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shrugged her shoulders and then realized with a little start that what had started as a lie was really the truth. There was something about the place and it was growing on her. But was it the place or was it the enigmatic Seth Sanderson?
    That was odd too, for Jasmine and she had never shared the same taste in men. Jasmine liked men with fast cars and the reputation to go with them. Poppy had to admit she went for the strong silent type. Just what had her sister found attractive about Seth? His previous career? Did she like the idea of the glamour of journalism? But Seth wasn’t a journalist then, unless she hoped he’d go back to it. Move to London, take her to all those interesting watering holes she had no doubt Seth had frequented in the past. It was a mystery and one that wouldn’t be solved until Jasmine returned.
    Edward Donnington’s voice broke into her reverie. “There you go again, into that far away world.”
    “Sorry, I was just wondering, Seth hardly seems to be Jasmine’s type. I can’t imagine why she married him.”
    Edward laughed. “Don’t worry about it. Jasmine had her reasons.”
    “You know what they were?”
    “No,” he said, and sighed. “Why would I know that?” He sounded just a little irritated now. “I can surmise but I don’t know. Seth’s an attractive guy.”
    “Yes but he’s…” She stopped.
    “He’s what?”
    Now she shrugged her shoulders, caught in a trap of her own making. “I don’t know, just a little different from the usual men Jasmine went out with.”
    “In what way?”
    “He’s happy with his life in the country, rather quiet, a little serious.”
    It felt like such a betrayal of Seth; she wanted to grab the words back.
    “He’s not always like that. Perhaps he’s more worried about Jasmine than he lets on. He had quite an exciting life at one time.”
    “Yes I know, he told me he was a foreign correspondent.”
    “Well yes, he was. But he’s an author too…he can move in pretty important circles when he wants to.” Edward Donnington sounded a tad resentful. It was there at the back of his words. Poppy let it go. She wasn’t really interested in what Edward thought—only in what he knew .
    “I didn’t know that.” It was a surprise and yet held more than a clue as to why Jasmine was attracted to him. He represented an inroad to the kind of life Jasmine sought but never could achieve on her own merit.
    “There’s a lot you don’t know and none of it will solve the mystery of where Jas is. She’s probably gone shopping somewhere, enjoying the bright lights. She’ll be back when he cancels her credit.”
    “You think he’d do that?”
    “Of course. He’s done it before.”
    “He has? Goodness, he must have been really angry with her.”
    He wasn’t the kind of man to be walked over. If there was one thing guaranteed to bring his erstwhile wife running back it was a lack of spending money. Jasmine had no money of her own. At least not the amount she liked to spend.
    “I bet he even had her sign a pre-nup. Seth likes money, Poppy, don’t ever forget that.”

Chapter 5
    By the time Edward got her back the house was in darkness. Seth had given her a key; the huge thing had weighed heavy in her small clutch bag—now she was glad she’d taken it.
    Edward reached for her but she backed off. “Thank you for a nice evening,” she said, and already she had her hand on the car door handle. Pushing the door open, she slid out before he had time to try again.
    He leaned over. “That’s rather an abrupt goodnight,” he said brusquely.
    It’s all you’re getting, she thought but she smiled. “I had a nice time, goodnight.”
    She swung away. Her heart hammered as she scampered to the door. Shoving the key in the large lock and turning it, she slid in as the door swung open, not turning as she thrust herself through the opening, pushing it closed with her back. For a long moment she stood there—she’d half expected him to follow her