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Incorrigible flirt Acton Loxley, Duke of Wellesbourne is in need of a duchess. En route to greet a potential bride, he encounters a most intriguing and captivating widow who completely distracts him from his task. However, she disappears before he can deepen their acquaintance. Acton begrudgingly goes to meet his bride, unaware she and the widow are one and the same.When Persephone Barclay’s younger sister is compromised, Persephone must wed before the scandal spreads. Her parents scramble to present her to the Duke of Wellesbourne; except he’s precisely the kind of rogue she has now vowed to avoid. Taking flight to avoid a match, Persephone runs straight into her would-be betrothed and pretends to be someone else. But dash it all, the duke proves to be irresistibly charming! If she remains in his company, she’ll end up in the wicked scoundrel’s clutches.
Even worse, her second attempt at escape lands her in increasingly poor circumstances. With nowhere to turn and her safety at risk, she may have to accept help from the one man who threatens her resolve—and her reputation.
Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt
She gave him a dubious look as she plucked up her glass and gently tapped it to his. “Friends? It’s a trifle early to make such pronouncements, isn’t it? Perhaps we won’t get on at all.”
Acton laughed before sipping his Madeira. “I’m confident we shall.” He gave her one of his most dazzling smiles. “So confident, in fact, that I’d make a wager on it.”
She arched a brow. “How would that work?”
“I’ll wager a pound that by the end of the evening, we’ll be laughing and jesting so much that our cheeks hurt. That will mean we are friends.”
“A pound?” she looked at him as if he were daft.
Acton realized that was excessive. “A shilling?”
She shook her head. “No wagers.”
Was that because she didn’t like to gamble, or because she couldn’t afford it? Acton took in her simple costume, a dark brown traveling dress buttoned to her throat, and her lack of adornment. She wore no jewelry, not even a comb in her hair. No wedding ring either. Didn’t widows typically wear those?
“Who awaits you at home?” she asked. “Your wife?” There was an edge to the question, as if she expected an affirmative answer and had therefore judged him a cheat.
Acton swallowed a bite of roast beef and took a drink of wine to wash it down. “She might be, actually. Not that she’s my wife. Yet. I’m to meet someone to see if we will suit.”
About the Author:
Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of over sixty captivating, compelling historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Her novels have been translated into five languages and are also available as audio books. Join her Reader Club at https://www.darcyburke.com/join.
A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming, teacher husband, artist daughter, and writer (yes!) son. They’re a crazy cat family with two Bengal cats, a small, fame-seeking cat named after a fruit, a rescue Maine Coon with attitude to spare, an adorable former stray who wandered onto their deck and into their hearts, and two bonded boys who used to belong to (separate) neighbors but chose them instead. You can find Darcy in her comfy writing chair, folding laundry (which she loves), or enjoying game night with the family.
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Thank you for hosting today.
Beautiful cover!
The cover looks great. Sounds like a good book.
I really enjoyed the blurb and I love the cover.
Thank you so much for having me!!