Blackmail brings retired thief Audrey Kendrick back to
London to liberate papers from certain prominent
individuals. Audrey's choices are limited, since her
actions determine her kidnapped sister's fate. Audrey has
not felt this helpless since she was 10 years old and her
stepfather sold her sister and her to a master thief. She
learned her craft well and retired when she came under
scrutiny from the Duke of Marston. Now she finds him at the
scene of her crimes, coolly observing her.
Stephen Chalmers, the Duke of Marston, loves the thrill of
the chase. Involved in routing a major criminal ring,
Stephen knows the end is near. He's identified one of the
three major players, the thief Hermes. A lovely woman, who
excels at masking her emotions and presents a challenge,
Stephen cannot resist. He engages her in a battle of wits,
trying to win her trust while acknowledging the puzzle.
He's spent his life pursuing criminals after his parents
were killed by street thugs. No society Miss can hold his
interest, only a prickly thief with hard layers that he'd
love to peel away.
Trust becomes the key element between these two. One false
move and Audrey could lose her sister or be jailed in
Newgate. Stephen knows Audrey will eventually betray him
and hopes he can survive it.
A page-turning, suspenseful Regency, DARING THE DUKE is
irresistible. Watching them juggle their various secrets is
vastly entertaining, and the electricity between Stephen
and Audrey practically jumps off the page. Only her second
book and Ms. Mallory is proving to be a formidable
storyteller.
A beautiful thief who has never been apprehended ...
For years dire circumstances forced Audrey Kendrick to lead
a dangerous double life as London's most legendary thief.
Finally free, she has escaped her past -- or so she
believes, until a family crisis draws her back. But one man
is more determined than ever to bring her to justice -- and
the dashing, somewhat notorious Duke of Marston has set the
perfect trap. A daring duke who always catches his prey ...
A gentleman spy, Stephen Chalmers is as close as a kiss to
unmasking the brazen thief who has long been the scourge of
the London ton. He suspects the spirited Miss Kendrick of
being the infamous Hermes, but the duke never dreamed that,
by keeping the remarkable lady near, he would himself fall
victim to her sensual charms. Laying Audrey's mysteries
bare will only place his own dangerous secrets -- and his
heart -- in jeopardy. For there is peril in the passion
that enflames them both ... and no risk is greater than
love.
