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.
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