The Mountains' Best Kept Secret

by Kathryn Irene Jones

Disclaimer: I don't own Christy. I'm not sure who does, but I know it isn't me, because if it were I'd have a lot more then four dollars in my purse.

Summary- She was the mountains' best kept secret, almost a legend. Now she has returned. Will her father accept her? Or will he tell her she is dead to him, like her mother?

Chapter One

Time Shall Tell

"Only you could have done this! You are dead to me, woman!" Neil MacNeil shouted at Margaret on the steps of the mission.

Margaret opened her mouth to speak but he spoke again,"Don't even begin, I don't want to hear it. You took her away and never came back. You allowed me to think you were both dead. You are dead to me!" He climbed back onto his horse and galloped away.

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"Who did she take away, Miss Alice?" Christy asked, after hearing Miss Alice's story of Margaret's disappearance.

"Their little girl. Little Allie." Miss Alice answered, sorrowfully. "No one knows where she is and now, Margaret has returned without her. It's the only sad part about this second chance."

"Allie? Neil has never spoken of her."

"I don't imagine he has. He searched for months for them both. I was the one who finally told him to give up. I believed Allie had drowned with Margaret." Miss Alice said.

"Do you think maybe Margaret will tell you where she is?"

After a pause Miss Alice answered. "No, Christy, I don't. The child is probably hidden somewhere in a boarding school of some sort. Margaret never wanted to be a mother but Neil, he loved that little girl. If only Margaret had left Allie behind! Neil would have taken care of her, I would have taken care of her." Miss Alice nearly shouted the last two sentences, almost sobbing in the end.

"Oh, Miss Alice." Christy, too, looked like although she might cry. "What if I asked Neil about her? Could that do any good?"

"Christy, I know thee means well, but I don't think Neil will talk to even thee about his daughter."

"Could I try?"

"Thee could, but I'd not do it now, wait and see if Margaret tells."

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What do y'all think? I have more spinning round my head but I want to know whether or not I should post it or not before I go to all that trouble. KJ