Page 46 of A Virgin for the Duke of Thorns

She nearly rolled her eyes as the first lines of the Shakespearean sonnet leaped up from that tiny piece of paper.

“Love is not love,” she heard Colin murmur from beside her. “Which alters when it alteration finds…”

Her heart pounded loudly in her chest as she listened to him read that bit of poetry, his voice deep and compelling, lulling her into a trance.

He really should read more poetry. He could seduce even a cloistered nun with that voice of his alone.

Then, her eyes widened when she realized what was written on her slip and what he had just read aloud.

Of course, Shakespeare’s Sonnet

Just when she had thought out a plan to avoid him for the rest of the evening, Colin Fitzroy had become her partner for the treasure hunt.

She was stuck with him for the rest of the evening.

* * *

He should have known that his grandmother would have seen the growing rift between him and Alice and decided to take matters into her own hands. Perhaps this house party was nothing more than an elaborate excuse for her to throw them both together.

Never let it be said that the Dowager Countess of Wellington did anything by halves.

He glanced at Lady Wellington and caught her smug smile.

Or maybe she just wanted to see things burn…

When he had been younger, he had heard tales of her mischief-making amongst the ton. This was nothing but a sample of it, perhaps. After all, she still had the entire weekend to enact her entire plan.

He looked over at Alice, who now held the match to his sonnet excerpt. “It seems like you are my partner for the treasure hunt, little lamb.”

She bristled at the nickname. “Do not call me that,” she hissed. “I thought you wanted to carry on pretending I did not exist, anyway.”

She slapped her slip of paper against his chest, which caused Colin to flinch a little—not from the pain but from the fierce stab of desire that pierced through him at her touch.

He truly was going insane if even the brusque contact tempted his lust.

He caught her hand before she could draw it back. “I know that you hate losing, little lamb,” he told her with a slight smile. “Come with me, and I shall ensure our victory.”

“Do not tell me you have already rigged this game.” She rolled her eyes at him. “In that case, I have no wish to partake in cheating.”

“It is not cheating, I assure you. I simply know my grandmother well enough to know what she is referring to.” He held up the two pieces of paper and grinned at her. “The treasure is in my study.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “Now, why do I find myself suspicious of that?”

“Trust me, little lamb.”

“I told you not to call me that.”

They stared at each other like two adversaries instead of allies. All around them, the other guests were too busy searching for their partners to pay the two of them any attention.

To Colin, it was almost like the rest of the world faded as his own universe centered on the woman glaring before him. Even then, she was the most ravishing creature he had ever laid eyes on, and in spite of his gentle urging for her to trust in him, he was barely hanging onto his control by a thread.

No, Colin Fitzroy! Focus on the task at hand!

“I suppose everybody has found their partners?” Lady Wellington called out.

A chorus of agreement arose from the other guests.

“In that case,” the Dowager Countess boomed, “let the games begin!”

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