Adam's Promise

Madeline Oxley could not comletely fault
Adam Coates. Her father had hoodwinked them
both...but now that she stood at last before him,
how could she ever walk away?
"Y our father sent me
the wrong bride!"
Madeline gritted her teeth.
"Sir, you are not the only one who has been
inconvenienced by this. I just spent forty-six days on a damp, creaky ship, and
now you tell me in front of everyone that I'm not the one you ordered, and I
shouldn't have bothered. I believe I've had quite enough insults for one day.
My father assured me you had asked for my hand. I had no reason to question
the truth of it.
"
Adam's chest heaved with a sigh.
a mind of your own?"
"No reason to question it? Do you not have
Oh, this was too much.
"To tell you the truth, Mr. Coates, I do have a mind of
my own-a mind to poke my father with a knitting needle, and if I may say
so, you could use a poke yourself!"