Jo Brown - Promise of a Family

Family in Training?

After rescuing six children abandoned in a boat, Captain Drake Nesbitt is determined to ensure their safety and locate their unknown parents. But first, he needs someone to nurture the babies. He’s grateful for the support of kindhearted Lady Susanna Trelawney.

Although Susanna has given up all hope of marriage and happiness after her fiancé’s betrayal, the adorable children evoke all her maternal instincts. Soon she’s falling for her tiny charges—and their handsome rescuer. Can Susanna convince committed bachelor Drake that he’s more than just a onetime hero, but a man who has room in his heart for a family after all?

Matchmaking Babies: Seeking forever families and speeding up the course of true love.

“One day the children will appreciate that your family has provided for them. Not every abandoned child is so blessed.”

“What happened to you, Drake?”

“The neighbors took me in with their brood, which was large enough that they never seemed to notice one more.”

“So they became your family?”

“No. They were never cruel to me, but I was always an outsider. I was never allowed to call them mother and father.”

“Oh, how horrible! You must have been so alone and so lonely, even in such a crowded house.”

“No one else has ever said that.” He quickly looked away.

“If I have pried too much…”

“No, it feels good to have someone understand.” He shook his head with a grin.

Before she could ask another question, the twins called to her. As he stood, she went to swing the girls out of the sleeping hammocks. He could sense that Susanna was just as anxious to leave the solitude belowdecks. As for himself, he would be glad to return to where they would not be able to talk about the past and what he planned to do in the future.

A future when the rolling waves of the sea would come between him and Susanna.

No, he definitely did not want to think of that. Not until he had to.

JO ANN BROWN has always loved stories with happy-ever-after endings. A former military officer, she is thrilled to have the chance to write stories about people falling in love. She is also a photographer, and travels with her husband of more than thirty years to places where she can snap pictures. They live in Nevada with three children and a spoiled cat. Drop her a note at joannbrownbooks.com.

Promise of a Family

Jo Ann Brown

www.millsandboon.co.uk

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

—Matthew 18:2–3

For Jo Piraneo

Who has an amazing gift for making my jumbled comments into something beautiful

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Family in Training? After rescuing six children abandoned in a boat, Captain Drake Nesbitt is determined to ensure their safety and locate their unknown parents. But first, he needs someone to nurture the babies. He’s grateful for the support of kindhearted Lady Susanna Trelawney. Although Susanna has given up all hope of marriage and happiness after her fiancé’s betrayal, the adorable children evoke all her maternal instincts. Soon she’s falling for her tiny charges—and their handsome rescuer. Can Susanna convince committed bachelor Drake that he’s more than just a onetime hero, but a man who has room in his heart for a family after all? Matchmaking Babies: Seeking forever families and speeding up the course of true love.

Introduction “One day the children will appreciate that your family has provided for them. Not every abandoned child is so blessed.” “What happened to you, Drake?” “The neighbors took me in with their brood, which was large enough that they never seemed to notice one more.” “So they became your family?” “No. They were never cruel to me, but I was always an outsider. I was never allowed to call them mother and father.” “Oh, how horrible! You must have been so alone and so lonely, even in such a crowded house.” “No one else has ever said that.” He quickly looked away. “If I have pried too much…” “No, it feels good to have someone understand.” He shook his head with a grin. Before she could ask another question, the twins called to her. As he stood, she went to swing the girls out of the sleeping hammocks. He could sense that Susanna was just as anxious to leave the solitude belowdecks. As for himself, he would be glad to return to where they would not be able to talk about the past and what he planned to do in the future. A future when the rolling waves of the sea would come between him and Susanna. No, he definitely did not want to think of that. Not until he had to.

About the Author JO ANN BROWN has always loved stories with happy-ever-after endings. A former military officer, she is thrilled to have the chance to write stories about people falling in love. She is also a photographer, and travels with her husband of more than thirty years to places where she can snap pictures. They live in Nevada with three children and a spoiled cat. Drop her a note at joannbrownbooks.com .

Title Page Promise of a Family Jo Ann Brown www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 18:2–3

Dedication For Jo Piraneo Who has an amazing gift for making my jumbled comments into something beautiful

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

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Porthlowen, Cornwall 1812

“There! It is leaking right there!”

At the shout, Drake Nesbitt looked down into his ship where his first mate and crew were struggling to fix the damage The Kestrel had suffered after crossing the path of a French privateer. Sunlight sparkled on water in the depths of the ship. Hurrying to join his crew, he muttered under his breath as he pulled off his new boots. He had thought the last of the holes in The Kestrel had been plugged yesterday.

He set the boots where the water would not reach them, then joined his crew. They stepped aside to let him examine where water washed into the ship with the rising tide. He pushed away a lantern. Even though it would have helped him see the damage to the hull, he did not want his crew to view his frustration. They must have enough of their own.

For a fortnight The Kestrel had been moored in Porthlowen, a cove beneath the hills rising like broken steps to the Cornish moorland. The mouth of the cove narrowed to a curved strait between high cliffs, providing a sheltered mooring for his ship and a fast current on the tides that would take them back to open water once his ship was seaworthy again.

His ship. He enjoyed saying those words. He had worked hard for years to be able to invest in the ship and finally buy her outright. Now he worked even harder to save enough to purchase another, with his eye on building a fleet of trading ships along the southern coast of England.

He had known it would take time to make repairs, but he ached to be back upon the sea, to know the freedom of moving with the waves, to escape the memories that still gnawed on him whenever he set foot on land. When he steered his ship from one port to another, he could avoid risking his heart as he did once. Then, he had ended up looking like a fool.