I SHUT OUT THE WORLD around me. Lost in my own misery, time escaped me. I wandered aimlessly in the cypress forest surrounding the plantation. I cried for the mother I never knew and for the father I wanted to love me.

Why was he so harsh? Why did he hate me so? Was it as simple as me becoming the meek and mild daughter he wanted? I would not be controlled by him or his views. My life had become a tug-of-war between my individuality and Father’s will to break my spirit. I cried for myself until I had no tears left to cry.

Finally, spent of all energy, I used my skirt hem to dry my tears and drew a deep, shuddering breath that turned into a hiccup.

A twig snapped behind me. Startled, I spun around.

Kipling! What did he want?

“Sorry, Miss Willow. I couldn’t leave with you like this,” he explained, fumbling with a blade of grass he held between his fingers.

I muffled the sigh that came up after a good cry and pulled myself up.

“You all right?” he asked with concern.

“I will be. And I’m sorry you had to play witness to that.” I dropped my gaze to my hands, clasped firmly in front of me.

“It was my understanding that you knew what our fathers had discussed, and you were open to it.” He leaned against the tree beside him.

“No, but it doesn’t surprise me. My father tries to project an image of superiority; perfection, even. He would like me to be everything I am not and say yes, Father and no, Father—but mainly the yes, Father.” I scowled in annoyance.

He listened without interrupting as I grumbled about the ways of my father. Realizing I was rambling to a stranger, I stopped in mid-sentence and assessed the man before me. His face was kind and sincere, not guarded. His skin was not kissed by the sun, probably from too many days behind a desk. He appeared well put together and a gentleman of quality, and it was obvious why Father had chosen him. I had to allow my father credit for picking a man who possessed all of these great qualities.

“Mr. Reed?”

“Kip, please.” He smiled, showing off dimples.

“Very well. Kip, you are comfortable with this arrangement between our fathers?”

“Before I met you, Miss Willow, yes, I was. After meeting you, how could I be?”

I stepped back defensively.

He raised a hand for me to hear him out. “Not that you aren’t beautiful, and you do have a certainty about yourself, which is admirable. You are a woman with her own mind, and I can appreciate that. I am not looking to force you into a marriage you don’t want. A marriage starting out on those grounds is bound for failure.”

Softening my manner, I nodded. There was an honesty and a trustworthiness about him that drew me to him. He did not seem to be ignorant or mean-spirited. I relaxed and offered my arm. “Would you care to join me for a walk by the creek?”

Obviously glad to move past the events of the past hour, he linked his arm through mine.

Later, in the privacy of my room, while my father and Kip sat in the parlor drinking port and visiting, I thought of the young man my father had dumped into my lap today. In the hour I spent with him, I thoroughly enjoyed his company. He was easy to talk with and we had laughed a lot. I could never see myself married to him, but we agreed to be friends. He promised he would speak to Father and refuse the arrangement between our fathers.

Even though I would be freed from marrying Kip, how long would it be before my father found the next suitor who would try dragging me kicking and screaming to the altar?