Page 21

“I shall get you your iced cream, Monkey,” he promised, leading her toward the bridge. “Did she say anything else to you?”

“Not really,” she replied as they reached the vendor. “It is just she seemed so set on making friends with me. I thought that wewere having a perfectly lovely discussion up until the moment she disappeared. Perhaps she disagreed.”

Percy did not answer her for a brief moment as he pulled out some coins and ordered two cups of vanilla ice.

“Or perhaps you and your reputation scared her away,” she offered in jest.

“Perhaps,” Percy murmured, the joke falling between them in an awkward way.

He offered Madeleine her treat, she took it, and they walked together for a time in companionable silence as they enjoyed the small bit of coolness amid the afternoon heat. From where they stood, Madeleine caught her mother and sister looking at them, smiles wide on their faces.

“I believe that your father is convinced of our ruse,” he said next, speaking matter-of-factly. “Your brother has even settled from his earlier bout of doubt.”

Madeleine smiled in relief then slipped the tiny wooden spoon laden with melting ice cream into her mouth. She savored the taste, letting it settle in her mouth for a moment before swallowing and cleaning her lower lip with her tongue.

Percy’s gaze flashed there immediately, his eyes growing dark as he seemed to focus in on the movement. It caused heat to risefrom her core, and she was sure that the iced cream in her small wooden bowl began to melt faster.

“That is good, is it not?” she asked, suddenly unsure of the look he was given her. Had she said something wrong earlier?

“It is a good start,” he agreed with a single nod, turning his face forward again. “But we are far from being completely believable. His associates appeared dubious, I fear, and I worry they might shake your father and brother’s belief in our ruse.”

Madeleine looked down at her nearly melted iced cream, as if it had an answer for her.

“We should solidify their beliefs then,” she said softly, letting the small spoon glide through the sweet cream in a slow, winding motion. At her side, Percy let out a low laugh and popped a large scoop of his own ice cream into his mouth.

Spotting a smudge of the white cream still clinging to his bottom lip, Madeleine stepped a little ahead of him without a thought as she reached for her kerchief. Percy gave her a strange look and stopped as she raised the kerchief to his lips, and she gently wiped away the bit of cream still there.

Percy studied her suspiciously for a moment longer before he answered. Perhaps the gesture had beentoointimate. Perhaps she had broken his rules. Though, they still had not discussed exactly what they were.

“My apologies,” she murmured, tucking her kerchief into her sleeve. “I- I do not know what came over me. I–”

“No,” Percy said quickly, taking a moment to take a look around.

She did as well and noticed the many sets of eyes of watching them. Her cheeks grew hot under their visage, and she began to panic that she had made a grave error.

“That was good,” he murmured, leaning toward her slightly as he nodded his head to a group of nobles watching them. “They all saw it. See their faces? Their grins? They are talking of us, just as we hoped.”

Madeleine let out a small huff of a laugh as she relaxed.

“I thought I had upset you,” she confessed.

Percy smirked by her side.

“Admittedly, it would have looked a better if it was I that was wiping cream from your lips and not the other way around, but I cannot annoyed that you were able to think of it first. Tell me, Monkey, what other little ideas do you having forming in that mind of yours?”

“We could talk to one another,” she suggested softly, ignoring how intimate the small gesture felt. “We have known each other since childhood, but I know very little of you as a man grown.”

At her side, she felt Percy grow rigid, and his step nearly faltered.

She was about to apologize for asking when he said, “That is fair. What would you know of me?”

Relieved that was his answer, Madeleine stepped back to his side. He took her melted iced creamand his own and disposed of them before offering her his arm. She took it and noted how comfortable she felt at his side.

“Tell me of your travels,” she requested.

“I myself have always wanted to traverse the continent.”

“You have?” He chuckled, raising a surprised brow.