Ruined by the Earl (Marriage by Deceit Book 3)

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Gasping, she sat up and grabbed her towel. “Why didn’t you tell me right away?”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t think it was important enough to mention.”

  “Of course, it’s important. He’s my brother.”

  “And I’m your husband.” With a wink, he rubbed her back. “You couldn’t do what we just did with him. I’d say that makes things a little more exciting with me.”

  She released a groan and slid off the bed. “He’ll be worried about me.”

  “I’ll go down and assure him you’re fine.”

  She watched him as he got off the bed, looking far too pleased with himself. “It’s not fair for you to make him wait like this, Logan. You know very well it’s rude.”

  He chuckled. “He’ll manage.” As she went to pull the cord for her lady’s maid, he went over to her. He kissed her cheek and added, “It was worth delaying him.”

  She sighed. “You are every bit a cad.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  She watched as he left the room and shook her head. No, she wouldn’t pay him any more mind. She needed to get dressed so she could see her brother.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Whistling, Logan entered the drawing room. “Oh good. I see the butler brought you tea and scones.” He sat across from Malcolm and poured himself a cup before picking up a scone. “These are better than crumpets,” he said, indicating to the scone.

  Malcolm, whose arms were crossed, glowered at him. “Where is my sister?”

  “Oh, she’ll be down soon.” Logan bit into his scone and settled back into his seat. “She was busy.”

  Malcolm glanced at Logan’s hair. “What was she busy doing up there?”

  Logan had hoped her brother would notice his messy hair, which was why he didn’t bother brushing it after Melissa had run her fingers through it. Giving Malcolm a sly smile, he said, “What happens between a husband and wife when they’re alone is none of your concern.”

  As he expected, Malcolm’s expression darkened.

  “Come now,” Logan said. “You’ll be happy when you get to hold your darling nephew or niece. Few things are more adorable than a baby.”

  “I wish I’d won that duel,” he muttered.

  “No, you don’t. You would have deprived your sister of a happy life.”

  “You don’t make her happy.”

  “Sure I do.” He took a drink of his tea. Then, just to further annoy him, Logan added, “In fact, she was expressing her happiness just minutes ago.”

  “You are an insufferable rake.”

  “Your sister prefers the term ‘cad’.” He bit into his scone.

  “They mean the same thing.”

  “I didn’t say they didn’t.” Logan gestured to him. “You ought to relax. You’re much too tense.”

  Instead of relaxing, Malcolm huffed.

  “It’s amazing your parents are as happy as they are. One would swear you grew up in a monastery by how prudish you act.”

  “You’ve defiled my sister,” Malcolm growled. “How else do you expect me to act?”

  “Be happy she’s not with Lord Waxman. I saw him yesterday, and he’s not as heartbroken as you and your sister made him out to be.”

  “Of course, he is. He just hides it well.”

  “Perhaps, though he seemed content to be escorting Miss Willis and her mother on a carriage ride. I dare say, he was even laughing.”

  “Anyone can laugh. It doesn’t mean they’re necessarily happy.”

  “On the contrary. He was definitely in a joyful mood.” Logan finished his scone then drank the rest of his tea. He straightened in his seat and looked Malcolm squarely in the eye. “Since I am a rake, I’ll point out the fact that he was taking a good look at her backside as she got into the carriage.”

  “I don’t really approve of you discussing such things when it comes to an innocent like Miss Willis.”

  “I wasn’t talking about Miss Willis. I was referring to her mother. Though,” he amended as he picked up another scone, “I suppose in his defense, her mother is the prettier of the two.”

  “I don’t believe it.”

  “Of course you don’t. He can do no wrong as far as you’re concerned. But I promise you I will not be eyeing another lady. Your sister is perfect for me.” When Malcolm gritted his teeth, he continued, “It’s true. She’s fun, passionate, and not afraid to speak her mind when others aren’t telling her what to think. I expect she’ll not only prove to be a good lover but a friend as well.”

  Malcolm groaned and lifted his gaze heavenward.

  “Do you mean it?” a lady asked.

  Surprised, Logan turned his gaze to Melissa, unaware she’d come into the room. Good heavens, her slippers were far too quiet. Just how much did she hear? He didn’t really want to tell her he’d caught Lord Waxman staring at Mrs. Willis’ backside.

  “No, he didn’t,” Malcolm said, rising to his feet and hurrying over to her. “He’s only pretending to care about you. It’s what he does. He lies.”

  She studied Logan, and if he knew what she was thinking, he could better answer her question. Malcolm assumed she only caught the last part of what he’d said, but for all he knew, she’d heard what he’d said about Lord Waxman, too.

  Malcolm moved so he was blocking Logan’s view of Melissa. Then he turned his back to Logan. “I got your missive, Melissa. I want you to know you don’t have to go to the estate with that thing,” he nodded toward Logan, “tomorrow. You can stay with me, or our parents, while he’s gone.”

  “I already told him I’d go,” she replied.

  Logan’s eyebrows rose in interest. He hadn’t expected her to refuse her brother’s offer.

  “You can’t be serious,” her brother said.

  “He is my husband now, and I should meet his family. Besides,” she added when her brother started protesting, “we’ll only stay for a week. We’ll come back here, and I can see you and our parents then.”

  “Is this because we didn’t stop the wedding?” Malcolm asked. “Is this your way of punishing us?”

  “That’s silly. It has nothing to do with punishing anyone.” She stepped around him. “I’m curious about what his estate’s like.”

  “Yes,” he began, slipping back around her so that Logan’s view of her was, once again, blocked, “but you were upset at the wedding. It was clear you didn’t want to be trapped in a marriage to him.”

  “What good is bringing all that up?” Logan finally asked. “The wedding is old news.”

  “I beg to differ,” Malcolm replied, turning to him. “It was only two days ago, and you made a mockery of the whole thing with the way you kissed her in front of everyone.”

  “Oh, stop it,” Melissa said.

  At first, Logan thought she meant for him to stop it, but then he realized she was looking at Malcolm as she spoke.

  “Logan and I both did scandalous things to cause the Ton to talk,” she added. “But there’s nothing that can be done about it now. It might be good for us to get away for a short time. Maybe by then, there will be another scandal people can focus on.”

  “There you go,” Logan agreed, giving Malcolm a satisfied smile. “Your sister is smart. The Ton isn’t content to dwell on one story for long. They need new things to keep them happy.”

  “That only depends on whether or not you bring her back,” Malcolm snapped at Logan.

  Oh good heavens. Just what kind of brute did Malcolm take him for? Logan started to laugh but accidently swallowed a piece of the scone he’d been chewing. This, naturally, turned into an uncontrollable coughing fit.

  Melissa hurried over to fill up his cup with tea and handed it to him. He tried to thank her, but it was impossible when he couldn’t stop coughing. So he chose to drink the tea instead.

  “Why are you helping him?” Malcolm asked her. “He deserves to choke on his own food.”

  “That’s not very nice of you, Malcolm.”

  She patted Loga
n’s back, and though Logan doubted it actually helped, he appreciated the sentiment. It was rather nice to find out his bride didn’t want him to die.

  “Nice?” Malcolm asked. “Since when do I have to be nice to the likes of him?”

  “Well, he is my husband.”

  “You wanted to be with Lord Waxman.”

  “He didn’t want to be with me.”

  “Sure, he did. He was going to ask Father for your hand in marriage,” he glared at Logan, “which is a lot more than he did.”

  Logan finally managed to stop coughing, so Melissa turned to her brother. “I’ve had time to think about it, and I realized if Lord Waxman truly loved me, he would have insisted I run away with him to Gretna Green.”

  “That would have been nonsense.”

  “It would have been romantic. And I would have said yes. But he didn’t ask because I didn’t mean that much to him. I’m sure he’ll find another lady to be with soon enough. I’ve been thinking about it,” she continued, “and a short time out of London will be a reprieve from all that’s happened. I appreciate your offer, Malcolm, but I want to go.”

  Malcolm sighed. “This isn’t a good idea.”

  “Regardless of whether or not it’s a good idea, it’s my decision. Logan didn’t demand I go with him. I could stay if I want.” She glanced at Logan.

  “Of course, you can,” Logan said.

  She turned her gaze back to her brother. “I choose to go. I’ll see you and our parents when I return.”

  Malcolm scowled at Logan then looked back at her, his face softening. “Very well. It’s your choice.”

  “Thank you,” she replied.

  Not looking at all happy about the course of the conversation, Malcolm trudged out of the drawing room. Well, that was easier than Logan expected. He didn’t honestly think she’d agree with him in front of her brother. This was turning out to be a surprisingly good day. He finished the scone and wiped his fingers on the cloth napkin by the tray.

  “I thought he’d never leave,” Logan said. “When he came over, his face was as red as a tomato. I thought for sure he was going to…” His voice drifted off when he looked over at her and saw she was sitting on the settee, wiping tears from her eyes. “Do you want to stay here?”

  With a shake of her head, she sniffed. “And risk seeing Lord Waxman taking note of Mrs. Willis’ backside? I’d rather stick a hatpin in my eye.”

  Oh, so she had heard him mention that to Malcolm. Sighing, he went over to her, knelt in front of her and placed his hand on her knee. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you to hear that.”

  “Was it true or did you just say that to upset my brother?”

  He could lie. He was sure she wanted him to say it was a lie. But what good would it do? Lord Waxman wasn’t the gentleman everyone thought him to be.

  “I’m afraid it’s true,” he told her, keeping his voice low in hopes it would help soften the blow.

  But it didn’t. She only cried harder. Oh blast it. How he hated tears! He dug out his handkerchief and handed it to her. Then he sat beside her and took her in his arms.

  “I’m sorry, Melissa,” he whispered, not minding it so much that she was crying on his shoulder.

  “He never loved me,” she said. “He probably only wanted my family’s money.”

  “I don’t know if he only wanted your family’s money or not. But there is one thing I do know: he doesn’t deserve you.”

  “No, he doesn’t.”

  “And you don’t need him.”

  “You’re right. I don’t.”

  He rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. “Everything will be all right. I know your heart’s breaking now, but it won’t be that way forever. You just have to take things one day at a time. Each day will get better. And one morning, you’ll wake up and realize you no longer love him.”

  “I hope so,” she murmured into his shoulder.

  “It’ll happen. Time has a way of healing all wounds, no matter how big. And if you need someone to cry to, I’ll be here.”

  He didn’t think he’d ever make such an offer, but it wasn’t her fault her heart was breaking. It was partially his, but mostly Lord Waxman’s. Even so, he had done his part in hurting her, and it was only right he make amends for it.

  “You were right when you said we should act like we’re happy together,” she said, sitting up and wiping her tears with his handkerchief. “It was the best way to show him he had no power over me. I’m glad I took your advice.”

  He could admit he’d been thinking more of himself than her when he gave her this advice, but the last thing he wanted to do was break her heart even more. The poor thing had pretty much been a pawn in this whole thing. She’d been given no choice.

  He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear then caressed her cheek. “I’m sorry, Melissa. I know I don’t deserve you any more than he does.”

  “It was just as well you prevented me from marrying him. He was pretending to be something he wasn’t.” She stood up and dabbed at her eyes again. “At least I knew what you were. If there’s anything good I can say about you, it’s that you don’t pretend to be someone you aren’t.”

  He was sure she meant it as a compliment, but the words made him wince. She was right in calling him a cad. He definitely was one. Up to now, being one hadn’t bothered him. Then again, up to now, watching her cry hadn’t made him feel guilty.

  “I’m sure he wasn’t looking at other ladies while he was planning to marry you,” Logan said. “He did look genuinely upset when I saw him at the ball right after our betrothal was announced.”

  Even as the words left his mouth, he wondered why he was telling her this. If he was smart, he’d shut up and let her think the worst of Lord Waxman. It would make things easier for him if she did.

  With a shake of her head, she poured herself a cup of tea. “I don’t think it was losing me that bothered him.”

  “You don’t know that for sure.”

  “You’re right. I don’t.” She added a lump of sugar to the tea and stirred it. Then she sat back down and sighed. “But he’s with someone else now, and he never came to ask me to run off to Gretna Green with him.” She paused. “Logan, I’m curious. What do gentlemen do when they’re in love?”

  “Well, gentlemen who are in love are surprisingly eager to do everything they can to make their ladies happy. There are times when something important is happening at White’s, but word comes she wants him, and he’s running out the door to take care of it. To me, this is the best definition of love.”

  “Lord Waxman didn’t even do that for me when I requested to see him while he was at Brooks’s.”

  He noticed she’d stopped stirring her tea. In fact, she didn’t even seem to be interested in the tea. She was staring ahead, and though he didn’t know her all that well, he could tell she was thinking over something. If she was thinking of all the ways both he and Lord Waxman had ruined her life, he wouldn’t blame her.

  “Will you please just throw a book at me and get it over with?” he asked.

  She turned her attention back to him, and though he didn’t expect it, she smiled. “I don’t want to throw a book at you.”

  “Fine. Then make it something else.” He scanned the room. “Ideally, it’d be something soft so it won’t hurt, but that probably won’t make you feel better.”

  Chuckling, she shook her head. “I can’t throw anything at you. Not even a pillow.”

  “Is it because you’re a lady and ladies aren’t supposed to do that sort of thing?”

  “Well, maybe that’s part of it.” She shrugged and looked at her tea. “But I don’t really want to do it.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. I just don’t.” Glancing at the handkerchief she held under the cup, she said, “I’ll have this washed before I give it back to you.”

  “I have more than enough. My sisters are always making them for me. They seem to think I don’t have enough, even though they gi
ve me several each time I come home.”

  “You mentioned sisters before. You said you have two.”

  “Yes. Marybeth and Isabella.”

  “Those are pretty names.”

  “My mother chose them. They were her favorites.”

  “What about yours? Did she pick Logan?”

  “Actually, my father named me after my grandfather,” he said.

  “Because you were the heir and he wanted a namesake?”

  “He did want a namesake,” Logan replied, “but I wasn’t the heir. At least not until a few years ago. I have an older brother. His name is Geoffrey.”

  “I don’t understand.” She turned toward him. “If he’s older than you, then why isn’t he the earl?”

  He wasn’t sure how to explain it to her. He hadn’t taken the time to explain it to anyone, mostly because it was painful to talk about, even if the incident happened five years ago. After a long moment, he said, “You have to meet him to understand.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed, but thankfully, she didn’t press him to tell her more about it.

  “Would you like me to get you another cup of tea?” Logan asked, wishing to change the topic to matters more pleasant.

  She turned her gaze to the cup. “Oh, I forgot I was holding it.”

  “If you had remembered, would you have thrown it at me?” he teased.

  She shot him a pointed look that hinted at amusement, and he felt the mood lighten between them. “I should. It would serve you right for not telling me Malcolm was here as soon as you interrupted my bath.”

  Unable to resist the urge to further tease her, he lowered his voice. “It wasn’t really so bad to be distracted for a short time, was it?”

  Her cheeks grew pink, and she quickly turned her gaze away from him. She sipped her tea then placed the cup on the table and rose to her feet. “I’ll tell the maid to wash your handkerchief.”

  “Can I spend the rest of the day with you? We can do whatever you want.”

  “Well, since this is the day before our trip, I wouldn’t mind getting a new valise.”