"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."
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." Lady Delilah Dares a Duke by Sofie Darling
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." "It is a simple request, Your Grace," Delilah
"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." "And if I win, I want something more
Delilah breathed a sigh of relief, but as she stood to leave, Arthur caught her wrist.
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.