Week 4 of Surrender the Heart month!

Now things get fun!  But first, our winners from last week are Heather and AppleBlossom!!  Contratulations, Ladies!!  And thanks to everyone for your comments on my trailer. But don't despair, I'm choosing two more winners next Friday!

Now that you know a bit about the hero and heroine and have seen the trailer, I'm going to pull a short scene out of the book and then cut off the character's final sentence.  Then I'll give you a selection of answers to choose from, based on what you know about that character.  Today we will try and guess what Noah Brenin would say. Next week, it will be Marianne's turn.

Here's the snippet:
Noah adjusted the cuffs of his white shirt then cocked his head toward her. “What has me quite vexed, Miss Denton, is what benefit this match is for you. It is obvious you loathe me.”



“Loathe is a strong word.” She batted the air, trying to avoid the question. The smell of wine and leather and aged wood filled her nose. She couldn’t very well tell Noah that she and her mother were nearly destitute, that without this marriage, they could not touch the inheritance her father left her and purchase the much-needed medicines to keep her mother alive. She wasn’t lying to him. He would receive the seven thousand dollars of her dowry the moment they married. But what he didn’t know was that he would receive nothing else, no jewelry, or silverware, satin sheets, china, Persian rugs, or any of the luxuries her mother had been forced to sell this past year. Instead he would acquire only Marianne, her sister, and a sick mother-in-law. So, Marianne simply responded, “Our fathers wished it.”

He eyed her curiously. “Your father would not wish you unhappy, miss. I assure you I will not make you a good husband.”


Marianne gripped the arm of the chair. Her throat went dry. “Why are you trying to dissuade me when you have admitted that you need my money?”


He shrugged and stared out the open door down the corridor. “I see how my presence upsets you. It would no doubt be pure torture for you should we marry.”


“What upsets me is your behavior.”


“Unfortunately the two cannot be separated.”


“That is not true. People can change if they want to. God can change people.”


“What has He to do with it?”


Marianne flinched. “God has everything to do with everything.”


“If that is so, then He has much to answer for.” He frowned and turned to stare out the stern windows.


“You should not say such things, Noah.” Marianne’s heart saddened. His family had faced tragedy, as had hers. But she had not forsaken God. Or had she? Certainly her trust in Him had waned.


She struggled to her feet. “Enough of this. I cannot sail to England with you. My mother is ill and needs my help.”


He faced her. “She has servants who will attend to her, I am sure.”


In truth, no. “Only I can see to her properly. And my little sister will be lost without me. I simply cannot be gone for months.”

Please choose from the following possibilities and leave a comment telling me your choice and why. Whether you are right or wrong, I'll still enter you in the contest to win a free book!

A. "Very well. Far be it for me to cause you or your mother any discomfort."
B.  “Then you shouldn’t have snuck aboard my ship.”
C.  "Perhaps you should ask this God of yours to transport you home."
D.  "Regardless of your sentiments, I relish the opportunity to get to know you better."
E.  "Why of course not.  I've been a complete scoundrel and will turn the ship around at once."