Page 62 of A Virgin for the Duke of Thorns

She had no idea what he was planning or why he was doing what he was doing.

To say that she was shocked when the Duke of Sinclair handed her the ribbon he had won was an understatement. She could hardly believe that the handsome gentleman in front of her would even dare to do something so audacious before Colin.

She was actually on the verge of rejecting him when he said something that made her change her mind.

“I know what you are doing, and it will not work,” she had told him with a sad smile.

Ethan, however, was far more optimistic than her. “Somebody needs to wake him up before he regrets it, My Lady. Let me be the antagonist for now.”

“Are you sure about this?”

Another flash of a charming smile. Too charming, she surmised. She preferred Colin’s sensual smirks far more.

“He deserves to be happy,” Ethan had explained to her. “And as his friend, I consider it my most sacred duty to nudge him in that direction, stubborn mule that he is.”

Alice still could not contain the mirth bubbling up her chest whenever she recalled those words. Colin was exceptionally fortunate to have such friends as the Duke of Sinclair, who only wanted the best for him in spite of his protestations.

But am I really the one who can make him happy? Alice wondered as she turned the ribbon over in her hand. What if Ethan is mistaken?

What if they only ended up inviting more of Colin’s ire?

She had no time to dwell on it, for Scarlett and the others immediately converged on her. The redhead looked quite excited for her, and Phoebe held a wistful look in her eyes. Evie, though, merely tilted her head like a curious sparrow as she looked at the ribbon in Alice’s hand.

“Let us get out of here before they tear you to pieces!” Scarlett urged Alice back into the manor.

“What do you?—”

“Did you not see the way they were looking at you?” the redhead hissed. “Must I remind you how these supposedly frail debutantes can turn feral at the drop of a hat?”

“She is not mistaken,” Evie seconded with a faint shudder. “I can smell the bloodlust from here.”

The four young ladies made their way into the parlor, and Evie carefully closed the door behind them.

“Nobody will be able to come in here for now,” she sighed.

“Thank goodness!” Scarlett exclaimed, falling into the sofa in a most unladylike manner. “Truly, I did not know that the Duke of Sinclair could be so audacious as to demand the dances of a woman engaged to be married, but he is a Wolf, after all…”

“But they are friends,” Phoebe added. “Somehow, things are not adding up.”

Alice chose to keep silent as she mulled over her brief conversation with the Duke of Sin. Ethan had told her that this was for Colin, that he meant to wake his friend up. She had her doubts that it would work, though.

“Are you really going to give all your dances to him tonight, Alice?” Phoebe asked her.

Alice looked up to find all three of them staring at her, awaiting her reply.

“Well?” Scarlett prodded her, impatience written all over her features. “Are you?”

Phoebe glanced helplessly at her. “She very well cannot give the Duke of Sinclair the cut direct either.”

“You can pretend you have a really bad headache and will have to miss out on the festivities tonight…”

“That is too obvious, and it would only make things worse than they are.”

Phoebe was clearly distraught. “Should we tell Mama about this? Perhaps she would know what to do?—”

“I do not think we can, Phoebe.” Alice cleared her throat as she sat up straight. “Since it was Lady Wellington who set forth the rules?—”

“She was probably hoping to match somebody with somebody else!” Phoebe interjected with a hopeful smile.

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