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.
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?"
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." Lady Delilah Dares a Duke by Sofie Darling
"The wager is settled," he murmured, his thumb grazing the inside of her wrist where her pulse hammered. "But the dare... the dare is only just beginning. I expect a dance at the fair, Lady Delilah. And I won't let you win that quite so easily."
The Duke’s gaze dropped to her lips for a fraction of a second before meeting her eyes again. "And if I win, I want something more than your silence, Delilah. I want you to attend the Duchess of Marbury’s ball next week—as my guest. On my arm." The following is an original story inspired by
The room seemed to shrink. To appear as the Duke’s guest was to signal an intimacy that would set every tongue in Mayfair wagging. It was a dangerous dare, but Delilah Vane never backed down. "Agreed," she said, extending a gloved hand.
"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." A marble statue in a cravat
"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."