Lady Caitlin Southall wants to save her home in Bronwen Evan’s first novella in the Wicked Wager Trilogy, To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield.
According to her deceased mother’s will, Caitlin inherits the estate upon her marriage or her twenty-fifth birthday, whichever occurs first. Since she’s twenty-three with no suitors on the horizon, Caitlin’s estate falls under the care of her father, the Earl of Bridgenorth. When her father loses Mansfield Manor in a faro game to the Duke of Dangerfield, Caitlin’s hopes of independence seem lost.
Harlow Telford, a rakish devil, determined to see Caitlin’s father ruined, rejoices when he finally succeeds in divesting the Earl of Bridgenorth of his family home.
Harlow vowed revenge fourteen years earlier when Bridgenorth seduced his recently widowed mother and left her pregnant. His half-brother Jeremy had been paying the price of that betrayal his whole life. Harlow swore he would give Jeremy what should have been his birthright, Mansfield Manor.
But when the beautiful Caitlin marches into his home, demanding its return, Harlow’s captivated by her spirit. Caitlin’s undaunted in determination, and the two agree to a best of three challenges. If Caitlin wins, she gets her house back. If Harlow wins, he’ll get Caitlin in his bed. As the two face off against each other, they soon find much more at stake than they initially realized.
Harlow Telford may seem like the typical, lust-worthy hero, but there’s much more.
After suffering a broken heart at the hands of a cheating fiancé, Harlow swore off love. He spent his adulthood bedding women and gambling, but readers may suspect that Harlow possesses a conscience. Even while making the scandalous bargain with Caitlin, Harlow vows to propose marriage before Caitlin’s reputation falls into ruin. Though he should hate her for the sins of her father, he cannot ignore the lessons learned through watching his mother’s suffering at the hands of a rigid Victorian society.
Harlow sees the injustice of Caitlin not inheriting her mother’s estate and makes numerous plans to rectify the mistake without compromising the promise he made to his half-brother. Harlow cannot take advantage of anyone hurt by the very man who hurt his mother. He finds himself wanting her respect, something he never expected to need from a woman.
Lady Caitlin Southall, on the other hand, possesses an iron will and a salty disposition.
Growing up motherless with a derelict father forced Caitlin into a keen awareness of her financial situation. Her bravery and fire make her a fantastic character, especially when she slaps the arrogant, albeit perfect, face of Harlow.
Caitlan doesn’t hesitate to take matters into her own hands, even though that could mean destroying her reputation. Despite giving in to Harlow’s lecherous designs, she remains determined to find a husband who sees her as a true partner, not an heir-bearer. Her home means more than a place to live. For Caitlin, the manor embodies her security, a chance at financial independence from her father and husband. Retaining Mansfield Manor would prevent her from being sold off to the man who can fill her father’s empty purse.
A simple theme for the novel revolves around the idea of what makes a house a home.
Caitlin’s overwhelming desire to retain Mansfield Manor nearly becomes her undoing when she risks not just her reputation but also her life. Harlow’s love for his brother causes him to take revenge upon the man responsible for the unfortunate situation. His actions almost cost him the woman he loves. Both must learn that people make a house a home – not the stones with which it’s built.
To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield won First in Category in the CHATELAINE Book Awards, a division of the CIBAs, for Romance novels.
The Love Song by Sir Edward Burne-Jones portrays each of the three young people alone with their thoughts and dreams, but gathered together, as the sheep are in the distance, for comfort and support.
