The Elusive Wife by Callie Hutton

informing me they no longer represented Lady Coventry, and they were kind enough to forward the letter to her solicitors here in London.”
    “London,” Jason said, tapping his pen on the desk. “Did they inform you who is now representing her ladyship?”
    “Yes, I have the name of the firm here.” The solicitor handed Jason a piece of paper he studied for a few minutes.
    “What have you discovered about my father’s will?”
    Meyer cleared his throat. “It appears the earl did not add any conditions to his request that you marry the Lady Jane, merely that you were to be wed within three days, should he pre-decease her arrival in England.”
    Jason snorted his opinion of the earl’s request.
    “It is the findings of Meyer, Johns and Meyer that lacking any instructions beyond your wedding, you are free to seek an annulment. With all due respect to the earl’s memory, we always felt the entire thing had been completed in too much of a hurry, and without due and proper thought.”
    The solicitor cleared his throat once more. “The annulment can be sought, provided, of course, the marriage has not been consummated.” He mumbled the last part of his statement, and a bright red flush rose in his face.
    Jason ignored the unasked question. “Thank you, Meyer. Please keep me informed of any further developments.”
    Young Meyer bowed and took his leave. Jason left his chair and walked to the window, shoving his hands into his pockets.
    She’s been notified .
    Was she upset? Crying? Angry? He felt like such a bloody coward doing it this way, but he soothed his conscience with the fact that he had attempted to speak with her in person, but she was the one who’d disappeared. So if she must be notified by post, then it was her fault.
    Why does that make me feel like a cad?
    He placed his hands on the window frame and rested his forehead against the smooth glass.
    And where the hell in London is the woman, anyway?

    Once more Jason located Lady Olivia by merely entering the theatre. Settling himself in his box with several guests he had invited for the performance of The Magic Flute, he spotted her almost immediately in the Lansdowne box. The pull of awareness between the two of them was a visible thing, and it pleased him to see her glance in his direction as soon as he settled in his seat.
    Then he frowned when his glance landed on Lord Carstairs who sat to her right, leaning down to say something in her ear. She laughed at whatever he’d whispered, throwing her head back. The sight of her long elegant neck where he wanted so much to put his lips caused his groin to tighten. He shifted in his seat to accommodate his reaction. With Carstairs leaning over her like that, the man could see right down the bodice of her dress. An urge to smash his fist into Carstairs’ leering face swept over him.
    “Darling, we’ve finally arrived.” Jason grimaced, his teeth clenching at the sound of Selena’s shrill voice. Pasting a smile on his face, he turned to greet Lord Jillard who apparently had invited the woman to attend with him.
    That’s the last time I invite that buffoon. He should have known better than to bring Selena with him.
    “Oh, look Jillard, there’s two seats right up front next to his lordship.” Groaning inwardly, Jason stood as Jillard and Selena joined him. He kissed Selena’s hand, and glanced briefly at Lady Olivia, who assessed him with raised eyebrows, then coolly turned to Carstairs, leaning close to him to say something that made him smile.
    Jason attempted to show interest in Selena’s ramblings, his hands fisted as she continued to touch him, displaying an intimacy he no longer felt. He breathed a sigh of relief when the opera finally began.
    Twice during the performance Selena rested her slim fingers on his thigh. Both times he moved in such a way that she had to withdraw. Not deterred, she used every opportunity to lean close to him, place her palm on his chest, or whisper in his ear. A few