“This will be interesting,” Alex said, when he walked into the kitchen.

I swallowed my toast. “What?”

“I ordered the scanner from Amazon last night and they guarantee delivery by one o’clock today. I looked it up with the parcel tracking and it’s in Scotland.”

“You paid for express delivery?”

“Yes. I’m leaving for Norway tomorrow. I need to scan my books today.”

I looked at my watch. “It’s 10 o’clock! Scotland to Cambridge in three hours? No way.” I shook my head incredulously.

“They’ve guaranteed it, Joan. They’ve given their word. If it doesn’t get here by one, I get my delivery fee back.”

“Wow. This will be interesting… If it comes at two, will you still try to get a refund?”

“Of course,” Alex smiled. “A promise is a promise. One o’clock.”

“Well. Good luck to them, I say.”

Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang.