Page 15 of Suddenly a (The St. Clairs 5)

Then why did the thought of that—and his friend’s interest—bother Hudson?

“Can I drop you somewhere?” he asked.

“No. After sitting so long, I’d like to stretch my legs. I’ll see you later.”

It was only after Hudson was halfway to the warehouse that he remembered he should have told Matthew about the diagnosis Cor had received. Hudson planned to return to Kent and spend the next few weeks at Eversleigh. He’d stop by tomorrow and see Matthew then to let him know what was planned.

At the warehouse, he went to Mr. Garson’s office. The man oversaw every aspect of the warehouse. Once more, he explained—though much more briefly—that he had an inventor coming who would need space to work in and storage for a good number of her projects. He and Garson looked at a few places before deciding where to have Mia work.

“I’ll have the wagons sent first thing in the morning, Mr. St. Clair,” Garson promised. “I’ll direct everything brought back to be placed here. Will this inventor need any certain equipment?”

“She can decide once she’s in London and has visited the warehouse. I’m sure she’ll need tables to set up what she is working on. Beyond that, I haven’t a clue.”

“What about production of this steam engine?” Garson asked.

“I want Lady Mia to put the current model through several tests here before we move into production. Once we do, though, I want this to happen quickly. That means finding an existing place to manufacture this machinery.”

“I have a good idea what we’ll need. Might I look at a few properties and then recommend a few to you?”

Hudson had worried about that and was relieved he wouldn’t have to waste additional time in London doing so. Garson had a good eye and drove a hard bargain.

“I trust you implicitly, Mr. Garson. Go ahead and find where we can locate this factory. Send word to Eversleigh when you do and I can come up for a day or two to see them.”

“Very well, Mr. St. Clair.”

His business accomplished, Hudson checked his pocket watch and saw it was a quarter till four. He decided his next stop would be Lord and Lady Trentham’s residence. He checked the address Mia had written on her letter and gave it to his driver. They arrived twenty minutes later. Hudson knocked at the door and presented the butler with his card.

“I would like to see both Lord and Lady Trentham, if they are available. I have news from Lady Trentham’s niece.”

“If you’ll wait here, Mr. St. Clair, I’ll see if they are in.”

He was taken to a small parlor off the foyer and was struck by how different it was from the one he’d waited in this morning at Morris Park. He sighed, thinking about the butler checking to see if the Trenthams were home. If anyone would know of their whereabouts, it would be the butler. Thetonhad their servants, however, play the game of screening visitors by using that repeated phrase. Since he was a stranger to the Trenthams, he didn’t know if they would see him. If they weren’t home to him, he would leave Lady Mia’s letter with the butler and press him to get it into his employer’s hands as soon as possible.

The butler reappeared. “If you’ll follow me, Mr. St. Clair.”

He was led upstairs to the drawing room and announced. The couple was having tea. Hudson went and offered his hand to Lord Trentham and then bowed to his wife.

“Thank you for seeing me,” he said, pulling out the letter from his coat pocket. “I have a letter for you, my lady, from your niece.”

Lady Trentham frowned as she took it. She stared at it a moment and then her gaze met his. “What’s wrong, Mr. St. Clair? Who are you and why are you delivering word to me from my niece?”

“I was at Morris Park today. I had an appointment to meet with Lord Morrison regarding one of his machines.”

She sniffed. “And how did that go?”

“Why don’t you read Lady Mia’s letter and then I can clear up any questions you might have?”

She opened it with trepidation, holding it tilted toward her husband so they could both read it at the same time. Hudson watched her eyes widen and she swallowed. She set the letter in her lap.

“How did my brother-in-law die?” she demanded. “You needn’t tread softly, Mr. St. Clair. I was at Morris Park only a couple of weeks ago. I know of my brother-in-law’s mental impairment and how ragged Mia was, taking care of her father and the entire estate.”

“I’m to understand he wandered off on occasion,” Hudson said. “He met with an accident, possibly falling and hitting his head. He was found in a creek.”

“He drowned?” Lord Trentham asked.

Hudson nodded.

“Oh, poor Mia,” Lady Trentham said, her lips trembling. “To lose both her parents. And to have no husband to turn to.” She looked to her husband. “We must go to her tomorrow, Trentham. Bring her back here once the funeral is done.”

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