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Indeed, Arthur Delaney, the Baron Latimer, was quite understandably upset about the withdrawal of the Duke of Sinclair from his daughter’s wedding, but he had helped himself a little too much to the estate’s liquor cabinet to effectively argue about it.

His wife, however, raised hell and far more ruckus than even Phoebe herself had caused on that fateful day.

Miss Delaney, who would never be the Duchess of Sinclair after everything that happened, tearfully clung to Ethan. And when he would not be dissuaded, she resorted to threatening to bring him and Phoebe down with her.

Thathad the exact opposite result of what she wanted to achieve.

Admittedly, it was the first time Ethan ever lost his temper with the fairer sex, but Miss Delaney had gone unchecked for far too long. Threatening Phoebe was the last straw in a seemingly endless list of faults Ethan found with his former betrothed.

“If you evendreamof harming her,” he had told the perfidious woman, “I will make sure that your entire family will suffer the consequences of your actions. Or perhaps you would like the whole of London to know the truth about the child you are carrying in your womb?”

Miss Delaney had turned visibly ashen at the threat. “H-how did you?—”

He had smiled coldly at her then. “Nothing truly stays a secret,Miss Delaney.”

Now,thatwas a threat she would heed.

But even more than that, Ethan made sure that she knew without a doubt that he was more than capable of making her worst fears come to life.

In the end, the entire family had to be thrown out of the estate along with their more supportive guests.

Miss Delaney hardly said anything as she and her shouting mama were kindly escorted to their carriage and as their valises were not so kindly thrown in after them.

“All the more reason for me to marry the young lady posthaste.” Ethan grinned, before taking a sip from his glass.

“For a man so opposed to marriage, you seem rather delighted with your new betrothed,” Hudson remarked dryly. “I suppose it helps that Lady Phoebe is exceptionally?—”

Ethan shot his friend a warning glare. “Do not finish that sentence, Wolverton, if you want us to continue our friendship,” he growled.

But there was no point in denying it—Lady Phoebe Barkley was exceedingly captivating. Any man would have to be blind tooverlook those wide green eyes flecked with gold and those rosy lips that were seemingly made for searing kisses…

Come to think of it, he had not even kissed her yet. He should have done so to seal their betrothal!

How could he have been so neglectful?

He would have to keep that in mind the next time they met…

“Her fiancé will not be too pleased about this either,” Hudson warned him.

“Ex-fiancé,” Ethan corrected blithely.

“The Viscount Dexford is not a pleasant man.”

Which was why Phoebe shouldneverhave to marry him. What was her father thinking when he thought of that betrothal?

Ethan shrugged. “From what I gathered, the betrothal was not exactly set in stone.”

“And how did you come to that conclusion?”

“Her mama was all too happy to betroth her tome.”

Indeed, the Marchioness of Brandon was soeuphoricat the prospect of both her daughters becoming duchesses that shewould gladly break off Phoebe’s previous engagement, even if it meant offending the Viscount.

If only Phoebe was as easy to convince as her mother…

But then again, that was what was so wonderful about her—she did not care for his titles or his fortune. She was a literal breath of fresh air in a city full of women throwing themselves at him, trying to be the next Duchess of Sinclair.

“Just… be more careful with this one, Ethan,” Hudson sighed. “She is Alice’s younger sister—which also makes her Colin’s younger sister by marriage.”