Sweet Madness: A Veiled Seduction Novel by Heather Snow Page B

the attendant.
    Still, she sped up her pace just the same, blinking against tears that blurred her vision.
    She was well aware of what she was doing—avoiding. Avoiding Gabriel, avoiding his questions about Michael, and avoiding the sudden recognition of an unholy attraction to a man who was not only her cousin-by-marriage, but for all intents and purposes, under her care.
And quite likely mad on top of that.
    But it was the best she could do in the moment. She needed time to think. She dashed a tear away from her eye. She needed time to—
    “Oh!” Penelope’s toe caught on something and she stumbled. A wrenching pain shot up her leg as her foot tried to stay put while her momentum sent her pitching forward. She cried out as she landed hard, first on her knees and then on her stomach and chest, the side of her face coming to rest on the overgrown footpath.
    “Pen!” She heard Gabriel’s worried shout, felt the rumble as he and Carter came running.
    Lord, her calf was afire. And something pricked at her cheek. She lifted her head, blinking as she got her bearings. Dried yew needles stuck to her skin. They covered the path, dropped from the ancient fragmented trees that lined it, their branches stretching and entwining into snarls of barren foliage. Had she tripped over a root? She’d been so caught up in trying to get away that she hadn’t been watching her footing. Fool.
    She wiped the dead needles from her face, groaning as she pushed herself up from the ground. Strong hands caught her beneath her arms from behind and turned her as she eased into a sitting position on the path.
    Gabriel knelt beside her. He smoothed her cloak’s hood off of her head. But his palms remained, warm against her skin, cradling either side of her face as he tilted it gently. The intensity in his eyes had gone, replaced by concern. “Pen, are you hurt?”
    She shook her head, as it seemed her lips refused to utter the lie. Goodness. Her knees smarted, for one, and her right calf burned. Thankfully she’d landed on her front rather than her still sore backside. Between his landing upon her person not quite two days ago and her own just now, muscles she’d never even felt before twinged in protest. “I’ll be fine,” she insisted. “If you could just help me to my feet?”
    “Of course.” Gabriel gained his own feet in a graceful movement. He slipped an arm behind her, beneath her shoulder blades, curving his hand around her rib cage, where he could get a decent grip. The heat of his touch, even through her cloak, sent warmth flowing through her chest. He placed his other hand upon her hip to guide her as he pulled her to her feet.
    Penelope tried to steady herself. The sooner she did, the sooner there would be no reason for Gabriel to touch her. No reason for her to feel sparks where his strong hands gripped her. But as she straightened, she sucked in a pained hiss. Agony flared in her calf as her right leg collapsed beneath her.
    She sagged against Gabriel, shifting her weight to her left.
    “You
are
hurt,” Gabriel accused, a fierce frown pulling at his features.
    “No, it’s only—” She cried out again as her calf bunched in an unrelenting squeeze. “Oh! Ow!” She hopped on her left leg as if trying to get away from the pain. But the spasms wouldn’t let up. Her muscles rolled and bunched again.
    “Is it your calf? Is it cramping?”
    She bit her lip against the pain, nodding jerkily.
    Gabriel lowered her to the ground. When he released her, she braced herself by placing her palms slightly behind either side of her hips as he came around to kneel at her feet. Without asking permission, he reached his hands beneath her skirts and squeezed them around her calf tightly.
    Penelope gasped as her muscles fought against his grip.
    “Just breathe, Pen,” he encouraged, his gaze catching hers. “Through your mouth, like this.” Gabriel panted in quick, harsh breaths.
    She kept her eyes on his and did as he