Charming a Scoundrel

***Originally published in The Heart of a Duke. Expanded version. Sweet. Armed with a gypsy necklace guaranteed to win the heart of a duke, Miss Valera Bell sets her cap for the newly eligible Duke of Langley. She might have spent the first half of the Season with the wallflowers, but now she has a chance to make her parents proud and prove to her beautiful older sister that she is not a lost cause. When an orchestrated run-in with the duke ends with Valera flat on her bum with barely a glance from the man destined to become her husband, her confidence in magic is rattled. How is she to win the heart of a man who seems to lack one? When her best friend’s dashing brother feels sorry for her and asks her to dance, it seems to pique the duke’s interest. Alex Barnaby, Earl of Ravenswood, may be more valuable when it comes to winning the duke than any piece of enchanted jewelry. But will he agree to help her? Alex is more than happy to come to the rescue of his sister’s childhood friend. He’s always had a soft spot for the well-read miss and enjoys the eccentricities that make her unique, but little Vallie Bell grew up when he wasn’t looking, and Alex is treading on dangerous ground when he agrees to pretend to court the charming young woman. Playing with an innocent could land him in the parson’s noose when he isn’t free to marry whomever he chooses, and his sister would be none too happy if she knew he was having such debauched dreams about her best friend. Nevertheless, the unfeeling duke could never appreciate a sweet girl like Valera, and staying by her side might be the only way Alex can guide her toward a better marriage match, even if he risks losing his own heart along the way.