Jason Cavendish, enjoying the title of Earl of Coventry,
has to satisfy his late father's will by marrying Lady
Jane, the daughter of a Classical scholar, whom he's never
met. Promising his latest mistress that he'll marry this
chit and leave her in the country, the aggrieved Jason
heads off to his estate, spends his last single night
carousing and turns up still drunk, to wed.
THE ELUSIVE WIFE manages to gain our sympathy for the
irrepressible Jason, but then we see Lady Jane's point of
view. Also known by her middle name Olivia, the girl has
had no say in her life, and believes she is entitled to a
proper marriage, not a groom so drunk he collapses before
the wedding breakfast. Embarrassed and hung over, Jason
heads back to London, where his friend Drake has no
hesitation in reprimanding him. Jason agrees to wait until
Jane has had time to calm down, then he'll go back and
apologise. He can't even remember what she looks like.
Elizabeth, Lady Lansdowne, is an old school friend of
Olivia and invites her to stay at her London townhouse and
explain how she married the man who is currently the life
of several parties. Elizabeth encourages Olivia to have new
clothes made and send the bill to her husband. Nobody else
is to know her married name. Furious when Jason doesn't
recognise her at a ball, but flirts anyway, Olivia decides
to have a good time at his expense. Then Jason asks his
solicitor for an annulment....
The situation and characters are enjoyable to read. Neither
protagonist appreciates being made a fool of, and while
wealthy people did have liaisons, marriages were also taken
seriously. The author Callie Hutton normally writes
Western romance but has produced a rich historical story
with several
facets.
THE ELUSIVE WIFE is highly
entertaining for Regency fans, with an unusual, action-
filled ending.
Jason, Earl of Coventry, needs to discreetly locate his
unwanted and abandoned bride among London society to request
an annulment. Too bad he can't remember what she looks like
because he was blind drunk at his arranged wedding and
hasn't see her since.
Newly arrived from the country for the Season, Lady Olivia
is appalled to discover that her own husband, Lord Coventry,
doesn't even recognize her. She's not about to tell the
arrogant arse she his wife. Instead, she flirts with him by
night and has her modiste send her mounting bills to him by day.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, except Lady Olivia
finds her husband nearly irresistible.
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