The Unknowing Heiress

Chapter 16

Max growled and stood up to look the cunning man in the eye. “You lay a finger on a single hair on her head and I’ll –”

“You’ll what?” challenged Zachary condescendingly. “You’ll tell Maggie?” He sniggered. “I’ll flash her a smile and throw in a compliment or two and I’ll have her eating out of the palm of my hand. All you’ll look like is a desperate man trying to stop his friend from growing up.”

“She won’t have you,” warned Max furiously.

“She’s a woman,” said Zachary simply. “They are fickle creatures. Watch and learn, Mr Montgomery, and you might finally lose your virtuous status.” He laughed and turned on his heel before walking in the direction of the cotton fields.

That was the last straw. Max did not care that they had only been on the plantation a short while. Enough was enough. It was obvious this family’s intention was to manipulate Maggie in whatever way they could. He wasn’t going to let it happen. They were going to leave immediately.

He huffed impatiently before starting around the house to find the front door. He would pack their things and they would travel for New York before the sun was down. He would drag Maggie kicking and screaming if he had to. This place was dangerous.

As he opened the front door and held it ajar he could hear an angry voice inside belonging to Joanna. What was she complaining about now? And was the target of her anger to receive a slap like he did?

“It isn’t working, Isaac!” she hissed. “Zachary thinks that he has Maggie in the palm of his hand but I can see that he doesn’t. She resists. She has far too much brain in that head of hers!”

Max smirked. He was glad that she knew their plan was failing.

“All is not lost, Jo,” Isaac replied reassuringly. “It has only been a few days. Give them time.”

“We don’t have time!” Joanna huffed, though Max could sense quite a bit of emotion in her voice. “You are ten times worse now than when you went away. I can see it! I don’t know how much longer you have, my darling, and we needed Zachary and Maggie to be married yesterday!”

Max’s eyes widened. Isaac was ill. Badly, it seemed, and he wouldn’t survive. Max did not trust the man but he certainly did not wish him harm.

“It will happen, Jo,” promised Isaac. “I will persuade Maggie if I have to. I want the plantation to go to Zachary as much as you do but I can’t force her.”

“Perhaps you should force her!” Joanna urged. “You are her father, you can tell her what to do! It will be so much easier, legally, to entrust the plantation to your daughter’s husband than having to put it into his name posthumously.” Max could hear a sob escape Joanna’s lips.

“Jo, if I force a marriage and she writes home about it, then I can guarantee you her Brit father will be here harassing you and doing everything he can to secure his little girl a divorce and a one way ticket back to England.”

“I don’t care,” huffed Joanna, “so long as Zachary is the master here.”

“Now, Jo,” scolded Isaac.

Max decided to make his presence known. He pushed open the door and Isaac and Joanna jumped. Realisation flooded their faces when they knew that Max had heard every word. “If you think for a second that I will let any one of you vindictive people manipulate Maggie into anything that she does not decide for herself then you are dreaming!” he exclaimed angrily.    

Isaac held his hands up in defence. “Max, nobody is trying to manipulate Maggie. I just want to ensure the safety and prosperity of my plantation. Maggie doesn’t have a clue about running a plantation but Zachary does. He’s been helping me since he was a boy. It’s the smart thing to do.”