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The Wolf. The Devil Incarnate. Defiler of Innocents. Ravager of Womanhood and All Things Besides.

The blonde pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes with a pained expression. “Clearly, you underestimated the sheer force of a mama’s will. My own mother was a force of nature when it came to my and Alice’s marriage. Have you learned nothing?”

“The Marchioness of Brandon is different.”

Indeed, when Alice made her bow, the Marchioness of Brandon had made it known to the whole ton that she desired nothing more than to see her daughters married well and that she would spare no effort on securing their matches.

Scarlett’s Mama had been different. For most of her life, she had lived under the shadow of her husband, and when he passed, she ceded all decisions to her son. Who would have thought that shecould summon the force of a rampaging hurricane and unleash it on thewrong person?

“Well, what do you intend to do about it, now?” Phoebe asked.

Scarlett made a face. “For all my efforts, it has only gained me aweek. No doubt Mama will find someone even worse than the Marquess of Colton to marry me off to, now that she thinks I have been ruined.”

“Oh, Scarlett.” Her friend’s face was the very picture of compassion and kindness. “But still, you really should not have lied, and about someone like Hudson, at that.”

“Hudson?”

The name rolled off her tongue like a piece of the most decadent chocolate, sending sparks skittering down to her toes and fingertips. She remembered the exact moment she had used his Christian name. And she didn’t want to think aboutthatat all.

Apparently, her friend misunderstood her surprise.

“The Duke of Wolverton. That is his name. Really, Scarlett.” Phoebe rolled her eyes. “You should have learned the man’s name before going off and accusing him of ruining you.”

“There is no need to repeat yourself endlessly, Phoebe. I regret it already.” Scarlett wrinkled her nose, not wanting to reveal to Phoebe the circumstances under which she had called his name.“For one thing, he has the temper of a bull who has been poked one too many times.”

“Need I remind you that you were the one poking this particular bull?”

“And another thing,” she continued, speaking over her friend. “He’s too demanding. Extremely so.”

“So, the man knows what he wants. Can you really fault him for that?” Phoebe shrugged delicately. “And I recall that you have a particular dislike for men who cannot make up their minds.”

Well, there was no falsehood in that. Scarlett hated indecisiveness in men. But did that mean she liked someone who ordered her around all day?

And he would. Hudson. The Wolf.

“I know you do not like taking orders from anyone, but you will take them from me, My Lady—and more.”

Scarlett fanned herself. How did the room grow so hot all of a sudden?

“Are you all right?” Phoebe asked her in concern. “You seem a bit… flushed.”

Indeed, Scarlett was. No thanks to a certain Wolf and her overly rampant imagination.

Tables and chairs—oh, heavens! The man had turned her into just as much of a debauchee as he was!

“I… I think I should rest,” she stammered, pressing her fingers to her temple. “I had been caught out in the rain, you see.”

Her friend did not look too convinced, but Scarlett had had a great deal of practice in feigning headaches and illnesses.

“Oh dear,” Phoebe sighed. “You should go and rest, while I have tea and scones with the Dowager Duchess and your mama. Wolverton does have the best scones in all of London.”

Scarlett gave her best imitation of a feeble smile as she saw her friend out of the library.

With Phoebe out of earshot, she sighed and looked at the puppy at her feet. Snowdrop simply tilted his head to the side as he gazed adoringly up at her.

“Now, I am lying even to my friends,” she murmured.

Snowdrop simply yipped and tugged at her skirt with his teeth. Scarlett sighed and picked him up.