Page 35 of A Virgin for the Ton's Wolf

Or make good on his threats in the lodge.

Scarlett was slightly horrified to find that she was hoping for the latter. Debauchery must truly be contagious.

She slipped out of her bedchamber in nothing but her night rail and a luxurious velvet robe, courtesy of the Dowager Duchess. The Wolf had warned her against seeking him out in the middle of the night, but she was headed for the kitchens, not his tower.

She made her way to the door when she heard one of the scullery maids talking.

“Her Grace seems to have taken a liking to the young miss.”

“She is no young miss—she’s an honest-to-goodness young lady, or so I heard. The daughter of an earl, they say.”

There was a murmur of agreement amongst those gathered, and Scarlett bit back a small smile. Even the staff at Wolverton Estate were not immune to the allure of gossip, it would seem.

“Poor child! She came wanderin’ right into the Wolf’s den.” A matronly woman shook her head. “And so young, too.”

“Well, she did come with her mama, Mrs. Hudgens,” a younger maid spoke up.

Low murmurs rose up from the group, and Scarlett leaned in closer to hear what they were talking about.

“They can’t possibly have known about the rumors,” Mrs. Hudgens spoke out. “If they did, they would have never set foot in Wolverton.”

“Not even for a title?” One of the footmen guffawed. “Many young ladies would give an arm an’ a leg to be a duchess.”

“Not if they heard the rumors,” Mrs. Hudgens argued.

Scarlett frowned. They kept mentioning rumors, but what rumors were they talking about?

But Mrs. Hudgens had lowered her voice, and the rest of the servants simply drew closer to hear what she had to say. If only Scarlett could draw closer, she might be able to hear them, too.

She pressed her ear against the open door, peering at where the servants were huddled, when they suddenly dispersed and turned towards her with wide eyes.

Caught!

“I-I…”

What could she say? Oh, do go on, good sirs and madams, you were just getting to the good part?

It was one thing for a young lady to indulge in gossip in the ballroom, but another thing entirely to eavesdrop on servants—especially when they were talking about their forbidding master.

“I just?—”

“Your Grace!” Mrs. Hudgens gasped.

That was when Scarlett realized that all of them had paled and they were not looking at her. They were all looking at something—or rather, someone—behind her.

Slowly, she, too, turned around.

It was him—the very subject of the rumors she had so desperately wanted to hear.

And he did not look so pleased with any of them.

Hudson glowered at the pallid servants, who regarded him with fear. Apparently, he needed to have a word with his servants about gossiping about him in the presence of his guests.

His gaze dropped to the redhead, who was looking at him with surprise written all over her beautiful features. Her lips were slightly parted, and he had to physically restrain himself from tasting them. To see for himself if they were as sweet and as luscious as they looked.

“Y-Your Grace, we did not?—”

Oh, right. He had forgotten that they had a whole audience gawking at them.

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