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Percy laughed. “Is that so?”

“It is. You cause me nothing but irritation and always have. You and my brother have teased me, chased me, and any number of other unpleasant actions throughout our entire childhood. Your presence, then or now, brings me no pleasure at all. I cannot imagine a world in which it ever would.”

Madeleine had not meant to speak with such forceful cruelty, but once she had started talking, she could not seem to stop. The need to protect herself, to protect her heart and mind, drove her to it.

Percy leaned forward, his eyes meeting hers intensely, a spark of challenge in their dark green depths. He brought his mouth to her ear. His breath caressed every whorl and surface. “You have no notion as to the pleasure I can bring.” His lips brushed against the sensitive flesh of her ear, causing shivers to course through her body. Smiling, he leaned back and stood.

“Think about it. We could both gain what we desire,” he advised then turned and reentered the ballroom leaving her to contemplate his words.

The wordpleasurehung in the air long after his departure.

CHAPTER THREE

Afew days after the incident with Herbert Mowbray, the Earl of Stonefield returned from White’s—a gentlemen’s club in London that he frequented when he was in town—with a smile of self-satisfaction on his face. Madeleine happened to be crossing the foyer on her way to the library when he arrived.

“Ah, Madeleine, just the person I wished to speak with.”

Madeleine felt her stomach turn over.

“Me, Father?” she asked for clarification, gulping down the fear that threatened to rise and spill out all over the foyer floor. She had thought that she had narrowly escaped her father ever knowing about what had transpired between her and Herbert Mowbray since he had not spoken with her about it before now.

“Indeed, I wish to speak with you, my dear.”

He came to stand in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Herbert Mowbray, the Earl of Mowbray’s son and heir, has asked to pay call upon you, and I have given him my permission. He will be joining us for dinner this very evening. I do believe that he intends to propose, and I have given him my blessing.”

Madeleine gulped again. Acidic bile rose up into her throat, choking her ability to speak. She swallowed hard as her heart began to hammer and opened her mouth to protest, but her father raised a hand to silence her. Madeleine ignored him.

“Father, I…”

He did not allow her to finish.

“Madeleine, I expect you to give Herbert Mowbray the consideration that he deserves. He is a good man from a good family. He is the heir to his father’s title and fortune. He would make an excellent match.” Having said his peace, the Earl kissed Madeleine on the forehead. He turned away to enter his study.

Panic gripped Madeleine’s heart causing it to beat harder and faster until she feared it might explode. She could not let this happen. She grasped at a solution, any solution, and Percy’s words from the night of the ball rang through her mind.

“Father!” she protested, stopping him in his tracks. “I cannot be courted by Lord Herbert Mowbray as I am already being courted by Percival Hardy, the Duke of Greyhall.” She placed emphasis on the title of duke to make certain that she had his attention.

Surprise spread across her father’s face, but it was quickly replaced by a glowing radiant pleasure.

“Why, Madeleine did you not say so before? What a welcome discovery!”

She forced a silly expression and shrugged innocently, taking on the role of a dimwitted young girl. Her father’s smile only grew bigger as she answered, “He only just asked me at the ball. It was such a pleasant surprise that I am still trying to convince myself it was real.”

Panic sliced through her as she quickly added, “Though of course, it was real.Veryreal. And I believe His Grace wanted to break the news to Cecil himself before we made the announcement public.”

She pushed herself to let loose a flitting laugh. “You know how Cecil gets when he is the last to know of things.”

Smiling, her father came forward and embraced her.

“Cecil will have to be a man and deal with it,” he chuckled as held her close. “Now that I know this information, it must be spread post haste. Of course, I will write it all to explain to Mowbray. Do not worry about a thing, my darling. You will make a lovely duchess.”

“You are… you are not disappointed that I am refusing Lord Mowbray, Papa?” she asked, too timid to accept relief just yet.

To her surprise her Father let out a booming laugh.

“The Mowbrays are a fine family, to be sure, but Percival has always been like a son to me. What could bring me more happiness than making him an official member of our family? And do not fret over Cecil. I will speak with him if I must, but I highly doubt he will be averse to taking Percy on as a brother-in-law.”

Accept he will never be his brother-in-law,Madeleine thought, a tinge of guilt moving through her. She said nothing though, offering her father a convincing smile instead.