Adam's Promise Read Online Free PDF

solicitor there, and if Diana agrees, have him arrange a proxy marriage. I want no mistakes this time.”
    Feeling very tired all of a sudden, Madeline nodded. She knew that Diana had been lonely since her husband died. If it was her whim, she would be sailing into the muddy waters of Cumberland Basin on the very next ship from England—as Adam’s wife—and there was no sense harboring any secret hopes to the contrary.

Chapter Three
    M adeline and Adam drove out of the woods and down a gentle slope onto the low, windy grasslands. A herd of black-and-white cattle grazed nearby, and they lifted their heads and stared, as if they were perplexed to see Madeline, who was not the woman they had been expecting. Knowing it was a ridiculous notion, she turned her face away from them and looked the other way.
    In the distance, up on another hill overlooking the marsh, stood a large, majestic-looking red brick house. Madeline wondered if this was the place she had dreamed about, and wondered further how close her fantasies had been to reality. Judging by the look of the place, her fantasies had been eerily accurate indeed.
    They turned into the tree-lined driveway that led up to the house, and barely made it to the door before a young boy came racing out of it to greet them.
    Adam obviously wasn’t the only one who had been looking forward to Diana’s arrival.
    â€œMy youngest son,” Adam explained with an apologetic tone.
    The boy bolted across the front yard. Madeline shifted uncomfortably in her seat, dreading the matter of explaining the mistake and telling him that the woman his father had planned to marry hadn’t even known he’d proposed.
    They rolled to a gentle stop in front of the house. The boy approached and took hold of the harness. “Hello, Father!” He gazed timidly at Madeline as he waited for an introduction.
    Adam stepped down from the buggy and came around to help Madeline. “Miss Oxley, this is my son, Charles.”
    The boy suddenly lost his enthusiasm. “Miss Oxley? But where’s Lady Thurston?”
    â€œShe didn’t come. There was a misunderstanding, and Lady Thurston’s sister came to visit instead.”
    â€œHer sister?” Charlie gazed uncertainly at Madeline. “Will you be marrying my father?”
    Madeline was thankful that Adam answered the question before she had to. “No, Charles. She’s just visiting. I’ll be sending another letter to Lady Thurston to clear everything up.”
    While the boy led the horse and buggy into the barn, Adam escorted Madeline into the house, the wide center hall decorated with teal wallpaper and dark cherry columns. An older woman wearing gold spectacles appeared from the back kitchen. She smoothed her skirt with her hands. “Mr. Coates, you’ve returned.”
    â€œHello, Agnes. This is Madeline Oxley. Diana’s sister. ”
    Looking bewildered, the woman stared at Madeline.
    Madeline saw the situation work itself through the woman’s mind, until finally she nodded in understanding. Madeline forced herself to smile. She would be glad to get these awkward introductions over and done with.
    â€œMadeline, this is my housekeeper, Mrs. Agnes Dalton.”
    â€œIt’s a pleasure to meet you.”
    At that instant, a dark-haired girl came running from the kitchen. “Father!”
    She flew into Adam’s arms. He scooped her up and squeezed her before setting her back down. “Miss Oxley, this is my daughter, Penelope. Penelope, this is Miss Madeline Oxley.”
    â€œAre you Lady Thurston’s maid?” the little girl asked. “Father said she might bring one.”
    Could this possibly be any more humiliating?
    Adam quickly interrupted. “No, Penelope. This is Lady Thurston’s sister. There was a misunderstanding about my marriage proposal, but it will all be cleared up soon enough.”
    If Madeline heard him say sister with that overly