“Would you like the rest of mine?” Lockwood held his plate out to Alice. “I won’t let her see, I promise.”

“Your Grace is very kind, but that is not necessary.” Alice’s voice was small, defeated, and Kit wanted to flip the refreshment table in fury. How dare Mrs. Lusk crush Alice’s confidence like that? Alice motioned to the chairs. “I should return to my seat, anyway.” She hurried toward the unmarried ladies and sat, her eyes downcast.

Kit’s hands trembled with the need to comfort her, so he shoved them in his trouser pockets instead.

Keep your distance. It’s for the best.

Maddie walked to the front of the tent, where she explained the rules of the game. Kit left the refreshment table and went to sit next to Harrison, who wasn’t paying a bit of attention to the words coming out of Maddie’s mouth. When the game started, Harrison didn’t move.

Kit lifted a brow at his friend. “Weren’t listening, were you?”

“No. What are we doing?”

“Oh, not we. You.”

Harrison’s gaze darted at the faces in the tent, everyone watching him closely. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Sardines. You’re to hide and the ladies will find you.”

A game Kit was more than glad to sit out. Hangover or not, he didn’t feel up to an adult game of hide-and-seek. Unless he could hide with Alice in a very dark, very secluded spot.

Shit. He rubbed his forehead. This had to stop.

With some not-so-subtle maneuvering, Harrison convinced Maddie to hide first, which meant he and all the ladies quickly departed. Kit and Lockwood were left with the chaperones.

Alice didn’t even look back as she hurried from the tent.

Chapter Ten

“Alice, wait up.”

Alice didn’t slow at the feminine voice. Instead, she kept moving away from the tent, away from the scene of her latest humiliation.

We must leave some of the bread for others.

How mortifying. What must Kit think of Alice now? She couldn’t face him again, not ever. The duke had been kind, but Kit hadn’t said a word. Just observed the entire scene, probably pitying her. And she wouldn’t blame him for it one bit.

Every day with her mother was a struggle. Alice tried to stay positive, to keep from drowning in the shame Mama heaped on her shoulders, but there were days when it all felt like too much. Today was one of those days. Mama had been irritable since waking up and learning that Alice had overslept. This had led to biting comments and spiteful accusations during the morning and early afternoon. Now this scene in front of Kit? Alice wanted to die.

This is why I need lessons from you, she wanted to shout. Yet her voice, along with her confidence, had disappeared after her mother’s words.