Page 1 of The Duke’s Goddess (Duke Dare #2)

“Sometimes the most courageous act is simply to be yourself in a world that wants you to be someone else.”

—Joan of Arc

1816 England

THOUGH SHE WAS QUIET, she was fierce. Lady Joan was the calm, cautious, committed sister in a pack of four. It was easy to hold her tongue and let others live their lives, face the consequences of their own decisions, learn from their mistakes. If asked, she would give her opinion. But only in extreme situations did she ever offer unsolicited advice. She loved to offer support with a kind word or touch. But there was more to her than being the quiet one. There was something deep within her…just simmering. Not that she recognized it yet. Right now, she felt as though the world was (mostly) working in her favor. She had a loving family with three beautiful sisters, all of whom were currently having tea together.

“Are you excited, Bodi?” Mimi asked with shooting stars in her eyes.

“Yes, Mimi. I’m excited. For the fifth time,” Bodi shook her head at the youngest, and Joan knew the feigned exasperation was all in love.

“It’s. Your. Wedding. Bodi.” As if none of the sisters knew what Mimi was talking about.

They all sat on Boudicca’s bed, savoring the last night as four single women. Tomorrow Bodi would marry and everything would change. Thankfully the sisters were celebrating, since Bodi was marrying the man she loved, and all because of a dare. A dare that was sitting heavily on Joan’s chest. Almost as heavily as she might expect from an elephant.

The duke dare…ah…that silly little, vexing, agreement. An agreement that bound her to her sisters. An agreement that she would never back out of, but really, if she had a choice, she would go back in time and let the other three pursue it and leave herself out of it. She was happy to observe. Even cheer them on. But actively participate? She wished to renege. But she wouldn’t. She would go along to keep theirrelationship strong.

But tonight was not a night for woes, rather wonder. A wedding full of joy and warmth would envelop them tomorrow.

“I know.” Bodi eyed Mimi as if to put an end to the incessant questions, but then a smile broke free on her lips. “I know. You’re right. And I am thrilled to be marrying the man I love.”

“Oooooh. You really love him,” Mimi teased.

“We already knew that she loved him, Mimi,” Nobi jumped in.

“I’m still shocked that he loves me,” Bodi spoke with dreamy eyes, very much unlike her pragmatic default.

“Of course he loves you. How could he not? What’s not to love?” Joan asked.

“Exactly. You’re a rapier-wielding, championship-stealing, business-buildingbeautiful soul,” Mimi smiled, showing all her teeth.

“Please tell me that’s not how you smile at the gentlemen, Mimi.” Bodi scolded.

Mimi scoffed. “Chastised? After I said all those nice things about you?” She crossed her arms and puffed out her chest. The dynamic between the eldest and the youngest was in full force this evening.

And Joan could already predict what Nobi—the peacekeeper—would do.

“This is no time for an affection of umbrage. Live up to your namesake, Artemisia.”

Mimi stuck her tongue out at Nobi, and Joan had to stifle a giggle.

“Tomorrow shall prove to be the best day of our lives. The first one of us is getting married. Let’s focus on that,” Joan said once she had her chuckles under control.

“I’m glad you’re all so happy for me. Your best days are still to come. Yours might be next, Joan,” Bodi said while giving Joan’s forearm a squeeze.

“I’m not so sure about that,” Joan let her gaze fall to the floor, following the pattern of the Aubusson rug. There might come a day when she had to marry…a duke no less—because of the dare—but she doubted that she would find true love in that venture. But if she had to accept a loveless marriage in order to keep her sisters satisfied, she would do it. Of course, if she could marry a duke for love, that was the first option. But she just couldn’t envision that happening. Who was she to attract the attention of a powerful man? She was the often overlooked quiet third sister. She was a woman just eccentric enough to be talked about by some, and not scandalous enough to be rejected by society. Playing it safe was how she made her way through life. This dare was anything but safe…

“Wait.” Mimi redirected her attack (albeit a mild one) to Nobi. “It should be Nobi’s turn to go next, shouldn’t it? She’s the second eldest.”

Flustered, Nobi spoke up, “We didn’t establish an order for who would complete the dares at what time.”

“Then why did I go first?” Bodi asked, sitting upright on the bed.

“Are you complaining?” Mimi asked.

“No, just curious.”

“Well, it’s simple. It’s because you’re our leader. We follow you. You’re the oldest,” Nobi replied.

“In that case, you should be next Nobi,” Bodi pointed firmly to Zenobia.

“Well…erm…that is to say…I’m not sure I’m the best candidate.” A flush had flanked Nobi’s terse lips and she grabbed a pillow from the head of the bed. Clutching it to her chest, almost as if she were hiding behind it, she blinked hard a couple of times in wait.

“Why is that?” Mimi asked.

“I’m just not ready yet.” Nobi’s grasp on the pillow tightened. She twisted the corners in the opposite direction and Joan thought the pillow might pop. Though, between the pillow and Nobi, she wasn’t sure which might explode first, especially since Mimi was not letting up on the questions.

“I’m going to need more than that to satisfy my questions.” Point in case.

Nobi’s hands flew to her face still gripping the pillow, and for a second Joan thought she might break down into tears.

“It’s Christopher.” She inhaled deeply. “I can’t just walk up to my best friend and say I love you.”

“Yes, you could actually.”

Of course, Mimi would say that. She was the brash one. If she wanted to say something, she just did it. Perhaps because she was the youngest and laughed at the idea of consequences.

“I can’t, Mimi. It’s not that simple. What if he says no.” Joan watched the tension laced in Nobi’s eyes. Her eyebrows were drawn together. Her lips were tight. And the crinkles in the corner of her eyes were cast downward.

“Well, he wouldn’t say no in response to what you just said. It’s not as if you’ll say,” —Mimi’s voice took on a high-pitched almost mocking tone— “ Ooooh Chris, I love you. I always have and always will . And then he’ll just say,” —and then her tone dropped an octave for one word— “ no . Don’t be ridiculous, Nobi.”

“I’m not being ridiculous, Mimi. You are. He might not feel the same way, and then I’d be devastated. I can’t lose him.”

“You’d rather have him as a friend than a lover?” Mimi pushed.

The red in Nobi’s cheeks darkened. “Yes.”

Mimi propped her hands on her hips and glared at Nobi. “You’re telling me right now that you would rather be friends with Chris, for a few years at most, until he marries someone else and then you lose him as a friend all together?” She stuck her finger in the air to cut off Nobi’s protests. “And in all that short time, you prefer never having been intimate with him? Not even once. Not one single kiss.”

“Mimi!” Bodi scolded for the second time in their gathering.

Mimi turned to her eldest sister, “Bodi, I’m the only one willing to tell her the truth. To paint a realistic picture for her. She needs to know what she’ll be losing.”

In a timid voice, Nobi spoke up, “We could still be friends.”

“Pfft. Nobi. Please be honest with us. We’re your sisters.” Mimi threw her hands up in the air when Nobi remained silent. “If you’re not going to be honest with us, then be honest with yourself. You cannot be his friend when he marries and starts having children. He’s a good man. Whoever he marries will be his best friend. There will be no place in his life for a female best friend who is not related to him.”

Joan would normally allow her sisters to discuss and come to their own conclusions, but seeing the tears brimming at Nobi’s eyes, she had to say something. “You’ve said your piece, Mimi. Let Zenobia think about it now. She’s already agreed to the dare, as we all have. Maybe she just needs more time.” And then Joan turned to her sister and caught a small nod from Nobi.

“That just means you’re next then, Joan.” Mimi announced.

Right. That. Why had she agreed to the asinine duke dare again? Oh, yes. Because she wanted everyone around her to be happy. She wanted to see her sisters succeed in life. Land a duke. That sounded like the best possible plan for each of them. Mostly because it ensured that Nobi finally took her chance with Chris. It would have been ideal if Nobi had gone first. But somehow they had convinced Bodi to lead them. Now, it made the most sense for Nobi to take her turn. Then, if the other sisters (her included) didn’t go through with the duke dare, at least the underlying objective had been accomplished.

Joan had her own objectives she was more concerned with, like the clandestine business she wanted to grow.

“Even though you’re looking to increase the numbers of commissions you get, you’ll have to spend a little less time hammering out daggers and a little more time hammering down a plan to snag a duke. It was the dare we all agreed to.” Mimi said. And Joan couldn’t help but notice a trace of smugness about the little one.

“And why don’t you go next, Mimi?” Joan asked.

“I’m too young,” Mimi said, crossing her arms.

“And a few weeks will make a difference?” Joan couldn’t help challenging her. It could be the one question that might buy her some time.

“We can only hope a few weeks would make a difference,” Bodi murmured.

“I heard that,” Mimi stuck out her tongue.

“You were meant to.”

“It makes sense that you go next for the duke dare, Joan,” coming from Nobi, Joan really didn’t want to challenge her.

Yes. That. The dratted Duke Dare.

“Do you have anyone in mind?” Nobi asked hopefully. And Joan could read the room. The body language. Bodi: The expecting eyes. Nobi: The questioning eyes. Mimi: The challenging eyes.

Each sister was different, though they all got along. Each sister had their own unique talents and dreams. Bodi was well on her way. She was now about to start her girls academy for fencing. The gossip was still floating around, but Bodi had the support of at least four dukes (one being her soon-to-be-husband) that no one wanted to cross. More than that though, she had found love. And Joan was pretty sure Bodi had been the most skeptical of the four of them. Nobi was already in love. And Mimi was in love with being in love. And Joan…well, she was open. Just not as focused as Nobi. Or as driven as Mimi. Or as headstrong as Bodi.

“Well, do you?” Nobi asked again.

Right. The question. “No one in particular.”

“What about one of Wes’s friends? One of The Betting Buddies?”

Mimi raised her hand and smiled, “Chris is taken.”

Joan chuckled. “Well, there were four.” She held up her fingers. “Wes is taken.” One finger went down. “Chris is taken.” The second finger went down. “Samuel is far too competitive for me.” The third finger went down. “So that leaves James. The—”

“—Duke of Cornwell. He’s so handsome,” Mimi interjected. “Thick dark hair, laughing eyes.”

Yes, Mimi would say that. She was the first to point out the…manliness…of a man.

“He’s—” Joan tried again.

“—So tall.” Mimi’s eyes were dreamy.

“He’s a notorious—” Surely the third attempt would work in expressing her argument as to why she couldn’t seriously pursue James.

“—jokester. And yet he looks strong enough to sweep me off my feet.” Joan had to admit that the man could likely sweep any woman off her feet with a simple wink. He was dangerous, but knowing the danger was half the battle.

“Are we talking about me here or you, Mimi? Do you want to go after James?”

Mimi snapped out of whatever daze she had been in. “He’s not for me.”

“Really? Why not?”

Matter of factly, she said with a deadpan look, “He’s a rake. I thought you knew that already.”

“Yes. Well…” Exactly. There was no way that Joan, the quiet, calm, committed, and casually overlooked sister would have any interest in the reckless, daredevil of a womanizer who didn’t want to settle down. Ever. No interest whatsoever. Not an inkling’s worth. None.