Wagers and Wallflowers 11 - Beauty Dares the Beast

BEAUTY DARES THE BEAST BOOK 11: WAGERS AND WALLFLOWERS ALYSSA CLARKE Beauty Dares the Beast is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales are entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without written permission. First Edition May 2023 Edited by AuthorsDesigns and Gina Fiserova Cover design and formatting by AuthorsDesigns. Copyright © 2022 by Alyssa Clarke For my family who rooted for me to write this series! For my amazing husband, who did all the cooking while I burrowed in the writing hut. CONTENTS Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Epilogue Alyssa’s Other Books About Alyssa Clarke CHAPTER ONE London 48 Berkeley Square “We dare you to accept the Duke of Collingswood’s invitation.” Lady Drusilla faltered, lowering the teacup to the small walnut table with a clatter, aghast. The ladies she met at 48 Berkeley Square often partook in wicked wagers and fun dares, but this was absurd. She stared at her friends, never imagining this would be their reaction to her unburdening her soul, then an astonished peal of laughter tore from Dru. She chuckled for a few seconds, then sobered up when she realized her dearest friends—Harriet, Victoria, and Evie, regarded her with those determined juts to their chins and gleams in their gazes. “Do be serious,” Drusilla whispered, launching to her feet to close the door to the wagering room with a small snick, then walked back over to the sofa and sat, hugging one of the cushions to her chest. Though they were all very close at their ladies’ club, 48 Berkeley Square, only a few friends knew she had a secret identity as a writer. These last few months, she reached a sort of fame with her debut novel Cherished, published as written by S. Lovellette. The success of her story was unexpected. Drusilla was petrified that her father, the formidable Marquess of Somerton, would one day uncover the truth and banish her to one of his northernmost estates. Victoria propped her chin onto her palm, her bright eyes sparkling. “Will you do it, Dru?” Her heart jolted. “You ladies cannot be entirely serious. The duke lives in the most remote corner of Derbyshire!” “We are most assuredly not in jest,” Evie said. Dru glared at her friends. “A matter this grave and important most certainly cannot be decided on a dare. Careful consideration must be given to the duke’s letter. Perhaps I should seek Theo’s advice.” Except, the fearless leader of their secret club had recently returned to the countryside with her twin babies and husband. Lady Victoria lifted a decidedly imperious brow. “Why not? We can tell you might say no to the duke’s invitation, and this is a wonderful opportunity for you, Dru!” Her friends looked at each other for several moments before redirecting their attention to her. Harriet stood, walked over and sat beside her. “Why are you so afraid?” “I have said it before, and I shall do so again. A matter such as this cannot be decided on a dare,” Drusilla said, feeling stricken. “You are speaking about revealing my secret identity to a very influential member of the ton. A duke. Someone with wealth and consequences that could see me ruined. Please do not dare me to accept his outlandish invitation.” Drusilla played with the fringes of her elegant, brightly patterned shawl. It was incredibly sacrosanct to their members that once a dare was proposed, it should be fulfilled, as it proved their mettle and strength of character. Many of their members had been declared wallflowers by society and had been restricted by the expectations of their families. Living a happy life by fulfilling the true desires of their hearts seemed like an impossible feat. Yet, at 48 Berkeley Square, they learned how to accept that inner fire, frequently pushing themselves against the bounds of propriety set by society and their families. Each moment at their secret club felt like a treasured triumph, even though they were the only ones who knew about the shenanigans they got up to under the duchess’s roof. While Dru participated in several wagers, won money, and also lost a few pounds, she had never written her name beside one of the often naughty and outrageous dares on the large board mounted on the wall. Simply because nothing had inspired her to participate. “It is unfair to take what you have confided in us and make it into a dare,” Harriet said softly, holding her hand. “But this request came from the Duke of Collingswood himself. Even I have heard about him, and he did offer an unmatched sum for your services. Two thousand pounds. That is a fortune, Drusilla. A fortune!” Her throat aching, she withdrew her hand from her friend and leaned back against the sofa. “The duke has been hidden away from society for several years,” she murmured. “According to the whispers, society has not seen the duke for five years,” Evie said. “I asked mama about it, and though she was dreadfully curious about my reasons, I managed to deflect her rather skillfully. The…the rumors said that he killed his brother for the dukedom.” “That is ghastly!” Drusilla cried, pressing a hand to her chest. “Of course, we will discount such rumors,” Victoria said, a small frown pleating her brows. “Do recall that those busybody gossipers can be ridiculous with their conjecture. The scandal sheets always speculate about the duke because he