Page 86 of A Virgin for the Duke of Thorns

She caught Phoebe giving her a worried look, and she smiled back.

All the world is but a stage. And as actors, we all have our parts to play.

How unfortunate that their roles were only ever meant to interact briefly before they must part ways. Alice was certain that the opera of her life had been written as an absolute tragedy.

* * *

It was after the second act of the opera that Alice truly had a chance to interact with the Viscountess Pembroke. She had sought some privacy to refresh herself and was enjoying the quiet of the empty room when someone walked in.

“Oh! I am so sorry! I did not know that anyone was here!”

The Viscountess Pembroke looked quite apologetic, and a slight flush tinged her fair features.

Alice responded with a polite smile. “It is perfectly fine, Lady Pembroke. I was just about to leave.”

Lady Pembroke flashed her a smile that did not quite reach her blue eyes. “I am sorry about your failed betrothal, Lady Alice.”

Alice bristled when she heard that. It was hardly an appropriate topic to discuss, considering that both of them did not share the prerequisite closeness for such a conversation.

The Viscountess did not sound as sorry as she claimed either.

“But truly,” she continued, “it is not like one can expect anything else from the Duke of Thorns. He has gained a reputation for a reason, you know?”

Her lips curled into a cold smile as she watched Alice with great interest.

“I am not sure what you are talking about, Lady Pembroke,” Alice managed with a polite if aloof smile. “We were only briefly betrothed.”

The Viscountess did not seem to pay much attention to her deflection as she waved her hand rather dismissively.

“I am sure you do, Lady Alice,” she said with a saccharine smile. “You know how he is. He will charm you, whisper such romantic poetry in your ear, kiss you gently…” she trailed off, a trace of bitterness in her tone. “And before you know it, you are in his bed.”

Alice felt cold all over when she realized that this woman, this Viscountess Pembroke, had been in Colin’s bed. She had shared with him the very same things that Alice had only ever shared with Colin.

However, unlike Alice, he had taken the time to charm and seduce Lady Pembroke. He had hardly bothered with Alice herself.

As she stood there, unable to move, she vaguely heard the announcement for the third act to begin.

“I am so dreadfully sorry, my dear,” Lady Pembroke simpered. “I must be off—my husband is waiting for me.”

Alice nodded woodenly at the woman as she sashayed out of the room, her red, red lips curled into a smile that could render lesser men witless.

Alone, Alice hugged herself as she sank to the floor, breathing heavily. Images of that passionate night at Fitzroy Hall flashed in her mind, tearing through wounds that had yet to heal before they were opened once more.

At that time, she had thought that he was just like her, that he had been consumed with so much passion, such love, that he could hardly control himself, and they just tore off their clothes. Recalling the tattered nightclothes that she had stuffed into the very bottom of her valise, he had not even bothered to dispense with her clothes.

But what did she expect, really? She had all but thrown herself at him without a hint of shame. Had proudly worn her heart on her sleeve like the absolute idiot that she was.

He had even mistaken her for a harlot on their first meeting because what sort of gently bred young lady would sneak into a man’s estate? Even if she had the intention of borrowing his book, it had to be that book that no self-respecting young lady would ever admit to knowing about.

She should have known better than to attempt to tame a Wolf. It would never have ended well.

Instead, she had worn her badge of stupidity proudly.

She had meant nothing to him. Absolutely nothing.

And that was because she had thrown away all of her dignity to fling herself at him. He had not even thought her worthy of reciting a few lines of poetry out of courtesy.

To think that he even had the audacity to tell her that he was doing it for her own good. That breaking her heart was the right thing to do.

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