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She had spoken too soon and would now pay for her hubris.

“Your Grace, is something amiss?”

Phoebe raised her head to find Ella carrying a tray of her favorite pastries and some tea, a look of concern in her eyes.

The sight only reminded her of Ethan, who was not coming for afternoon tea as he usually did.

Is something amiss? Did he have some sort of emergency to take care of?

Or, dear heavens, had he found a mistress who better catered to his needs?

Phoebe felt her blood run cold in her veins.

She turned back to her table and grabbed two sheets of paper, scribbling hastily on them before handing them to Ella.

“Please send one to Ashton Estate and another to Lady Scarlett,” she instructed. “It would be a shame to waste Cook’s scones today.”

Thank goodness for good friends.

“Oh… these scones aredivine. You must share them with me!” Scarlett fairly swooned as she heaped clotted cream on her scone.

Or maybe they are here for the food.

It would seem that Scarlett was.

In any case, Phoebe was just happy that Evie and Scarlett came for tea and kept her from losing her mind.

“So… I do not see that husband of yours,” the redhead noted, delicately wiping her lips with a napkin after finishing off her third scone.

Phoebe pursed her lips. “Business,” she replied offhandedly. “You know how it is.”

“Ah… so even the Duke of Sinclair has other matters to attend to aside from chasing hapless damsels out of parlors,” Scarlett declared dramatically. “Truly an overbearing beast, that one.”

“Ethan? Overbearing?” Evie snorted. “Are you sure you are not talking about my brother or Daniel?”

“He is not exactly?—”

“You would not believe it,” Scarlett recounted, her eyes widening. “Phoebe and I were enjoying tea very much like we are now. The scones were scrumptious. The tea light and fragrant. It was perfect.”

Evie wrinkled her nose in amusement. “I can tell from your description alone.”

“The very picture of feminine friendship!” the redhead continued. “But all that came to an end when the wolfish Dukeof Sinclair swept in and most politely kicked me out of the parlor because it washistime to have some tea with his wife!”

Scarlett fell back in her chair with her hand on her forehead, while Phoebe tried to stifle her giggles.

“Oh, come on now. He was notthatbad!” she protested.

“I would have expected it from Blackthorn or Ashton,” Scarlett told her. “But Sinclair has always been so nice that it came as a shock.”

This time, even Evie joined in the laughter, shaking her head at Scarlett’s humorous retelling of the events of that day.

“Well, it must be a thing with Wolves.” She giggled. “If I recall, Daniel also warned Ethan not to darken his doorway during our ‘reading hour’ the last time he came barging in.”

“Oh? And what were you doing during ‘reading hour’ that has the cold Duke of Ashton chasing out his guests?” Scarlett wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

A faint blush tinged Evie’s cheeks as she primly smoothed her skirts. “Why, reading, of course. What else is there to do?”

Phoebe doubted that. Otherwise, Daniel would not have explicitly ordered Ethan never to disturb him and his wife again.