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“Your Grace,” she panted breathlessly, pulling Percy from his thoughts, “a letter from My Lady, Madeleine Gillett. She says it is for your eyes alone and that I am to place it into your hand and no other.”

Hearing Madeleine’s name made Percy’s heart race just a little bit faster. It had been two days since he’d made his offer, and he had assumed that she had refused him. Dismissing any danger of a trap, he reached out and took the crinkled missive from the girl’s hand.

“Does the Lady await an answer?”

The mouse nodded. “She does, Your Grace.”

Percy broke the wax seal with a quick flick of his fingers. He noted that the wax was blue like the author’s eyes, and he smiled at the thought. The letter was scrawled in a hurried hand, but the form was still elegant. His brows arched in surprise at the words within then he let out a pleased chuckle.

So,s has accepted after all.

“Please inform your lady that I will do as she asks. Tell her that my answer is yes.”

“Very well, Your Grace. Thank you, Your Grace.” The little mouse curtsied and ran off to deliver his reply to her mistress.

Percy reread the letter once more, barely believing his eyes.“Percy, meet me at the back gate of my family’s townhouse garden at midnight. I must speak with you urgently. Postscript, You and I are now courting as of the evening of the ball.”

It was simply signedM.

Through his smugness, Percy suddenly felt a tremor of foreboding pass through him. His plan to keep them both away from the marriage mart was a decent one—but was it smart? He’d been telling himself since the night of the ball that he was simply helping an old, childhood playmate, but the excitement that coursed through him as he read her letter did not feel friendly.

It felt sensual. Wicked. Delicious. Thoughts of her beautiful figure began to swirl among these feelings. Feelings he should not be entertaining at all. Especially for his best friend’s sister. Crumbling the letter and depositing it into his pocket, he began to wonder if his proposal was the key to their freedom or the key to their undoing. Either way, it was too late to back away now.

Madeleine impatiently awaited Percy’s arrival, pacing back and forth by the back garden gate while her lady’s maid, Lucy, kept watch at the kitchen door. She was to whistle softly if anyone was coming. Madeleine hated to risk such a scandalous liaison,but she and Percy needed to get their stories straight before he encountered anyone within her family.

Her father had been so pleased with her announcement that he had made one of his own at supper that night. The Earl had stood, his face wreathed in smiles, and he had toasted Madeleine and Percy as if they were already engaged. In the Earl’s mind, it was already a done deal.

Cecil, as she had predicted, had not seemed pleased by the unexpected news.

“I know you lie as that is not something Percy would keep from me,” he had insisted.

Their father’s happy disposition was temporarily clouded over with a look of disappointment toward his son.

“You will celebrate us, Cecil,” he commanded, “then you and I may discuss this later in my office.”

Madeleine had been certain that intense words had been exchanged, but she could not bring herself to creep up to the door and listen for them herself. Instead, she had excused herself early, claiming to have overeaten, and had stayed in her quarters until 11:45.

“Hello, Monkey."

Madeleine let out a squeak of surprise as she whirled back around toward the garden gate. Merely a second ago, there had been no one there, but now… there he stood, his head nearly reaching the top of their tall gate. She grew immediately irritated with how handsome he looked, every small lock of dark hair combed in place and every piece of clothing perfectly fitted to him. And he was smiling, the brightness of his teeth flashing in the darkness.

“I see that you could not resist me after all.”

With that, Madeleine shooed her thoughts of his prettiness away and glowered at him as she put her fists to her hips.He’s not so handsome,she fumed silently.Not if you squint.

“I can resist you just fine,” she bit back, immediately earning a feral sounding chuckle from him.

“Very well then,” he said calmly, crossing his arms as his eyes slowly travelled up her person.

“You will have to pretend otherwise, though, if you wish to pull off this sleight of hand.”

Madeleine immediately lost some of her fierceness. Yes, that was true, wasn’t it? They had to truly convince others that were in love.

“What I need is your ability to keep away any other suitors,” she pushed forward, frowning up at him in the moonlight. “Todayat White’s, my father agreed to allow Herbert Mowbray to call upon me this evening. I had to do something to stop him from marrying me off to him.”

“Obviously that would never do,” Percy retorted amusingly.

Madeleine set her jaw, growing more serious.