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What A Duke Dares
Anna Campbell
‘I can’t kidnap her!’‘If you have to, you must. Bring Pen home.’Penelope Thorne was in trouble – alone somewhere between Rome and Paris, running out of money, totally vulnerable. Until Camden Rothermere, the Duke of Sedgemoor, arrived to take her back to England, whether she wanted to go or not…The last time Pen had seen Cam, she’d turned down his marriage proposal, shattering their friendship, hurting his pride and secretly breaking her own heart. Cam had lived with scandal all his life and he’d vowed never to marry for love.To protect Pen’s reputation, they travelled as husband and wife and they desired each other more with every mile…Book Three in THE SONS OF SIN seriesA Sensuous Regency DelightTHE SONS OF SINSEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BEDA RAKE’S MIDNIGHT KISSWHAT A DUKE DARESA SCOUNDREL BY MOONLIGHTDAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES (Novella)
PRAISE FOR ANNA CAMPBELL (#uddd21a2d-286e-50e6-8f34-61334c450a58)
‘Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed is a lush, sensuous treat. I was enthralled from the first page to the last and still wanted more.’ —Laura Lee Guhrke, New York Times bestselling author
‘The fast pace and slightly gothic atmosphere make the pages fly. She keeps readers highly satisfied with the plot’s tenderness and touching emotions that reach the heart.’
—Kathe Robin, RT Book Reviews
‘Campbell matches up two proud, wary victims of abuse in this smart Regency romance … delightful insight and … luscious love scenes. Readers will cheer for these loveable and well-crafted characters.’
—Publishers Weekly
‘Truly, deeply romantic’
—Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author on Captive of Sin
‘Regency noir—different and intriguing’
—Stephanie Laurens, New York Times bestselling author on Claiming the Courtesan
‘I’m not the woman for you.’
While today’s misgivings hinted that Pen might be right, his pride flinched under her rejection. ‘We know each other so well—’
She sighed. ‘Cam, you need a duchess with dignity and decorum. You must have forgotten all the times you dragged me from disaster.’
‘You’re still young. You can be trained,’ he said, before he recognised that such a comment would hardly forward his suit. Usually he said exactly the right thing, but this encounter rattled his sangfroid.
Her momentary softening congealed to frost. ‘I’m not a hound to come at your whistle.’
He sighed again. ‘You know that’s not what I want in a bride.’
‘Do I?’ she asked, arching her eyebrows. ‘You’ve devoted your life to rising above your parents’ disgrace, the scandals have guided your every action.’
He winced under the compassion in her gaze. ‘That makes me sound like a complete idiot.’
‘No, it doesn’t.’
‘You can help me. You’ll make a capital duchess.’
‘You’re mistaken.’ He’d never imagined that worldly smile on Pen’s face. His reluctant desire deepened. ‘I’m too independent to be anyone’s duchess, especially yours.’
THE SONS OF SIN by Anna Campbell
Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed A Rake’s Midnight Kiss What a Duke Dares
ANNA CAMPBELL was the sort of kid who spent her childhood with her nose buried between the pages of a book. She decided when she was a child that she wanted to be a writer. When she’s not writing passionate, intense stories featuring gorgeous Regency heroes and the women who are their destiny, Anna loves to travel, especially in the United Kingdom, and listen to all kinds of music. She has settled near the sea on the east coast of Australia, where she’s losing her battle with an overgrown subtropical garden.
The first book in THE SONS OF SIN series, Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed, has generated some wonderful reviews and a number of awards, including favourite historical romance from the Australian Romance Readers Association. Anna was also voted favourite Australian romance author at the ARRA Awards.
Anna loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her through her website at www.annacampbell.info (http://www.annacampbell.info).
What a Duke Dares
Anna Campbell
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Table of Contents
Cover (#u055f6672-9747-51eb-b7c8-6a07158e5759)
PRAISE FOR ANNA CAMPBELL
Excerpt (#u2107bad1-b961-578b-9a15-5247437e4c7d)
About the Author (#uc0c0d084-9eee-540e-bb56-65d3e3bf4ed9)
Title Page (#u7cd891f8-6ef5-5462-be40-84b901ce5cf0)
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Epilogue
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Prologue (#uddd21a2d-286e-50e6-8f34-61334c450a58)
Houghton Park, Lincolnshire, May 1819
Every young lady dreamed of a proposal from the heir to a dukedom. Especially when the heir was rich, feted, in possession of his wits, and still young enough to have all his teeth.
Every young lady except, apparently, Penelope Thorne.
From the center of her father’s library, Camden Rothermere, Marquess of Pembridge, eyed the girl he’d known from the cradle and wondered where the hell he’d slipped up. He straightened and summoned a smile, struggling to bridge the awkward silence extending between them.
Damn it. He never felt awkward with Pen Thorne. Until now. Until he’d spoken the fatal words.
Until, instead of radiating delight at the prospect of marrying him, Pen’s black eyes sparked with the rebellious light that always boded trouble.
“Why?” It wasn’t the first time this afternoon that she’d asked him the question.
Stupidly he couldn’t summon an adequate answer. He’d blundered into this half-cocked. It was his own fault. Knowing Pen as he did, he should have prepared a comprehensive list of reasons for their marriage before broaching the subject.
Right now, he wished he’d never broached the subject at all. But it was too late to retreat, or too late if he hoped to salvage a shred of self-respect from this dashed uncomfortable encounter.
“Devil take you, Pen, I like you,” he said impatiently. Despite her inexplicable and irritating behavior today, it was true. There wasn’t a girl alive that he liked so much as the chit currently regarding him as if he’d crawled out of a hole in the ground.
He knew her better than any other girl too, even his sister, Lydia. Through their childhood, he’d rescued Pen from a thousand scrapes. She’d been a hellion, riding the wildest horses in her father’s stables, climbing the tallest trees in the park, throwing herself into brawls to defend a friend or mistreated animal. Cam had long admired her spirit, loyalty, and courage.
Those were qualities he wanted in his duchess. And if she needed some guidance in deportment, he was perfectly prepared to teach her proper behavior. She was a Thorne and Thornes weren’t renowned for their prudence, but while Pen might be impulsive, she was intelligent. Once she’d become the Duchess of Sedgemoor, he was sure she’d settle down.
Or he had been, until her unenthusiastic response to his proposal.
“I like you too,” she said steadily, regarding him with unwavering attention.
Cam wondered why her admission didn’t reassure. Inhaling deeply, he strove for forbearance. “Well, there you have it, then.”
That bitter note in her laugh was unfamiliar. He could hardly believe it, but the possibility of failure hovered. Pen was clever, determined, headstrong—he’d get that out of her soon enough—and stubbornly inclined to take a positive view of events. Or at least so he’d believed until today.
He’d also believed that she’d leap at the chance to marry him.
Clearly he’d been wrong.
