Ruined by the Duke's Quizzing Glass
(2026)(A book in the Spicy Shorts series)
A Story by Elizabeth Roubaix
A lady who knows her way around a duke’s most treasured possession is worth her weight in gold thread.
Mill heiress Lucy Ninepence only wanted to belong among London’s elite debutantes. When they dared her to steal Peter Sidwin, Duke of Cockesbrayne’s prized quizzing glass at the Cliveley ball, she accepted. The resulting scandal trapped them both into an engagement neither wanted.
Peter had one plan for escape: terrify Miss Ninepence into crying off. He'd play the commanding, rakish duke from gothic novels and send her fleeing. But when he growled that she should ‘polish his silver,’ the supposedly innocent debutante shocked him by dropping to her knees.
In the wake of their marriage, the truth emerges: both are inexperienced. Peter’s one brothel visit lasted fifteen unproductive minutes, and he prefers drizzling precious thread from old tapestries to any carnal activity. Lucy's bawdy knowledge comes entirely from forbidden books. As they fumble toward consummation, the duke and duchess discover an unexpected connection in their shared passion for the fiber arts — and what happens between the sheets.
Soon they're drizzling by day and exploring entirely new uses for Peter’s quizzing glass by night. But can the novice lovers see their way to love?
Ruined by the Duke’s Quizzing Glass is a super steamy 12,000-word Regency short story featuring ridiculous antics, more information about fiber art hobbies than probably belongs in a book of this type, and creative advances in the use of optics.
Mill heiress Lucy Ninepence only wanted to belong among London’s elite debutantes. When they dared her to steal Peter Sidwin, Duke of Cockesbrayne’s prized quizzing glass at the Cliveley ball, she accepted. The resulting scandal trapped them both into an engagement neither wanted.
Peter had one plan for escape: terrify Miss Ninepence into crying off. He'd play the commanding, rakish duke from gothic novels and send her fleeing. But when he growled that she should ‘polish his silver,’ the supposedly innocent debutante shocked him by dropping to her knees.
In the wake of their marriage, the truth emerges: both are inexperienced. Peter’s one brothel visit lasted fifteen unproductive minutes, and he prefers drizzling precious thread from old tapestries to any carnal activity. Lucy's bawdy knowledge comes entirely from forbidden books. As they fumble toward consummation, the duke and duchess discover an unexpected connection in their shared passion for the fiber arts — and what happens between the sheets.
Soon they're drizzling by day and exploring entirely new uses for Peter’s quizzing glass by night. But can the novice lovers see their way to love?
Ruined by the Duke’s Quizzing Glass is a super steamy 12,000-word Regency short story featuring ridiculous antics, more information about fiber art hobbies than probably belongs in a book of this type, and creative advances in the use of optics.