Lady Delilah Vane was not a woman who appreciated the word "no," particularly when it came from the mouth of the Duke of Ravenstock.
As she walked away, Delilah realized with a start that while she had won the land, she was very much in danger of losing her heart to the very man she had spent a lifetime daring to notice her.
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
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?"
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
The following is an original story inspired by the title and style of Sofie Darling's Regency romances, focusing on the tension between a spirited lady and a formidable duke.
"My father was a man of sentimental whims, Lady Delilah," Arthur replied, his voice a low, gravelly baritone that vibrated in her chest. "I am not. The Hollow is private property, and I will not have half the village trampling the flora for the sake of cheap ale and ribbons." He was also, quite inconveniently, the guardian of
"I dare you," she whispered, her eyes flashing. "A wager. One game of piquet tonight. If I win, the fair proceeds in the Hollow. If you win... I shall stop petitioning you for the land entirely."