Ruined by the Earl (Marriage by Deceit Book 3)

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  ***

  “You’re not going to sleep in the same room with me?” Melissa asked as the middle-aged innkeeper went to collect their luggage.

  Logan turned to her, eyebrow raised. “Disappointed?”

  Warmth crept up her neck. She didn’t dare respond, especially since the innkeeper’s wife was approaching.

  “Good evening, my lord and lady” the wife greeted with a curtsey. “Will you have dinner brought to your rooms?”

  “Yes, thank you,” Logan told her and, with a smile, bowed. “Your kindness is much appreciated.”

  “Oh, my lord,” the lady said with a giggle as she waved her hand at him, “you’re a charmer. I wager you make all the ladies weak in the knees with that smile of yours.” She turned to Melissa and whispered, “You better keep an eye on that one. He’s much too good looking for his own good.”

  Melissa glanced over at Logan, noting his curiosity. Well, if he thought she was going to tell him what the innkeeper’s wife just told her, he had another thing coming. Deciding not to say anything, Melissa followed the lady up the stairs.

  The lady opened the door to the first room on the left and gestured to it. “This will be yours, Lady Toplyn. I hope you find it acceptable.”

  Melissa scanned the simple room with a bed, vanity, and writing desk. The open window overlooked the green landscape, and Melissa was relieved to feel the breeze that made it just the right temperature. “It’ll do perfectly, thank you.”

  “You’re most welcome,” the lady said.

  Her husband came in with Melissa’s trunk and valise and set them down. “I’ll bring yours up in a moment,” he told Logan before leaving.

  The lady motioned for Logan to follow her. “Your room is across the hall.”

  Though Melissa hadn’t been beckoned to join them, she did anyway. Logan’s room was similar to hers, except his didn’t have the breeze blowing into it. He had asked the innkeeper to give her the best room, and she had to admit, she much preferred the cooler one, especially this time of year.

  “I’ll bring up your dinners,” she told them and curtsied again before she left.

  Logan chuckled and loosened his cravat. “She’s adorable, isn’t she?”

  “You think she’s adorable?” Melissa asked.

  “Jealous?” he replied, his tone indicating he’d like her to be.

  “She’s twice your age. I hardly think I have anything to worry about…” Recalling Lord Waxman, her voice drifted off. Lord Waxman hadn’t let age deter him from scanning a lady’s backside. “Never mind.”

  She got ready to leave his room, but he darted in front of her, grinning widely. “You do care about me.”

  “I said nothing of the sort,” she replied.

  “Maybe not in words, but your expression clearly indicated you weren’t too pleased when she called me charming.”

  With a nonchalant shrug, she said, “My parents think you’re charming, too.”

  His smile widened. “Do they?”

  She rolled her eyes. “I shouldn’t tell you these things. You’ll only let the compliment go to your head.”

  She made a move to go around him, but he blocked the doorway. “The only person I care about is you, my sweet lilac.”

  “Lilac? I thought I was a rose. Or a wildflower or a buttercup.”

  “Lilac applies as well. They’re sweet flowers with a pleasant fragrance, and—what’s more—they can symbolize love. Do you love me, Melissa?”

  She didn’t know if he was joking or serious. He had a playful manner about him, but there was an underlying need in his eyes she’d never seen before in anyone. For the first time, it occurred to her he had a longing to be loved, and deeply so, by a lady who could be his equal. A wife who couldn’t stand up to him wouldn’t have satisfied him. No, he wanted someone who had her own mind and wasn’t afraid to let him know it. No wonder he enjoyed the fact that she wore a black dress at their wedding.

  Someone cleared his throat, and Logan glanced over his shoulder then quickly moved aside. “My apologies, my good man,” he said, waving the innkeeper into his room. “I didn’t hear you coming up the stairs.”

  “No worries, my lord,” the innkeeper said as he brought the trunk to the corner of the room.

  Melissa wondered if that book Logan took on pleasuring a lady might be in that trunk. He hadn’t carried it onto the carriage, and since it wasn’t in his desk at the townhouse, he had to have taken it with him for this trip.

  “I should see to it that the others are taken care of for the night,” Logan told her, interrupting her thoughts.

  She turned her attention back to him as the innkeeper headed down the hallway.

  Logan walked over to her and lowered his voice. “You should get into something more comfortable.” With a wicked grin, he cupped her breasts in his hands, and despite her better intentions, she shivered in pleasure. “I assure you, I have no desire for anyone but you, my red rose.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her, his tongue brushing her lower lip. Perhaps she ought to push him away. He was, after all, doing this while the door was open. But she heard no one in the hallway and knew, for the moment at least, they were alone. And his thumbs brushed her nipples in the most enticing way.

  So she parted her lips and encouraged him to deepen the kiss. His tongue swept her mouth, and she let out a light moan. How was it possible such a simple thing like a kiss and caress could make parts of her tingle so much? Indeed, she hadn’t even been aware her body was capable of such delight until recently. A now-familiar ache settled between her legs, and she had the most ridiculous hope he might shut the door and take her to the bed.

  But he didn’t. To her disappointment, he ended the kiss and set his hands back at his sides. “I have to make sure the coachmen, valets and lady’s maids are all settled for the evening.” With a wink, he headed for the door. “Try not to miss me too much while I’m gone.”

  She bit her lower lip as he left. Her gaze went to the trunk. Did she dare look inside it and see if the book was really there? She clenched and unclenched her hands. It would be snooping. Definitely snooping. And she wasn’t sure she could justify it.

  Of course, she could. That book had to do with her. It was all about pleasing a lady in bed, and she was the lady Logan was trying to please. Well…trying wasn’t the right word. He already knew how to bring her to completion.

  But there was more to it than simply her completion. She briefly recalled finding something about the gentleman getting something called an erection. Apparently, it could be rubbed up against a part of her that could be quite enjoyable.

  And that was why she needed to read that book. How was she going to adequately understand the rest of what Logan planned to do to her unless she did? But also, she wondered why he hadn’t done anything with her in bed the night before when he had the chance.

  She hurried to the doorway and listened for Logan’s voice. A few seconds later, she heard him talking to the innkeeper. Good. He was distracted. But she needed to be fast. Who knew how long it’d take him to make arrangements for the servants that came with them?

  She closed the door and rushed over to the trunk. When she opened it, she inspected the neatly folded clothes. He hadn’t brought much, but then, they were only going to stay at his estate for a week. But since the book wasn’t in plain sight, she would have to search for it. This could be a bit tricky. If she wasn’t careful, she’d mess up the nice clothes, and that would give her activities away.

  She removed her gloves then gently moved the clothes aside, trying not to blush as she realized some of what she was touching pertained to Logan’s undergarments. Yes, she was married to him, but she wasn’t comfortable with him enough to touch such personal items yet.

  But she pushed through the embarrassment and searched the entire contents until she found what she was looking for. The book was well hidden. She doubted his valet even knew he’d packed it. That was just as well. She didn’t want the valet knowing ei
ther.

  After making sure his clothes were in impeccable order, she shut the lid and grabbed her gloves. Then she scurried out of the room and went to hers, slamming the door behind her. By the time she was sitting at the desk, her heart was racing so fast, she could hardly breathe. She wasn’t meant for a life of crime. Just taking this book was hard enough.

  But what if he searched for it when he returned to his room? She gasped and clutched the book to her chest. It would definitely put her in an awkward position.

  Well, she’d need to distract him. Maybe she’d juggle for him until he fell asleep. Yes, that would work. And if he got bored watching, she’d teach him until he was too tired to go on. Then she’d let him sleep in this room. And while he slept, she’d return the book. Then in the morning, he’d be none the wiser.

  Yes! The plan was perfect. She could definitely do it, and he wouldn’t suspect a thing. Relieved, she leaned back in the chair.

  There was a knock at her door, and she quickly set the book in the drawer of the desk and shut it. She ran over to the door and flung it open. When she saw it was the innkeeper’s wife holding a tray with food on it, she relaxed.

  “Where would you like me to put this, my lady?” the innkeeper’s wife asked.

  “Over on the desk will be fine.”

  Then, recalling what she’d put in the drawer, her face went warm. She was sure the innkeeper’s wife saw her blush, but to her credit, she didn’t say anything as she placed the tray on the desk.

  The lady made it halfway to the door before she turned back to Melissa. “Lord Toplyn won’t be having dinner in his room. The carriage needs some repairs, so he’s overseeing those. He sends his apologies and says he’ll come by at his earliest convenience.”

  “Oh.” Then Melissa forced out, “Do you know when he might be ready to see me?”

  “He shouldn’t be any more than an hour,” she replied.

  Melissa nodded and waited for her to close the door before she went over to the desk and pulled out the book from the drawer. She didn’t have much time. The repairs on the carriage came at the perfect time, and she wasn’t going to waste it. Now she could return the book before he got back as long as she didn’t tarry. Opening the book, she started reading in earnest.

  Chapter Twenty

  After his evening meal, Logan thought about going to his room, but he decided he’d rather see Melissa first. Maybe it was silly, but he missed her, which was surprising since he spent the entire day with her. Undoubtedly, she was tired of him and was relieved when he asked for separate rooms. He figured he could allow her a reprieve from him tonight. Perhaps tomorrow night, too. But once they were at his estate, he fully intended to be in bed with her again, and with any luck, he’d find her willing to remove her clothes.

  He knocked on the door. When she opened it, he noted she was flushed. And more than that, she still wore the clothes she’d had on when they arrived.

  “I thought you were going to be here a half hour ago,” she told him. “The innkeeper explained you had to oversee the repairs of the carriage.”

  “Yes,” he said as he stepped into the room. “I thought it might be best if we didn’t end up stranded on the side of the road tomorrow. The wheels were in worse shape than I thought.”

  “They were that bad?”

  “Yes.” He sat on her bed and took off his hat, placing it beside him. “Why didn’t you change yet? Hasn’t your lady’s maid been by?”

  “Oh,” she shrugged, “I was tired and took a nap, so I asked her not to disturb me.”

  “I was tired when we got here, but now I’m wide awake.”

  And now with everything taken care of with the servants, the carriages, and horses, he had nothing to occupy his mind. That left him free to think of Melissa and all the things he wanted to do with her. But he had told himself he wasn’t going to do anything while they were taking this trip. It was enough she wasn’t throwing him out of her room.

  “Did you already eat?” he asked.

  “Yes. Did you?”

  “Downstairs. I figured there was no point in coming all the way up here just to eat.” Then, with a wicked grin, he added, “Miss me?”

  As he expected, she let out that cute little huff, but even so, she didn’t look annoyed with him. That was a promising sign.

  An awkward silence fell between them. She was still standing by the open door, watching him as if she expected him to leave. But he didn’t want to leave. All through dinner, he’d been looking forward to spending more time with her. She might not want his companionship, but he wanted hers. If only he could find some reason to stay longer…

  Finally, he recalled her parents mentioning she liked to juggle. Inspired, he said, “I’d like to see you juggle.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “What?”

  “Your parents said you’re good at it, and you were too shy to show me before.”

  “I wasn’t shy.”

  “All right. You were too upset.” He much preferred to think she’d been too shy. “But since we had a pleasant day together, I thought perhaps you’d delight me with a show.”

  He gave her what he hoped was a smile so sweet she couldn’t bring herself to say no. Fortunately, it worked. She let out a sigh and shut the door. Good. Now he could stay longer.

  She scanned the area. “I suppose I can use a couple items from my valise.”

  She went over to the vanity and opened the bag. After some rummaging around, she pulled out a handheld mirror, a brush, and a small bottle of perfume.

  “I can do larger items, but these will work,” she said.

  “The brush and mirror aren’t that small.”

  “No, but they aren’t that impressive when showing someone what I can juggle.”

  “What is impressive to juggle?”

  She looked at him in amusement. “Believe it or not, I once juggled knives.”

  “I don’t believe it.”

  “It’s true. All I did was make sure I only touched the handles.”

  That was all she did? He wouldn’t juggle knives. Ever. Whether he was sure he could avoid the blades or not was beside the point. It was simply too dangerous to even try. “In the future, I hope you’ll refrain from juggling with knives.”

  “But it was fun,” she argued. “I admit it gave me a good chuckle. Everyone in my family went pale, and my mother kept calling for smelling salts. Malcolm even forbade me to ever do it again, saying I had no business doing something so dangerous.”

  “As much as I hate to agree with your brother, this is one thing I fully support.”

  She shook her head then started to juggle. “Don’t tell me you’re boring.”

  Offended, he said, “I’m not boring.” Granted, her brother was boring, but he definitely wasn’t.

  She giggled. “You’re surprisingly stuffy when it comes to what I juggle. What was all this talk about me thinking for myself and doing what I want regardless of what others think?”

  “You can’t compare independent thought to juggling with knives.”

  “Well…”

  Noting she seemed to want to say more, he encouraged her to continue.

  “If I tell you the truth, you must keep it a secret,” she said.

  He caught the sparkle in her eyes. Intrigued, he stood up and walked over to her, mindful to not get too close to the objects she was juggling. “Is this something only you know?”

  “Yes.”

  Ah…a secret that not even Malcolm knew? This sounded very promising. “All right. I won’t tell a soul. What dark deed did you do?”

  She smirked and glanced at him. “It wasn’t a dark deed. The knives weren’t real. They only looked real.”

  “That’s a relief.”

  “Really, Logan, I’m surprised at you. For a cad, you’re no fun.”

  “Tossing knives around isn’t fun. It’s dangerous.”

  “And danger can be exciting as long as you know what you’re doing. When I was at the circus last time, I saw
a man juggle fire and knives. These knives were real, too. I went up to him after the show and asked to see them.”

  “Since you don’t work in a circus, you have no need to juggle with such things.”

  “Why, my lord,” she began with a teasing gleam in her eye, “if I didn’t know better, I’d say you actually cared about me.”

  He knew she was being playful. But something in her comment made his heartbeat pick up, and he wasn’t sure why. Clearing his throat, he said, “Teach me to juggle.”

  “You can’t learn how to juggle in one night. It takes time.”

  “Fine. So you can give me several lessons.” He shot her a grin and added, “I certainly wouldn’t mind a beautiful teacher.”

  She stopped juggling, and he couldn’t help but be impressed with the ease at which she caught all the items. He suspected that while she made it look easy, it was harder than it looked.

  “How long have you been juggling?” he asked.

  “I learned when I was ten.” She placed her items on the vanity then searched her valise for something else. “I can juggle more than three things, and, I assure you, I could juggle real knives if I wanted to.”

  He didn’t really like the way she kept going back to those blasted knives, but he forced back a reprimand in case she would do it just because he told her not to.

  She brought out a small, round reticule. “This isn’t as good as a ball, but it’ll do for your first lesson.”

  When she handed it to him, he asked, “Where are the other two objects?”

  “You only need one when starting out.”

  “All right. So, what do I do?”

  “Throw the reticule from one hand to another, like you saw me throw the items just a moment ago. But you shouldn’t watch the reticule. That can be distract—”

  “If I don’t watch the reticule, how will I know when to catch it with my free hand?” he interrupted.

  “Juggling is about instinct, Logan. You are supposed to be aware of the items without watching them. After enough practice, you will be able to juggle without thinking about it.”