>
Dinah started to remind Captain Moberly of her vow not to marry a seafarer, but somehow the words would not form.
He gazed about the room. “You have your choice between Mr. Richland Senior or Junior.”
Dinah bit her lips to keep from giggling. “Captain, I order you to cease matchmaking for me.” A playful thought nudged Dinah’s mind. “That is, unless I am permitted to serve the same office for you.”
He gave her a slight bow. “Fair enough. Make your selection and present me to the lady.”
She stared around the room, seeking a likely candidate. “Hmm. Well. How about…no, not her. And then there’s…but no, she would not suit.” She released a dramatic sigh. “I fear not a single match can be found for you in our city, sir.”
Kindness would not permit her to tease about pairing him with any of her acquaintances. Kindness? Or perhaps something far more selfish?
LOUISE M. GOUGE
has been married to her husband, David, for forty-six years. They have four children and six grandchildren. Louise always had an active imagination, thinking up stories for her friends, classmates and family, but seldom writing them down. At a friend’s insistence, in 1984 she finally began to type up her latest idea. Before trying to find a publisher, Louise returned to college, earning a B.A. in English/creative writing and a master’s degree in liberal studies. She reworked the novel based on what she had learned and sold it to a major Christian publisher. Louise then worked in television marketing for a short time before becoming a college English/humanities instructor. She has had ten novels published, five of which have earned multiple awards, including the 2006 Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award. Please visit her website at www.louisemgouge.com.
At the Captain’s Command
Louise M. Gouge
MILLS & BOON
Before you start reading, why not sign up?
Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!
Or simply visit
Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.
I will receive you and will be a Father unto you,
and ye shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty.
—II Corinthians 6:17b–18
This book is dedicated
to my beloved husband, David,
who has stood by my side through my entire
writing career, encouraging me, helping me with
research, reading my raw manuscripts and giving me
the gentlest of corrections. Oh, and best of all,
he gives me the male perspective and insights a
woman sometimes can’t quite grasp. He also gives
me the benefit of his military experience in the
U.S. Army, during which he served in the
101st Airborne in Vietnam. Every March 11,
I thank God for bringing David safely home to me.
Acknowledgments:
In addition, I want to thank
my amazing critique partners for their
wonderful suggestions and research tips:
DiAnn Mills, Ramona Cecil, MaryLu Tyndall
and Laurie Alice Eakes, all gifted authors
in their own rights.
Finally, I’d like to thank my insightful editor,
Melissa Endlich, who sets the bar high for
writing excellence. I’m proud to be writing for you.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Epilogue
Letter to Reader
Questions
