Delilah breathed a sigh of relief, but as she stood to leave, Arthur caught her wrist.
Arthur Sterling, the Seventh Duke of Ravenstock, was a man of iron rules and even colder expressions. He was also, quite inconveniently, the guardian of the estate bordering Delilah’s family home. For years, the two had engaged in a polite but pointed cold war over a disputed strip of woodland known as The King’s Hollow. Lady Delilah Dares a Duke by Sofie Darling
"It is a simple request, Your Grace," Delilah said, snapping her lace fan shut as they stood on the edges of a crowded London ballroom. "I wish to host the Midsummer Fair in the Hollow. It has been a tradition for decades, one your father never contested." Delilah breathed a sigh of relief, but as
Delilah took a step closer, ignoring the scandalous proximity. "You are a dull man, Arthur. A marble statue in a cravat. I bet you haven’t felt a moment of genuine excitement since the Regency began." One of Arthur’s dark eyebrows arched. "Is that so?" For years, the two had engaged in a
He tossed his hand onto the table, face down. "It seems," he lied smoothly, "that the luck of the Vanes holds true. The fair is yours, Delilah."
Arthur looked at the card, then at her. He held a King in his hand—the winning card—but he paused. For the first time, Delilah saw a flicker of something human in his gaze—a longing that went far beyond land disputes.
Lady Delilah Vane was not a woman who appreciated the word "no," particularly when it came from the mouth of the Duke of Ravenstock.