Fredericka "e;Fast Freddie"e; Tipping never meant to witness the Duke of Albemarle in a compromising moment. But the Ton needs only the whisper of scandal to destroy a young woman, and one innocent glimpse becomes the rumor that ruins her. Two years later, Freddie has rebuilt her life in the quiet edges of society—until her sister's future is threatened in a way she cannot ignore.Desperate to protect Emma, Freddie turns to the last man she ever wished to see again. The duke agrees to help…on one condition. Freddie must pose as his fiancée for the Season, then cry off at the perfect moment, securing the inheritance he cannot claim alone.What begins as a tidy arrangement quickly unravels. Thrust back into the glittering world that once cast her out, Freddie finds herself the subject of fresh whispers simply for appearing on a duke's arm. And as old wounds collide with unexpected tenderness, both she and Albemarle must decide what they are willing to risk—pride, reputation, or the possibility of something real.

Fredericka "e;Fast Freddie"e; Tipping never meant to witness the Duke of Albemarle in a compromising moment. But the Ton needs only the whisper of scandal to destroy a young woman, and one innocent glimpse becomes the rumor that ruins her. Two years later, Freddie has rebuilt her life in the quiet edges of society—until her sister's future is threatened in a way she cannot ignore.Desperate to protect Emma, Freddie turns to the last man she ever wished to see again. The duke agrees to help…on one condition. Freddie must pose as his fiancée for the Season, then cry off at the perfect moment, securing the inheritance he cannot claim alone.What begins as a tidy arrangement quickly unravels. Thrust back into the glittering world that once cast her out, Freddie finds herself the subject of fresh whispers simply for appearing on a duke's arm. And as old wounds collide with unexpected tenderness, both she and Albemarle must decide what they are willing to risk—pride, reputation, or the possibility of something real.

Fredericka "e;Fast Freddie"e; Tipping never meant to witness the Duke of Albemarle in a compromising moment. But the Ton needs only the whisper of scandal to destroy a young woman, and one innocent glimpse becomes the rumor that ruins her. Two years later, Freddie has rebuilt her life in the quiet edges of society—until her sister's future is threatened in a way she cannot ignore.Desperate to protect Emma, Freddie turns to the last man she ever wished to see again. The duke agrees to help…on one condition. Freddie must pose as his fiancée for the Season, then cry off at the perfect moment, securing the inheritance he cannot claim alone.What begins as a tidy arrangement quickly unravels. Thrust back into the glittering world that once cast her out, Freddie finds herself the subject of fresh whispers simply for appearing on a duke's arm. And as old wounds collide with unexpected tenderness, both she and Albemarle must decide what they are willing to risk—pride, reputation, or the possibility of something real.