One Tiny On Dit Later

One Tiny On Dit Later Singular Sensation Book Three Sandra Sookoo All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information retrieval and storage system without permission of the author. Likenesses of characters to anyone living or dead is strictly a coincidence. ONE TINY ON DIT LATER © 2023 by Sandra Sookoo Published by New Independence Books ISBN-9798215111437 Contact Information: [email protected] [email protected] Visit me at www.sandrasookoo.com Book Cover Design Forever After Romance Designs Publishing History: First Digital Edition, 2023 Contents Dear Readers, Dedication Blurb 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 Epilogue Regency-era romances by Sandra Sookoo Author Bio Stay in Touch Dear Readers, This is the third book in my Singular Sensation series, and so far, it might just be my favorite. There’s just something about valuable jewels being stolen and being used as leverage that I can’t resist. That and romance. I’m a sucker for a duke finding his happily ever after every single time. I hope you adore Edward and Juliet’s love story, and that you’ll continue to support this series by catching up or preordering the books you still need! Enjoy! Sandra Dedication To Angieleigh Eads. I’m glad you enjoy my books so much! That support keeps me going. And thanks for your never-ending friendship. I’m so glad fate put us together. Blurb When a scandalous rumor sweeps society, what’s a girl to do except behave even more improperly to match her tattered reputation? Edward Marlowe, 5th Duke of Lockwood, has struggled to put his time in the war behind him. Tired of hiding within the halls of the Rogue’s Arcade club, when he attends a society event with the intention of perhaps charming a lady into his bed, he’s caught off guard as a petite beauty in a hurry, plows into him, tumbling them both to the floor, seconds before she begs for his help. When Miss Juliet Gillingham finds a diamond brooch the size of a pigeon’s egg in a hollowed-out book at her father’s book shop, she’s curious. Though her mind spins a few tales about its origin, three days later, she’s branded as a brazen jewel thief in the papers. She didn’t commit the crime, and she certainly won’t pay the penalty, especially if she can enlist the assistance of a handsome war hero who happens to be a duke… and a former thief himself. They attempt to discover the rightful owner of the bauble while dodging the mysterious party who wants it—and them dead. With desire simmering between them, they’re forced to keep to the shadows throughout London in order to evade detection and danger. Only by taunting the original thief by bringing the diamond into the open will they have a chance at removing themselves from scandal, but by then, even love might not be able to save them. Chapter One October 20, 1816 Rogue’s Arcade Club London, England Edward Marlowe—the 12th Duke of Lockwood—stared morosely into his brandy glass as if the amber depths would provide him the answers to life and solace therein. Despite the fact he was due to attend a rout in a few minutes, he couldn’t summon the energy—or the interest—required to leave his club and make his way through Mayfair to the designated address. After all, attending any event within society wasn’t his idea, but in order to quiet his mother’s haranguing and not-so-subtle hints, he’d agreed. Of course, he couldn’t blame his parent for her concern. He had reached the ripe old age of nine and thirty a few days ago, and still he was no closer to marrying or begetting an heir than he’d been ten years before. Not that it was of particular concern to him. Love and romance were much an abstract concept at this point. Oh, he’d had many short-term liaisons with women, had taken a few mistresses over the years, but only once had he given his heart to a lady… to disastrous results. It would have been so much easier had said woman died and left him to just memories, but no! Fate didn’t work that way, and it especially hated him, for when he’d offered for the lady in question, he’d been a spy for England, sent regularly to France on clandestine missions. Public opinion being what it was during the long, dragged-out war with Napoleon, having a spy as one’s fiancé apparently meant societal suicide, and she’d declined in a rather hysterical—and quite public—fashion. That had been nine years ago. Now, each time he agreed to make an appearance in society, there was every chance that she would be there as well, for that lady had gone on to marry an earl—despite his reputation as a rogue—and from all accounts, they were quite the outgoing, sought-after couple for dinner parties and to ensure numbers at various functions would prove a success. It mattered not that she’d borne her husband the required heir and spare; she was always society’s darling. Bah! Love and romance can go hang. Edward drained the brandy from the cut crystal glass in one swallow. He welcomed the burn of the spirits in his throat, for it kept him anchored to the present. Which wasn’t much better if he was here at the club yet again. Hiding. Though retired from military service as well as the spy life nearly three years ago, he still carried copious amounts of guilt, remorse, and anger. For the things he’d done under orders. For the trespasses made against him for the same. For rotten fortune. For the pain he’d had no choice but to live through. For missed chances. For the death of dreams he’d never talked about. No one—not even his family or his closest friends