Spring Blossom (38 page)

EPILOGUE

June evenings were close to perfect, Maggie
thought as she walked slowly beside her husband to the double
wooden swing Hunter had suspended from the ceiling of the porch.
They liked to spend the warm clear evenings sitting there, watching
the sunsets and the clouds drifting across the sky or a new moon
chasing a few stars was equally as pleasing. The air was warm and
fragrant in June, before the burdensome heat and humidity of July
descended, and often Maggie was loath to go inside even when it
grew quite late.

Hunter held the swing in place with one hand
and took Maggie's hand with the other. "You're not getting any
better at this, love," he teased.

She shot him a mock glare. "Well, you should
try sitting on something that moves when your body barely
will."

"Point taken," he said dryly, and then he
smiled as he sat down and eased her against his side.

"It's such a beautiful night." She sighed,
dropping her head onto his shoulder.

"And I think you're very tired."

"But I don't want to go inside. Not yet,"
she added softly.

Hunter's hand slowly stroked her upper arm
as they enjoyed the peace of being alone together at the end of the
day.

"Hunter," she said softly after a time.
"I've never thanked you."

"For what, little one?"

"For saving me as well as Treemont."

"I didn't save you, darling," he whispered.
"I simply refused to let you live without me."

Maggie turned her head against his shoulder
and smiled up at him. "I'm glad you did."

"Even now?" he teased has his hand stroked
down her swollen body.

"Even now."

Hunter nodded his head and lightly touched
her cheek before raising a subject he had been mulling over for
months. "I think we should stay on here, Maggie."

That would be wonderful, but…"You have
your…"

"I've been thinking about it a lot lately.
Treemont is your home, and Florence and Jennifer might be unhappy
if we uproot them now. Pride has drawn a lot of attention here, and
I think we'll make a go of the stud service. It only makes sense to
stay."

"And Jeffrey and Marie-Louise?"

Hunter stared up at the clear, darkening sky
and said thoughtfully, "We'll ask them, but I sense they would also
like to remain."

"But what about your home?"

"It's only a house love, if you're not in
it."

Maggie twisted awkwardly and put her arms
around his neck, secure within his embrace, within his never-ending
love and at home within a newly revived Treemont that was bound to
thrive. "I do love you, Hunter Maguire," she whispered.

"Jason will manage the place for us," he
said. "I've instructed him to hire some help to that end," he added
before briefly pressing his lips against her cheek. "We'll hold it
as a legacy for our sons." And then he added softly. "And
daughters."

Confident and secure, Maggie put one final
bit of her past behind her at last. "And daughters," she
whispered.

THE END

Author's Note;

I hope you enjoyed Spring
Blossom. The printed version of this story was one of the two books
that launched the Berkley Homespun Romance series in 1992; "Romance
from the Heart of America". I welcome your comments and my email
address is
[email protected]

I also hope you will watch
for the continuing saga…it is Jennifer's story. Coming soon in
digital format:
Family
Reunion
! Please take a look around my
website at
jillmetcalfebooks.com
for
updates, reviews and tidbits about me and my stories.

Jill Metcalf