Spring Blossom by Jill Metcalf Page A

avoid looking at the man who had managed to bring
back more memories in two days than she thought she could have
dredged up in a lifetime.
    “We didn’t swim intentionally,” Hunter
explained as he lifted Jennifer to the ground.
    “You fell in?” she asked while squinting up
at him with a grin. Then she turned to tease her sister. “Did he
pull you in Mag?” she dropped the pony’s reins and ran toward the
pond. It didn’t look very deep. She looked back at Margaret
awaiting a full explanation, then frowned in confusion when she saw
her sister refuse a hand down. Hunter shrugged casually and turned
away, leaving Margaret to her own devices.
    “I pulled him in,” Margaret said, setting
the record straight.
    “Aww, you did not! He’s too big.”
    Hunter was smiling as he walked toward the
water and sat on a fallen log at its edge. “It’s true, monkey,” he
said. “She pulled me in.”
    “Jiminy! Maggie’s stronger than I
thought!”
    Margaret stubbornly remained mounted, but
she was watching her sister closely. “Don’t get too close to the
water, Jennifer!” she called and then was startled when Maribelle
began prancing. Maggie frantically grabbed the saddlebow to avoid
being unseated. It took her a moment to realize what had happened;
the mare had dropped her head to nibble the grass and the knotted
reins had slipped forward on the animal’s neck with enough slack so
that the mare’s forefoot had stepped through. When Maggie had
called out, Maribelle had abruptly lifted her head with the reins
now trapping her foreleg.
    The mar whirled and began to panic when she
could not lower her leg to the ground.
    “Hunter!” Jennifer screamed as she turned
from the water and saw her sister’s desperate attempts to stay in
the saddle while the frightened horse whirled and pranced with
increasing hysteria.
    Hunter needed no more than a quick glance to
understand what had to be done. He was on his feet and running
before Maribelle’s first squeal rent the air.
    He had no time to think of the consequences.
He circled the mare at a run, leaping up to drape himself over her
neck. Maribelle was forced to bow her head against his weight, but
she continued to whirl frantically. The mare's neck was almost
rigid with fright, but Hunter’s weight was enough to force her head
further down until he was able to push the knotted reins over the
animal’s ears. As soon as the tension of the leather and Hunter’s
greater weight were relieved, the mare stood on all fours, blowing
and snorting while he attempted to calm her.
    Hunter then freed the knot as he stepped
around the mare’s head and looked up at Margaret. Her normally
glowing complexion had paled and her hands continued to grip the
saddle as she stared down at him, stunned by the thought of the
near tragedy that had been avoided by his quick thinking.
    “Come down,” he said softly and reached up
to grasp her around the waist. Margaret did not refuse his aid this
time. When she stood before him, he ducked his head, examining her
eyes closely. “You’re all right?”
    Maggie nodded her head. “Maribelle?”
    “She seems all right. Can you stand on your
own while I take a look at her?”
    Once more Margaret nodded her head and
Hunter reluctantly removed his hands from her waist. He dropped to
one knee and ran his hand down the length of the mare’s finely
boned leg.
    The second Margaret’s feet were firmly on
the ground Jennifer ran to her and put her arms around her sister’s
waist. “You scared me, Maggie,” she said fiercely. After a moment
of no response, Jennifer tipped her head back, frowning.
    “I’m sorry, darling,” Margaret managed to
say as she clutched Jennifer close. But the aftermath of the shock
had set in and tears sprang to her eyes.
    “Don’t cry, Maggie,” Jennifer pleaded.
    Then Hunter was there, placing one hand
reassuringly on Jennifer’s shoulder while, with his free arm, he
gathered Maggie close against his chest. “All