains, Arkansas, 1880

“Oh, Cricket.” Margaret Spoonmore, or Maggie as she insisted everyone call her, leaned her forehead against the white patch on her horse’s head.“ Mama has yet another pompous, stuffed shirt coming to supper tonight. What do you say we run away together, you and I?” She’d much rather live alone with her horse then marry a man she didn’t love.

Cricket nickered and turned to her feed. Obviously, Maggie’s only true friend in theworld had other things to do than listen to her whining. Sighing, Maggie pushed away from the stall and headed for the house nestled among the cottonwoods.

She remembered the day Pa moved her and Mama in. He’d been so proud. Ten years of building up his ranch of quarter horses in a rich Ozark mountain valley, then like a whiff of wind, heaven called him home and Mama wanted Maggie married off. Life wasn’t fair.

“Margaret!” Mama stood on the front porch, hands cupped around her mouth, and yelled.

“I’m here. No reason to holler.”

“Mr. Mason will be here soon and you’re still in your riding clothes.” Mama scowled then pointed inside. “Go get dressed. You know I’m dying. I’ve got to get you married before theGood Lord has me join your Pa.”

Maggie rolled her eyes. A bit of indigestion last month and Mama had thought herself on death’s door ever since. The doctor plainly said she was as healthy as a horse. She giggled. As a woman who constantly had to watch her weight, Mama had taken offense at the comparison and pouted for days.

“Unchaperoned? Mercy, Mama.” Maggie grinned. “How scandalous.”

“Hush. The man was clear when he stated he had no notions regarding you.”

“That was five years ago, Mama. I was a child.” Still, her face heated every time she remembered the humiliation of her trying to steal a kiss from the mountain’s most handsome young man. Since then, she’d avoided Zach like the black plague. Now, her mother wanted her alone with him? Could the day get any worse?

Yep. Mama laid out her pink ruffled dress. “It makes me look like a child.”

“Men like women in frilly things, dear. Stuff the bodice if you want more curves.” With those embarrassing words, she strolled out of the room. Well, Maggie refused to wear such an atrocity. She marched to her wardrobe and pulled out a dress of deepest green. One with a simple bodice and full skirt. A dress complimenting her dark hair and fair skin, one that made her feel pretty. Yes, she was petite, more thin than not, but she wasn’t going to put on false airs for anyone.

She donned the dress and put her hair up in a fashion her mother would approve of and headed downstairs as a knock sounded on the door. Squaring her shoulders, she greeted their guest for the evening.

The banker’s nephew. She hadn’t known his name, only his face, as someone pointed him out at church last Sunday. The man was barely taller than Maggie’s five foot two and almost as round. Shifty eyes like a weasel’s ran over her.

“Miss Spoonmore. You do look a vision.” He removed his felt hat and bowed.

“Thank you. Please come in.”

“Excuse me?” Maggie froze. “Why, didn’t your mother tell you?” His eyes widened. “My uncle will remove the loan on this house …

paid in full … on the day we say our vows.”

Mama was selling Maggie like a prize colt? She wouldn’t get away it. Maggie was taking Cricket and making good on her promise to run away. “I, uh, fear I have a terrible headache. Please accept my apologies.” She hiked her skirt above her ankles and thundered to her room.

She’d just thrown herself across her bed when her mother barged in. “You are embarrassing me.”

“Don’t you think you should have let me in on your little secret? ”Maggie rolled over and glared. “I wasn’t aware we had a loan on the ranch, much less that I was a bargaining chip!”

“Don’t be so melodramatic. We all have to do things we don’t want to do to make it in a man’s world.”

“I won’t.” She kicked her legs, very aware she was behaving like a child. “You’re selling Pa’s legacy.”

“Seriously. Get up. Zacharius arrived early. I’ll pacify Mr. Mason in the meantime. But …” She tapped Maggie on the head.“ You will go through with this marriage. I’m tired of your silly games, and I want off this mountain.”

Tears rolled down Maggie’s cheeks. Pa hadn’t been dead a full year and Mama wasalready giving up. Sure, it was tough running the ranch themselves, but they had good help and had placed an advertisement in the paper for a new foreman. It was only a matter of time before things got easier. Mr. Mason didn’t look the ranching type. He’d most likely sell off the stock and the land to pad his bank account.

Maggie sighed and pushed off the bed, quickly redressing in her riding clothes. A barn was not the place for a nice dress. Especially, since Maggie intended to leave at the first opportunity. She tossed a few things into a small fabric bag and rushed outside before Mama could ask questions.

She tried to skid to a halt to avoid a collision with the man on the porch. Instead, her feet slipped. She slammed into his broad back. They both fell to the packed clay ground, her on top of him as they rolled.

Zach Colton grinned up at her. “Well, hello to you, too. It’s been a long time, Maggie. I can’t imagine a better greeting.”

Mercy. She scrambled to her feet, trying unsuccessfully to pat

her hair into place. “My apologies.” Nose in the air, face flaming, she headed for the barn.