Page 41 of A Virgin for the Duke of Thorns

Daniel’s reply was just a half-smile. “And you are slipping.” He edged his teacup away from him with a look of distaste. “Best be careful.”

Colin’s hand tightened around his teacup. Already, the rumor mills started working, and tongues started wagging.

It would seem that some things in London had never changed, even during his long absence.

* * *

“One cannot be complacent with these things!” the Marchioness of Brandon admonished the two young ladies of the house. “Why, it is the first time since… well, since that tragedy that Lady Wellington has deigned to hold a house party. Not even a ball but a veritable house party!”

The arrival of the invitation for Lady Wellington’s house party was received with much enthusiasm in Brandon Estate. Lady Brandon herself had sent several maids scurrying to find “this dress” and “those gloves” while her two daughters helplessly watched on.

Alice thought that the Dowager Countess, despite her amiable character, was not one to do anything by halves, and a house party was especially within character for her. However, she was looking forward to the house party for an entirely different reason.

La Philosophie dans Le Boudoir had been one of the essential provisions of her agreement with Colin, and she had yet to read it. A house party would be the perfect excuse for her to begin reading the book under the pretense of spending some time with her betrothed.

But was it prudent to be reading such a scandalous work with a known rogue?

Then again, Alice was not entirely known for considering such trivial matters before jumping into her pursuits. Besides, she doubted that even the Duke of Thorns would try anything with her, considering how much he despised the idea of matrimony.

No. He might tease me and try to test my boundaries. I simply have to be much stronger than him!

Just like that kiss in the garden. But then again, he had never even approached her after that.

He must have regretted it thoroughly. As he should, really.

And yet, she was still very much frustrated with him. It was one thing to keep a proper distance from her due to the constraints of their arrangement, but it was an entirely different matter when he would not even deign to look her way.

At this point, one would think that their betrothal was on the verge of being broken off before it had even begun!

“What sort of tragedy, Mama?” she heard Phoebe inquire with some curiosity, snapping her out of her thoughts.

The Marchioness looked taken aback for a moment before pulling her two daughters close. “You are not to speak of this matter in public,” she admonished them. She turned to Alice. “Especially you, Alice. His Grace will discuss it with you when he will. You are not to bring it up with him under any condition.”

“I do not understand, Mama…”

“The late Duke and Duchess,” Lady Brandon said in a low voice. “They perished in a fire in Blackthorn Estate half a decade ago. His Grace had been on a Grand Tour at that time, and Lady Evelyn was barely more than a child.”

Alice sucked in a deep breath. A tragedy, indeed. Her heart already ached watching her papa become frailer with each passing day, although her betrothal seemed to have improved his spirits. To lose both parents in a fire would be nothing short of devastating.

“Poor Evie.” Phoebe shook her head sadly.

“We are not to speak of this again,” the Marchioness reminded them. “Such things… should not be discussed at all. I am only telling you this so that you may know better to avoid such unsavory topics when they come up in conversation. In fact,” she added, “it would be best for you to leave the conversation entirely if someone were to bring it up.”

“Yes, Mama,” they both chorused.

Some tragedies were best left unspoken. Avoided, even.

Ever since her debut, Alice had learned that there were things that she must turn away from, not only because it was the tactful thing to do but also because of compassion. Nobody ever needed a reminder of the tragedies of their lives—even a beastly Wolf like Colin Fitzroy.

She sighed inwardly as she tucked her mother’s words into her heart, although her own ached for him. To have to bear the grief of his parents’ death and the great responsibility they left behind would be a most daunting task that she would not wish on anyone.

Knowing what she did now softened her heart as she thought of how he must have tried to hold everything together for his younger sister and Lady Wellington. Even the gossips would say that he managed rather well in that regard, for the Fitzroy family continued to be one of the wealthiest and most influential in all of London in spite of their having disappeared from most social affairs for more than half a decade.

But it was not her place to soothe or console him, as much as she ached to—and it continued to steadily gnaw at her until the day of Lady Wellington’s house party arrived.

* * *

The two sisters and the Marchioness made their way to Fitzroy Hall by carriage on Thursday, arriving late in the afternoon. They were amongst the first guests, much to the delight of the Dowager Countess, who greeted them at the front door with Lady Evelyn and Colin.

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