Adam's Daughter by Kristy Daniels Read Free Book Online Page A

come!”
    She came down the stairs. She was wearing a simple blue dress sashed low on the hips, and her hair was loose, pulled back from her face. “Come into the library,” she said.
    She closed the doors behind them. Adam stood in the middle of the room, his eyes traveling over the paintings, soft Persian rugs, and shelves of books. Elizabeth took his hat. “ You’re soaked,” she said. “Come sit by the fire,”
    As he sat down next to her on the sofa, Adam felt suddenly awkward. Why had it been so easy to talk to her last night and now?
    “I had a wonderful time last night,” Elizabeth said. “I barely got a wink of sleep. I must look a fright.”
    “You look beautiful,” Adam said.
    “My mother was furious. She wanted to know what the gray smudges were on my dress.” She smiled . “I told her I spent the night on a park bench wrapped in newspapers.”
    There was another pause and Elizabeth grew serious. “When I woke up this morning I felt like I had dreamed the whole thing. You’re different than the silly boys I’ve met, the other men —-”
    “Not really,” Adam said.
    “But you are.” She rose suddenly. “You have dreams, things you want to do. You’re not just sitting in college with your nose in a book or lolling about on a boat. The way you talked about your newspapers. It was so exciting.”
    She faced him. “I envy your passion,” she said softly.
    He was taken aback. Never would he have used that word about himself.
    “ I envy men,” Elizabeth said. “Their freedom to do things, to build, to achieve.” She came back and sat near Adam. “I wish I could help you build your empire.”
    Before Adam could reply, the doors opened and Charles Ingram was standing there.
    “Father,” Elizabeth said, “you remember Mr. Bryant, from the party last night?”
    Charles Ingram came into the room. Adam got to his feet and extended his hand. Ingram gave it a perfunctory shake and uttered a small greeting. There was a long silence as Ingram eyed Adam and Elizabeth. “Would you mind giving us a few moments alone, Elizabeth?” he said.
    Elizabeth looked at Adam but didn’t move.
    “Elizabeth, do as I say,” Ingram said softly but evenly.
    With a final look at Adam, she turned and left the room quickly.
    Ingram turned to Adam. “Are you responsible for keeping my daughter out all night?” Ingram asked.
    “I was with her, yes,” Adam said.
    Ingram’s gaze was icy. “How old are you, sir?”
    “I’m twenty-six.”
    “Then you surely should know better.” Ingram paused. “You know, I could have charges brought against you for corrupting a minor.”
    “Sir, Elizabeth seems old enough to —-”
    “Mind your words, young man.”
    “I was only going to say that she seems old enough to think for herself, make sound choices.”
    “ And you, Mr. Bryant, are one of her sound choices?”
    Adam said nothing.
    “I think not,” Ingram said. “I’ll try not to insult you, Mr. Bryant. As I told you last night, I’ve seen a variety of men trying to get near my daughter. And they all want only one thing.”
    “You know nothing about me,” Adam said.
    “I haven’t gotten where I am by not being a good judge of character, Mr. Bryant. I’ve found if you want to know a man, all you need to know is what he wants. I know that you work for a newspaper so I can guess you make perhaps two thousand dollars per year.” His eyes swept over Adam’s damp suit. “Can you look me in the eye, Mr. Bryant, and tell me you aren’t interested in my daughter’s money?”
    Adam stared at him.
    “You may very well be a man of character,” Ingram said. “But I can’t take a chance. I have a fortune to protect, a daughter to protect. You have nothing to offer a girl like Elizabeth.” He paused. “She’s very impressionable, given to romantic whims. I must therefore count on you to behave as a gentleman and make no further attempts to see her.”
    I nside, Adam was raging with anger, but he kept his