title: Barnford Abbey: Part Two: Return of the Earl
author:  Jake Cardigan 
description: Born in Dublin, Ireland. Now living in Florida with his wife Jan, two dogs, two cats, one tortoise and one horse. A former seaman with the British Merchant Navy, he later served with the Grenadier Guards in London, Libya and the jungles of West Africa before becoming an international business consultant with worldwide connections. He was travelled extensively including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, India, South Korea, Japan, North America, Brazil, Venezuela, Canada, West Indies and most of Europe. Never far from his Celtic roots his writing and conversation are imbued with Irish humor and philosophy. CONNECT WITH CARDIGAN! Share the experience. www.jakecardigan.com email: jakecardigan@comcast.net
zlib_text: ![](Images/image00078.jpeg)
  
  **A Code of Wonder**
  
   **The Code Breakers Regency Romantic Suspense Series**
  
  ![](Images/image00064.jpeg)
  
   **Book 8**
  
   **Jacki Delecki**
  
   **Chapter 1**
  
  _DECEMBER, 1803_
  
  _RURAL ENGLAND~_
  
  Nicholas Balthasar Trentham, Earl of Wessex, sprawled in the rickety chair,
  propped his feet on the table, and took another swig of ale, the best the
  Dragon and Cock had to offer. Peering through the soiled window, he watched
  the clouds blowing across the sky. A winter storm was brewing. If he didn’t
  leave immediately, he’d be forced to spend the night. He had stayed in worse
  places, but, at those times, he had always been deep in his cups.
  
  Anger and resentment swirled in his gut like the beginning snow flurries
  outside. The ale wasn’t dimming the memories. It had been over a year since
  his father, the old earl died, and he still hadn’t gone home, if you could
  call Wemberly Abbey a home. It hadn’t been home since his mother had died in
  childbirth, trying to bear a sp