He chuckled and kissed her. “I have no doubt that’s the truth. But I am wondering, when did it happen? What did I say or do that changed your mind about me?”
She thought over his question for a moment then shrugged. “I’m not sure. I just looked at you one day and realized you didn’t annoy me quite so much.”
“I’ll accept that.” He kissed her again. “I loved you the moment you showed up to the wedding in black. I knew right then and there you were the perfect lady for me.”
“And to think I did it just to spite you.”
“I know, and that’s what made you so adorable.”
The carriage came to a stop, and he gave her one more kiss before letting go of her hand. When the footman opened the door, she stepped out, taking a moment to stretch her stiff back and legs. While she didn’t necessarily enjoy sitting for days in a carriage, she had to admit it was nice to have the time with Logan. She understood him much better now.
He hopped out of the carriage and joined her. He gestured to the other carriage, which pulled up behind theirs. “I want to introduce you to my family before I introduce the valets and lady’s maids to them.”
He took her by the elbow and led her up the steps. She glanced at the manor and then the land. She probably should have taken a better look at the place as they approached. But she’d been preoccupied with Logan. He had a tendency to distract her at times, and really, she didn’t mind it so much. Now, as she scanned her surroundings, she noted the estate was well cared for. It wasn’t in the deplorable condition she expected.
The footman opened the door, and Logan let her go in first. She barely made it across the threshold when a ten-year-old girl came rushing over to her, her long blonde hair flying behind her.
“Are you Miss Jasper?” she asked, coming to a halt.
“She was,” Logan said. “She’s Lady Toplyn now. But I’m sure you can call her Melissa.” With a grin at Melissa, he asked, “Or would you prefer something like Missy?”
“Melissa is fine,” Melissa told him.
“This is Marybeth,” he said. “And that,” he pointed to the fourteen-year-old blonde coming down the hall, “is Isabella.”
“Those are pretty names,” Melissa told the girls.
“You didn’t tell us our sister-in-law had such lovely hair,” Marybeth said.
Melissa’s cheeks warmed at the compliment. “Well, thank you.”
Logan chuckled. “Gentlemen don’t notice things like a lady’s hair color.”
“You don’t?” Melissa asked, turning to him.
“Of course not. We’re too busy looking elsewhere,” he replied with a wink at Melissa.
“Like where?” Marybeth asked.
Melissa shook her head and told the girl, “The truth is, gentlemen don’t notice many things. It’s why my mother can get away with buying as many new dresses as she does.”
“I didn’t know she did this,” Logan said.
She shot him a pointed look. “You never asked.”
“What do gentlemen notice if they don’t look at hair or dresses?” Marybeth pressed.
“Marybeth, you ask too many questions,” Logan replied, his gaze going to Isabella. “Where’s Mother?”
“She’s helping Geoffrey get ready for a walk,” Isabella said. “He’s getting restless.”
Marybeth turned to Melissa. “He loves going for walks. He often goes three or four times a day, except when the weather doesn’t allow. On those days, we have to find other ways to entertain him.”
“He actually does well with paints,” Logan said. “And he likes to play the piano, but he’s not too good at it.”
“I’d say,” Marybeth agreed. “I much prefer it when he paints.”
“This place is big enough to run off to another room if you need the quiet,” Logan told her then looked at Melissa. “Are you ready to meet my mother and Geoffrey?”
“Mother can’t wait to meet you,” Marybeth said.
“I told her only good things,” Logan added. “Though to be honest, I couldn’t think of any bad things to say.” Placing his hand on the small of her back, he whispered, “Are you ready?”
Melissa nodded. Having been told about Geoffrey’s condition, she wasn’t sure what to expect, and this caused some uncertainty. How should she act around him? Would this be something she’d just know how to do, or did she have to learn the proper way to respond to him? Too late did she think these might’ve been good questions to ask while she and Logan were still in the carriage.
But she was here now, and there was no time to pull him aside to ask. She’d just have to watch the others and see what they did. Her steps slowed a bit as they approached the drawing room, so she had to force herself to keep up with Logan’s pace.
When they entered the drawing room, Logan’s mother was kneeling in front of Geoffrey as she buttoned his boots. The first thing that struck Melissa was how similar Logan looked to his brother. The fact that Geoffrey was older and had a beard marked the best distinctions between them.
His mother had the same thick blonde hair as her children, and it was pulled back into an attractive bun. Her children, no doubt, inherited their good looks from her. And more than that, she had the same easygoing smile Logan did, making Melissa think this was a lady who knew how to enjoy life—and enjoy it fully.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Melissa,” his mother greeted.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too,” Melissa said then cleared her throat.
His mother finished with the last button then stood up, and Logan went over to hug her. She patted his back and chuckled. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you, too,” Logan replied before letting go of her. He turned to his brother. “How are you today, Geoffrey?”
“Walk,” Geoffrey mumbled, tapping his fingers on his knees. “Nice day. Go for walk. Logan come?”
Logan glanced at Melissa. “Well…”
Noting the question in his eyes, Melissa nodded. “I don’t mind if you go. It’ll give me a chance to ask your mother and sisters about all the mischievous things you did as a child.”
His mother chuckled, a twinkle in her eye. “Oh, it’ll take more than an hour to go into everything. He pulled all sorts of pranks when he was younger.”
Melissa’s lips curled up into a smile. Already, she could tell she would get along quite well with his mother. “I’d say he hasn’t changed all that much. You do know how he secured my hand into marriage, don’t you? Or did he not share that with you?”
“I told her the truth,” Logan assured Melissa. “I told you, I might be a cad, but I’m an honest one.”
“He’s rather proud of his exploits, isn’t he?” Melissa mused, directing the question to his mother.
“There was never any need for Geoffrey to tattle on him,” his mother replied. “He would tattle on himself. And what’s more, he was happy to do it.”
“I wouldn’t say I was happy,” Logan said. “I was just,” he shrugged, “not very sorry I did them. Besides, it always worked out in the end. You’re glad to be with me now, aren’t you Melissa?”
“You already know the answer to that,” Melissa replied, her face warming. His mother and Geoffrey were watching her, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to go into too much detail about their private affairs.
“She loves me,” Logan told his mother, his smile widening. “So you see, it all worked out for the best.”
Melissa’s face went from warm to hot. Yes, it was true. She’d told him as much in the carriage, but did he have to blurt it out to everyone?
“That’s enough, Logan,” his mother admonished as she patted Melissa’s back. “Give your bride a chance to get comfortable with us before you embarrass her.” She turned to Melissa. “Don’t trouble yourself with what he’s saying. We know he has a tendency to speak before thinking.” With a smile, she added, “I’m glad you came out here to meet us. You sound like a lovely person from what he wrote about you.”
A lovely person by what he wrote about her? Now Melissa couldn’t help but wonder what he did put in those missives.
“You can talk about how much of a cad I am while I’m gone.” Logan leaned forward and helped Geoffrey to his feet. “Where do you want to walk?” he asked his brother.
“Stables,” Geoffrey mumbled. “See horses.”
“Yes, we’ll do that.”
Melissa couldn’t help but be touched by the tender care Logan showed his brother. She didn’t think it was possible for someone to have so many sides to him. Logan was a very complex gentleman.
“Before we go,” Logan continued, “there are a couple of new people I need to introduce you, Mother, and our sisters to.” He placed a hand on Geoffrey’s arm to stop him from bolting out of the room. “We’ll follow the ladies.”
Geoffrey fidgeted a bit but stopped.
“This is Melissa,” Logan told him, gesturing to her. “She’s your sister-in-law.”
Geoffrey blinked and stared at her, as if really noticing her for the first time, even though he’d seen her when she came in. Hoping her apprehension didn’t show, she smiled. “Hello, Geoffrey.”
He offered a slight smile but then turned back to Logan. “Walk. Horses.”
“Right,” Logan said. “We’ll do that in a moment.” His gaze went to his mother and Melissa. “Ladies first.”
Melissa joined his mother and went to the entryway where Marybeth and Isabella were waiting by the new staff members. Marybeth was asking one of the lady’s maids if she knew how to weave flowers into hair. Amused, Melissa chuckled under her breath. Logan had told her his family enjoyed flowers, so it fit the girl would want them in her hair.
“To help you out, Mother, I have given Geoffrey a valet,” Logan said and motioned to the gentleman who bowed. “I explained everything to him, so you needn’t go through the trouble. Then, of course, these lady’s maids are for you, Isabella and Marybeth.”
Geoffrey shifted and whispered, “Horses, Logan.”
“We can take care of things from here, my dear,” his mother told Logan. “Geoffrey will settle down after he’s been outside.”
“You’re right.” Logan glanced at Melissa. “I shouldn’t be more than an hour.”
“Take your time,” she replied. “It’s a nice day. There’s no reason to rush things.”
He returned her smile then led Geoffrey outside, and she watched him as he went, finding it rather endearing her cad of a husband had such a kind heart.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“You really don’t like embroidery?” Marybeth asked Melissa the next morning while they sat in the drawing room.
Logan glanced at his lovely wife who was sipping tea. He couldn’t help but notice she chose to sit next to him rather than sit in a chair next to one of his sisters or his mother. It was one thing for her to sit with him in a carriage when they were alone, but it meant more when she chose to do it in front of others. It made their newfound companionship that much more real, and he liked that.
“Embroidery’s all right,” Melissa replied after she drank her tea. “I do it when I’m bored.”
Marybeth, who just so happened to be working on one of her embroidery projects, laughed. “I can’t imagine ever being bored of this. I have the most fun when I’m creating something beautiful that didn’t exist before. Then Isabella makes the frames and paints them, so I can put them on the wall.”
“You should show Melissa your bedchamber,” Logan said then glanced at his wife. “She has one wall almost covered with them.”
“That many?” Melissa’s eyebrows rose in interest. “When did you start, Marybeth?”
“Mother taught me when I was seven,” she said.
“And she’s been doing little else ever since,” his mother added.
From upstairs came a frantic scream, followed shortly by hurried footsteps down the stairs. Logan jumped to his feet and gestured for his mother to remain sitting. He’d handle this. No doubt Geoffrey was startled and needed some comforting. His mother had to tend to these outbursts when he was gone in London. The least he could do was take over while he was here. She shot him a grateful look. The poor lady. She was getting too old to be doing so much for Geoffrey. If nothing else, the valet would be a much needed help to her.
Geoffrey bumped into him just as he made it out of the drawing room. Geoffrey pointed toward his bedchamber. “Stranger,” he mumbled. “Had…had…” He blinked several times then touched his beard. “Had…a…uh….” After a moment, he made cutting motions with his fingers.
“Scissors,” Logan said for him.
“Yes, yes.”
The valet came around the corner of the hallway and slowed as he approached. “My lord, forgive me. I didn’t mean to scare your brother.”
“It’s all right,” Logan assured him. “I know you meant no harm. He probably forgot who you were.” Logan had taken the time to go into Geoffrey’s bedchamber with the valet before they ate, but he hadn’t thought he should do so again after the meal. “For the rest of the week while I’m here, I’ll go with you whenever you need to help him. I’m sure by then, he’ll remember you.” Logan turned to his brother and gave him a comforting pat on the back. “It’s all right, Geoffrey. Roger’s your valet. He was going to trim your beard. He wasn’t going to hurt you.”
Geoffrey looked at his valet then shook his head.
“What if I went with you?” Logan asked. “Will you let him trim your beard?”
Geoffrey shook his head.
“What if I trim it while he’s in the room?”
Giving another uncertain glance at the valet, he finally nodded.
“Once he gets used to you, it’ll be much easier,” Logan told Roger.
“I’ve worked with gentlemen in a similar state before,” Roger said. “I understand.”
Which was what made Roger the perfect gentleman for tending to his brother. Logan had been careful in selecting someone to help his mother with Geoffrey, and of all the valets he interviewed, Roger was the most qualified.
Logan led his brother up the stairs, and when they reached his bedchamber, he followed him to the chair. “How much do you want trimmed? You want to go for a clean shaven look or perhaps a mustache for a change of pace?”
Geoffrey’s eyebrows furrowed. “Mustache?”
Logan made a line across his upper lip to show his brother what he meant.
Geoffrey shook his head and patted his cheeks. “Keep all.”
“All right.” He pulled up a chair in front of his brother and picked up the scissors. Glancing at Roger, he said, “I forgot the cloth to tie around his neck so the hairs don’t get on his clothes.”
Roger nodded and retrieved the large folded cloth then gave it to Logan.
“I’m just going to put this around your neck and tuck it under your collar,” Logan told his brother. “Then I’m going to trim your beard. All right?”
Since Geoffrey nodded, Logan wrapped the cloth around his neck and proceeded to secure it. After he was done, he sat in front of him and handed his brother a hand mirror.
“You can watch what I’m doing as I cut the hair,” Logan said.
The next ten minutes passed without incident, and when Logan was done, Roger swept the hair off the floor and took the cloth.
“There,” Logan said and patted his brother on the shoulder. “You look like a new gentleman.” He turned to Roger. “Let’s have you try giving him a trim on the day before I leave. Maybe he’ll be used to you by then.”
“As you wish, my lord,” Roger replied.
“Outside,” Geoffrey said, putting the mirror on the table.
Turning his attention back to Geoffrey, he asked, “You want to walk or ride a horse?”
“Can’t ride,” he replied.
“You can’t ride if it’s just you, mother, and our sisters. But I’m here, and I can watch after you to make sure you’re safe.”
His brother’s eyes lit up, and he jumped to hi
s feet. “Ride.”
“Roger will get you a coat and boots suitable for riding. Will you let him help you put them on?”
Since Geoffrey nodded, Logan stepped aside and waited as Roger got him ready for riding.
When he was done, Logan said, “You did well, Geoffrey. Now, I want you to go to the drawing room and wait for me. I need to get into suitable clothes for our ride, all right?”
Again Geoffrey nodded, so Logan left to go to his bedchamber.
***
Melissa’s heart warmed as she watched Logan and Geoffrey ride their horses into the stable. It really was endearing to watch Logan take care of his brother. She wouldn’t have guessed he had such a tender side to him. And he was equally kind to his mother and sisters. He seemed like a completely different person than how he was in London.
Melissa stood outside with his mother and sisters, parasol in hand to protect her eyes from the bright sun. The day was perfect. Ideal even. And she hoped Logan might be willing to go for a walk with her despite having ridden his horse.
Melissa turned to his mother. “Your son has a good heart.” She lowered her voice so his sisters, who were gathering flowers nearby, wouldn’t overhear. “Between you and me, I didn’t think so highly of him when he created a scandal so I had to marry him.”
His mother shook her head, her gaze going heavenward. “He told me about that. I kept telling him he could find a wife without having to resort to creating a scandal, but he didn’t believe me.”
“I think he doesn’t realize his worth.”
“No, he doesn’t.” She paused then added, “I know he has a tendency to act in ways that can try a person’s patience, but deep down, he cares about people. It just takes time to see it.”
Melissa nodded then turned her attention back to the gentlemen as they came out of the stable. “Would you mind if I took a stroll with Logan?”
“You don’t need my permission to go for a walk with him,” his mother teased, the same sparkle in her eye Melissa often saw in Logan’s.
Melissa’s lips curled up in amusement. Now she knew where Logan got his sense of humor. “I know I don’t, but I want to be sure you don’t need him for a while. Like earlier when Geoffrey wanted his beard trimmed, and Logan had to do it.”
Ruined by the Earl (Marriage by Deceit Book 3) Page 18