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“Phoebe, you just declared your affection for the man before all the guests,” Colin reminded her softly. “When the news makes its rounds?—”

She shook her head. More emphatically this time.

“No, no, no, Colin. All gossip is like that—it will all die down, eventually!” she insisted. “If I just stay away from Society and?—”

“You cannot possibly mean to hide away for the rest of your life, Phoebe.”

Even Colin looked aghast at the very mention of it.

“Well, n-not exactly,” she stammered. “Not for the rest of my life. Only until the scandal blows over and everyone is talking about something else again…”

“But you will havenoprospects. The Viscount Dexford is expected to withdraw his offer anytime now.”

Phoebe smiled bitterly at that. “But is that such a bad thing?”

Colin sighed. “Could you not have chosen another way to break off this betrothal, my dear?”

She winced at that.

He was right—he had every right to berate her for her impulsive actions.

But the last thing she wanted wasanotherengagement.

“Colin, I do not appreciate you lambasting my betrothed in my very own parlor,” an icy voice spoke up.

Her head swiveled to the door to find Ethan standing there, with a cold smile on his face. He looked as if he had not slept as well as she did, although he was already dressed in an immaculate white linen shirt and breeches that clung to his muscular thighs, complete with a perfectly tailored morning coat.

Oh, the powers of a most judicious valet!

On the other hand, Phoebe was certain she looked as if her maid had forcibly dragged her out of bed.

“I know that you might not like hearing it from us, my dear sister, but perhaps you should listen to him,” Colin advised her softly. “He means well.”

“What? Colin, no?—”

Colin was only right on one count—Phoebe had no desire to hear it from him and was even less inclined to listen to Ethan and his preposterous proposal.

But her brother-in-law was already striding out the door, leaving her all alone to deal with the most impossible Duke of Sin, a man who was determined to be her husband for all the wrong reasons.

“You… cannot possibly mean to propose to me?” she sighed bleakly.

Ethan crossed his arms over his chest and regarded her with what appeared to be keen interest.

Fantastic. She could only wonder what a rogue with his reputation could possibly find interesting about her.

“I hate to be the bringer of bad news, Phoebe, but I fully intend to do just that,” he stated firmly. “I have given my word to your father, your mother, and your sister.”

“You can still take it back, you know.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Your dear brother-in-law has also made it known to me that he will resort to violence if I do just that.”

Phoebe grimaced. “Colin is… exaggerating.”

“He certainly was not exaggerating when he landed a solid fist on Daniel’s cheek when he found out about him and Lady Evelyn.”

Phoebe managed a wobbly smile at that.

As much as she adored having Colin as her brother-in-law, she could not deny that he certainly took his duties as an older brother seriously.