Free The Elusive Wife by Callie Hutton Page B

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    Sir Garrett Brooke, Coventry, England
    Jason raised his eyebrows. “By all means, send Sir Brooke in.”
    A tall, lanky gentleman, with dark blond hair and a skin color darker than most Englishmen, arrived within a minute. His confident walk belied any intimidation he might have had at presenting himself to the Earl.
    “My lord.” He inclined his head.
    “Please, have a seat.” Once his visitor settled himself, Jason continued, “I understand you asked after Lady Coventry?”
    “Yes, my lord. My mother tells me she saw your coach arrive a few days ago, and I hoped her ladyship had accompanied you.” He flashed Jason a smile that had him wondering if Lady Coventry had been entertained by this young man’s smile and attentions while she cavorted around the countryside charming his tenants with her affection and sweets.
    “Actually, Lady Coventry is not currently in residence. She is still in London.” He watched the other man’s expression closely to see what effect his information had on him. Sir Garret Brooke showed neither disappointment nor irritation.
    No clue there.
    “In that event, I’m sorry to have taken up your time, my lord. Please give my regard to her ladyship when you return to London. She is such a delightful woman. And her mus−“
    Irritated, Jason stood. “I will be sure to make your visit known to her. Now if you will excuse me.”
    The man hopped up, inclined his head, and left.
    I will certainly relay your regard if I can find the blasted woman.
    It appeared Lady Coventry had made her mark, for all the short time she’d stayed here.

    Jason had been settled in his London townhome only a few hours when Drake arrived.
    “How was your trip?” Drake sank into a large leather chair in front of the fireplace. “Things must have gone well. You weren’t away overlong.”
    Jason sat in the chair opposite him. “Things didn’t go at all.”
    Drake studied him. “Was she not amenable to your suggestion?”
    Jason leaned his elbows on his spread knees, dangling his hands between them.
    “She wasn’t there.”
    Drake stiffened. “Not there? Where was she?”
    “London.”
    “Here in London? Residing with whom?”
    “I don’t know.” He blew out a huge breath.
    Drake smirked. “Perhaps you’d better start at the beginning, old man, you’re not making much sense.”
    Jason rose and paced in front of the fireplace. “She apparently hied off to London not too long after the wedding. But, she was certainly there long enough to endear herself to the local gentry, the tenants, and my household staff.”
    “You don’t say.” Drake flashed a delighted smile.
    “It seems her ladyship visited the tenants while she was there, delivering sweets and breads and ingratiating herself to their hearts.” Gesturing in the direction of the window, he continued, “Then when she wasn’t running about the countryside bestowing her benevolence on one and all, she entertained my staff with hypnotizing pianoforte music.”
    “Indeed?”
    “Precisely.” Running his fingers through his hair, Jason threw himself back into the chair and tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling. “But it gets worse.”
    Drake waited patiently.
    “No one knows where she went.”
    “Not the staff at Coventry?” His friend sputtered. “She’s disappeared?”
    “She packed up and left and only told the staff she was going to London. They naturally assumed she was coming to me here in Coventry House.”
    “What about the driver, can’t he tell you where he brought her?”
    “The driver has been dismissed, and all my efforts to find him failed.” Jason returned to the front of the fireplace, his hands on his hips, his brow furrowed. “As it stands now, I have a wife somewhere here in London. I don’t know what she looks like, I don’t know where she is, or with whom she is staying.”
    Drake’s jaw muscles worked, but the laughter burst out anyway. “I say, you have a bit of a problem here.”
    “I