Chapter 23

The next day dawned bright and cheery on the guests—with the sole exception of Alice, who found that it was close to daybreak when she finally managed to slip into a fitful slumber.

Fortunately, breakfast in the country was served much later than usual, and the guests had only started to go down to the breakfast room when she finally managed to stumble in after drowsily managing through her morning ablutions and the most tedious task of getting herself dressed for the viewing privilege of all the other guests.

"The gentlemen will be going for a hunt today," Lady Brandon had announced when she sailed into her bedroom earlier. "The rest of the womenfolk will be enjoying a picnic, thank goodness," she added when she saw that her eldest daughter was in no condition to participate in any of the games.

A picnicis nothing more than a fancy way to put oneself on display in a different setting—namely, the outdoors.

Alice supposed she should be glad for the opportunity, as more guests had arrived later last night and early that morning. After all, she was to be on the lookout for a supposedly superior match compared to her current betrothal. With less than three weeks left in their original agreement, she should be putting more effort into her search.

Unfortunately, all she could think about was Colin and how his kisses made her toes curl in her shoes. How the very thought of him holding her, touching her made her body warm and soft at the same time.

She seriously doubted if she could find a better match than him.

"You look as if you did not sleep a single wink," Phoebe remarked under her breath as they sat down for breakfast. "Did he?—"

Alice quickly shook her head, and her sister heaved a sigh of relief.

"Well, he should not, really," Phoebe reassured her older sister. "If he knew what was right and proper, and considering the… terms of your agreement."

Alice bit her lower lip as she aggressively buttered her toast. Her younger sister's words made sense. Even as his betrothed, she should not be allowing him such privileges. As his fake betrothed, he should be allowed even less.

But still, it was as if he had lit a hunger within her in that study last night. All she could think about, dream about, was Colin Fitzroy.

"Perhaps I am just not used to the place yet," she murmured in reply. "That and the excitement of everything."

Her sister did not say anything more, although she shot her a knowing look. Alice merely ducked her head and focused on her breakfast as if her very existence depended on it.

Much later, after the guests were done with their meal, Lady Wellington once more came out with an announcement regarding the day's activities.

"As you might have guessed, the young ladies shall be enjoying a picnic outdoors," she declared with a smile. "The gentlemen will be going on a hunt!"

An excited murmur rose up from the gathered guests at the prospect of heading outdoors for the day.

"However," the Dowager Countess added with a sly smile, "there shall be an added challenge to our brave young men."

A hush fell over the crowd.

"Of course, there must always be some twist." Evie, who had moved to sit beside Phoebe and Alice, smiled at them both. "Grandmama doesn't like making things easy for anyone."

Alice managed a wry smile at the young lady's remarks. How could she forget? After all, it was Lady Wellington's machinations that resulted in her ending up with Colin in his study.

"Ladies, for today, you are to sit back and relax. Enjoy the view and the sumptuous fare before you," Lady Wellington urged. "As for the gentlemen, the challenge is simply this—the best hunter will get to claim all the dances of a young lady of his choosing at the ball tonight!"

Her words seemed to have set the young ladies and gentlemen in a frenzy as excited chatter broke out all over the breakfast room.

"To our talented young gentlemen—the best of luck to you today, and may your efforts bring you victory!"

* * *

By the end of breakfast, Colin was thoroughly convinced that his grandmother had engineered this damned house party to torment him.

Of course, she knows very well how much I despise hunting!

And yet, he, like every other young gentleman in attendance, had to slung a rifle over his shoulder, although he exhibited far less enthusiasm than the rest.

"Your Gr—Colin?"

He turned around gingerly to find the very object of all his tortuous desires standing before him in a sage green dress. Her long, dark hair had been swept up into a neat chignon underneath a bonnet with ribbons that matched her dress. Her eyes were wide, and her cheeks were slightly flushed as she gazed at him.

If she had been any more beautiful, he feared that his very heart would give out in his chest, and he would expire right where he stood.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

She frowned at his tone. "I was on my way to join the others when I saw you."

She saw him because he was clearly lagging behind all the other gentlemen. While the rest happily jumped into the woods, eager to shoot everything that moved, he saw the gaping maw of the greenery and shuddered. He smelled the fresh blood and death, and all enthusiasm left him.

"You should be with the other ladies," he bit back, instantly regretting the harshness of his tone. After all, it was not Alice who deserved his ire but his grandmother for organizing a game that he was certainly going to lose.

Alice simply tilted her head a little to the side like a curious sparrow. "You… you do not quite like hunting, do you?"

Damn her and her perceptive, little soul!

"Why would you say that?" He shrugged as casually as he could manage. He slung the rifle and aimed in the distance. "My father had taught me how to hunt on these very grounds."

How could he forget the day his father had handed him a rifle and took him out into the woods? He had hated every second of it, and now it was imprinted in his mind, an indelible memory that he would most rather forget.

"Focus, Colin," his father had instructed him, his tone stern and implacable as always.

He had missed his first shot, and the lithe doe had bounded away in graceful leaps. As a young boy, he could not admit to his sire that he was relieved to see the animal get away from them unharmed.

"To be able to hunt successfully, you have to know your prey's weakness," the Duke had told him in a cold and callous voice. "Everything has its weakness—remember that."

And he did.

Only for it to send shivers down his spine as he looked at the woman standing before him. In his mind, he could see that young doe from so many years ago.

He was the hunter, and she was his prey. The little lamb to his Wolf.

And he had exploited every weakness he had perceived in her. It was he who blackmailed her into this arrangement, threatening her with ruination and scandal if she did not agree to his wishes.

"That does not mean you like it," she said simply. "I saw the late Duke, you know."

She fell into step with him, and he was made keenly aware of the light fragrance that emanated from her. It was so different from the fresh scent of the woods around him, and yet it was just as vibrantly alive, just like Alice herself. He felt it wrap around him like the tendrils of a vine, capturing his senses until he could think of very little else besides her.

"I saw his portrait in the hallway," she explained. "He looked like someone who always got what he wanted, whatever the consequences."

Whatever the consequences.

Colin could not help but smile bitterly at her words. Unknowingly, she had managed to capture his father's character without even having spoken to the man. Was the late Duke of Blackthorn really that imposing even in his portrait?

He should know because the man's specter haunted him to this very day.

"You are right," he told her. "My father was a fine hunter and one who most often got his way. But what good is it for the little bird that got in his way?"

He dropped the rifle as he turned to face her. "Turn around and go back to your sister and your friends," he growled. "Go back to your picnic and your revelry."

"But what about you?" she insisted. "You haven't caught anything yet."

"I am feeling most unwell, Alice," he retorted sarcastically.

He watched as her eyes widened in hurt, wincing when she stepped away from him with a wary expression.

He had scared her. Just like his father had done to his mother. He had seen that look in his mother's eyes far too often in the past to not recognize it for what it was.

He cursed himself inwardly. He should have been gentler with Alice. He should have taken more care.

So many should haves. He wondered if his father thought of them, too, and then nearly laughed at himself.

In the end, it did not matter—things still ended up the way they did, regardless of what his father thought.

"I see."

Those two words pierced through the air between them far more efficiently than any bullet could have. He watched as Alice defiantly lifted her chin and smiled coolly at him.

"I hope that you feel better in my absence then," she bit out before turning on her heel and heading off in the general direction of the picnic grounds.

Colin watched helplessly as she walked away from him. Inwardly, he told himself that this was for the best, that her disliking him was for the best.

That letting her go was the right thing to do.

If only every fiber of his being did not rebel at the thought, it would have been nice, too.