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“Monkey,” Percy’s voice met her ears fueling her internal flame.

“I told you not to call me that when we are in public!”

Gritting her teeth, Madeleine whipped around in fury, ready to reprimand him for his use of her undesired nickname since she had explicitly asked him not to use it in public anymore. As she turned, her feet caught in her skirts, and she started to fall, plummeting quickly towards the ground.

The moment that he realized what was happening, Percy reacted immediately and reached out to scoop Madeleine up into his arms. She had seemed to be ignoring him, so he had poked at her by using her nickname. He had never intended to cause her to react with such vehemence.

The feel of Madeleine in his arms enflamed the desire that had not dissipated since their time together in the evergreens. Those dreams, like the one he’d had that first night, had plagued him ever since, rendering his body oversensitive and pent up with need.

Had Cecil not been standing beside them, Percy would have dragged her off to the stables and had his wicked way with her once more. Their eyes locked, and he felt his heart stutter.

“Madeleine,” he murmured seductively, his eyes tracing the features of her face, devouring every exquisitely beautiful detail. “Does that sound better to you?”

Madeleine’s eyes only glinted with hurt and embarrassment, but she clung to him for support.

“Must you be so wretched?” she hissed so low that only he could hear.

“Must you be so beautiful?” he teased back.

Madeleine balked in his arms at the compliment, as if that was somehow worse than calling her Monkey.

Cecil cleared his throat, and Percy stood, setting Madeleine back onto her feet. “Are you well?” Cecil asked his sister, coming to inspect her for damage.

She waved away his concern then proceeded to smooth her hands down her skirts. “I am well, brother. Do not fear. I simply tripped on my own dress.”

Cecil gave Percy a censorious look as if the entire thing had been his fault.

“Careful,” he warned under his breath.

Percy straightened his shoulders. The reaction that Madeleine caused within him was becoming more evident to an astute observer like Cecil.He is right. I need to be more careful. She is causing me to act in ways that are not safe for her. I cannot allow her to be ruined by my curse.He took a step back, putting more space between them.

“I will go and see if Emily needs my aid with anything,” Madeleine dismissed herself and headed back towards the house.

Percy looked after her with regret at her departure in spite of his resolution to put more space between them.She is most certainly avoiding me. She is intelligent to do so. It is the best thing for her. If I were truly a man of honor, I would do the same.

“You have feelings for her,” Cecil observed, displeased.

Percy shook his head in denial. “Do not fear for her. She is safe from my curse.”

Cecil looked at him in doubt. Percy met his eyes. Cecil sighed. “It is not that I do not wish for you to be happy, my friend. I do very much wish all of the happiness in the world for you, but if there is even a sliver of truth to this notion of a curse, I cannot risk my sister to it.”

“I understand. As I said, she is safe. I will not allow myself to love her.” Percy silently prayed that his words were true.

Cecil gave Percy a sympathetic look. “That could be easier said than done, my friend. You clearly do not know Madeleine as well as you think. She incites love and devotion simply by existing. What makes you so certain that you are exempt?”

Percy shook his head. He was not so certain that he was exempt, but he was not about to admit that to himself, let alone Cecil. “If I find myself falling in love with her, I will leave England. I will put distance between us.”

Cecil met his eyes. “Then let us pray that you do not have to. I would hate to have to bid my dearest friend to leave England and never return.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Madeleine found Emily in her bedchamber taking a private moment away from the garden party. The smell of recent sickness wafted from the chamber pot in the corner where she found Emily doubled over it.

“Emily!” Madeleine gasped, rushing to her aid.

“What has happened?” she asked in concern, putting a soothing hand on her sister’s bowed back.

Another sickly wretch came from Emily, and Madeleine winced at the intensified scent and sounds of her sister’s malady.