Page 28 of A Virgin for the Duke of Thorns

But it would not go so far as that, she reminded herself. This was only a temporary arrangement, after all—thank the high heavens for that. In thirty days, she would have finished reading La Philosophie dans Le Boudoir, and she and Colin could amicably part ways. Her father’s health will have improved too. And hopefully, by then, she would have already found a more suitable match—one who was not so arrogant and domineering and downright breathtaking…

Alice shook her head to dispel her thoughts. It would be best if she did not entertain them at this point. To expect more of their arrangement was not only whimsical, but it was downright foolish.

Besides, she really was not considering marrying a beast like Colin Fitzroy, was she?

* * *

Lady Salisbury had always taken great pride in being one of the first to host a ball every Season for the last decade and a half. In fact, one might even surmise that no sooner had she finished with the last ball than the Countess would well be on her way to planning the next one.

Invitations for the ball were often sent out almost as soon as the noble guests arrived in London. Indeed, it was even considered a young lady’s first order of business to prepare for the Salisbury ball as soon as the Season started.

Colin, in all honesty, could not care less about this Countess or that Marchioness hosting what were essentially glamorous matchmaking parties. However, this was the year that Evelyn was going to debut, and as her brother, he could not afford to be remiss in his duties.

In fact, he had gone a step further and not only prepared his wardrobe for the entire Season, but he had also acquired for himself a lovely betrothed to bolster his reputation—all so that Evie may succeed in finding a suitable match.

If one of us must get married, then it had better be a good marriage.

He was going to make sure that Evie found a man who was not only her match in status and wealth but also one who genuinely cared for her happiness.

Nothing less would do.

“Well, I never thought I would see the day when I would see you in one of these things again, Blackthorn,” a mischievous voice remarked.

Colin turned around to find two of his best friends striding towards him—Ethan, with his usual charming smile, and Daniel, who looked as if he would rather be anywhere than in the ball.

That makes two of us. Misery loves company, indeed.

The Duke of Ashton regarded him with a raised eyebrow. “Ethan has just informed me of something rather interesting. I would not have believed it myself had I not known for a fact that your carriage was parked outside of Brandon Estate yesterday afternoon.”

“You know how Ash is.” Ethan grinned. “He has his spies all over the country. Maybe all over Europe, even.”

Daniel merely smirked. “Your information has always been a bit… unreliable.”

“Hey!”

“It is true,” Colin acknowledged with a slight nod of his head. “I… have an arrangement with Lady Alice Barkley.”

“Oh? An arrangement?” The slight inflection in Daniel’s voice belied his curiosity. “One could say that most marriages in the ton can be called an arrangement of sorts. Might we be privy to what this arrangement of yours is all about?”

Colin leaned in and whispered to his friend the intricacies of his current betrothal, that it was going to last for all of thirty days and was only meant to bolster his reputation so that his sister’s coming out would not be affected by his past misdeeds.

“A rather circumspect way of doing things,” Daniel remarked. “And rather unusual, I might add.”

“That and I needed Grandmother to leave me alone for the better part of this Season.” Colin grimaced. “You know how she has been the past three years or so.”

“It is a dowager’s most preferred pastime to meddle in the affairs of their children.” The Duke of Ashton shrugged. “Or in the case of the lovely Lady Wellington, grandchildren.”

“I had hoped that she would be busy this Season with Evie, but it cannot be helped. She simply has too much time on her hands, it would seem.”

Both of his friends could only glance at him in commiseration. Colin was about to reach for a glass of wine from a passing footman’s tray when the butler announced the arrival of the Marchioness of Brandon and her daughters, Lady Alice Barkley and Lady Phoebe Barkley.

Colin’s world seemed to freeze for a moment as his gaze swiveled to the top of the stairs unbidden—only for his breath to get caught in his throat the moment he saw her.

Thankfully, he had not had any wine yet, for his mind could only scream one thing when he saw her?—

What the hell is she thinking, wearing that in a ballroom full of men?

Tonight, her luscious body was encased in a lush green dress that showcased her creamy complexion. The neckline was fashionably low and festooned with a smattering of deep emerald beads that brought his attention—and that of his hardening manhood—to the soft flesh above her bodice. Her rich, dark hair was piled in a most elegant fashion on top of her head and threaded through with yet more emeralds, leaving her neck bare as if to invite him for a taste.

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