The Bride Hunt Read Online Free PDF

Although it had only been a momentary encounter, and a perfectly pleasant one, something about those gray eyes had disturbed her; but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
             
    Sir Gideon Malvern entered his chambers and greeted his clerk in his usual fashion. “Coffee, Thadeus, as strong as you can make it.”
    “The water’s already heating, Sir Gideon. I trust your meeting at Miss Sarah’s school was satisfactory.” The clerk had risen from behind his desk to attend to the water on the spirit stove.
    “Yes, Sarah’s headmistress had only good things to say,” Gideon said.
    “Not surprising, sir. Miss Sarah is as bright as a button.”
    “And as sharp as a needle.” Gideon’s laugh was both proud and affectionate as he capped the cliché. He took off his gloves and bowler hat, laying them on the bench by the door. “So, tell me about our visitors.”
    Thadeus poured boiling water onto the coffee in a copper jug before he spoke, then he straightened slowly, the jug in his hand. “Visitors, sir? I only saw one.”
    “Oh, there were two, all right.” Gideon went into the inner office. “Mayfair ladies, they called themselves. In other circumstances with such a name I would have thought they were a pair of madams seeking business.” He went behind the massive oak table that served as his desk but didn’t take a seat.
    Thadeus permitted himself a frown of disapproval as he set the coffee and a cup on the table. “The only one I met, sir, was very respectable.”
    “How dull.” Gideon poured coffee, inhaling the aroma with a sigh of pleasure. “I couldn’t see them clearly in the gloom downstairs. I wonder if we should install another gas lamp in the hall.”
    “We have sufficient gas lamps, sir,” the other announced repressively. “But I would consider an additional oil lantern on the hook beside the door.”
    “No . . . no, leave it as it is.” The barrister waved a dismissive hand. “So, enlighten me.”
    Thadeus went into the outer office and returned with the papers Prudence had left him. “A libel case, sir. But the lady wishes to act as her own solicitor. She wishes to brief you herself.”
    “Oh, now, that’s novel. Not in the least dull; just goes to show how appearances can be deceiving.” Gideon drank his coffee and glanced at the copy of
The Mayfair Lady.
He nodded his comprehension. “We have an explanation for our Mayfair ladies, it seems.”
    “I have not, as yet, had the opportunity to read the details of the suit,” Thadeus said, as if conscious of some dereliction of duty.
    “How could you have done? They’ve only just left you.” Gideon set down his drained coffee cup in the saucer and gathered up the papers. “I’ll read these while the jury’s out at the Old Bailey. It’s an open-and-shut case. I’m hoping they won’t be out more than an hour, so it won’t be worth going back to chambers while they’re discussing a verdict. I may as well use my time profitably.” He strode energetically into the outer office, swinging his black gown off the coat rack.
    “There’s an address in Bayswater, Sir Gideon. The lady said we should contact her there.”
    “Bayswater?”
Gideon turned in surprise, his wig in his hands. “Neither of those ladies carried the mark of Bayswater.”
    “No, I didn’t think so either. I’m assuming the address is purely in the nature of a poste restante, to preserve anonymity.”
    “Now, why do they want to preserve their anonymity?” Gideon crammed the wig on his head and took a cursory glance in the mirror to check its position. “Every brief I’ve had in the last six months has been utterly tedious. I’m in need of a change and a challenge, Thadeus. Maybe this will furnish both.”
    He turned the wig a fraction so it no longer sat askew over his left ear, and mused, “Of course, what I’d really like is a nice juicy murder, but our two ladies didn’t look like murderers. However, as I just said, appearances can