A Wedding in Springtime (18 page)

“And this makes her happy?”

“Yes, quite.”

“Astonishing.”

“That is why I am convinced taking in little Jem here will no doubt make you happy,” said Genie with a smile.

“No doubt,” mumbled Grant as he witnessed the death of a row of poppies under Jem’s tireless feet. “If you miss the delights of the country, you are welcome to the garden any time you like,” said Grant with a magnanimous sweep of his arm.

“But your mother and sisters…”

“My sisters are all married and my parents are in Hertfordshire for an extended stay. M’sister is expecting and my mother is in attendance, though she was put out that my youngest sister chose the middle of the season to bring her firstborn into the world.”

Jem raced past them with a stick in hand, batting at the flying petals.

Grant shook his head. “Going to need help taming this creature.”

“I will stand by your side,” agreed Genie. “What will your mother say when she returns to find Jem?”

Jem took his stick and whacked at the tree branches to make more petals fly into the air.

“Don’t want to know,” answered Grant in all honesty.

“Let’s see if we can get him cleaned,” said Genie. “Jem?”

The boy immediately left his game and came obediently, the picture of compliance.

“Jem, you are going to need a bath if you are to stay here.”

The boy shook his head violently.

“I know you are afraid, but how about if you could give yourself a bath, without anyone watching or attacking you with a scrub brush. Would that be acceptable?”

Jem nodded enthusiastically and soon the arrangements were made. The household staff were none too happy to see Jem again, but a private bathing room was provided without too much fuss. It was clear none of the staff were interested in trying to bathe him in the kitchen again.

With the organizing and managing, Genie entered Grant’s home through the garden door and it seemed perfectly natural, albeit unconventional, for Grant to offer a light tea in the parlor.

“I should really return soon,” said Genie, taking another bite of a scone still warm from the oven. “They will surely miss me soon.”

“And I will miss you as soon as you leave.”

“This cannot be proper.”

“Probably not.” In truth, Grant knew it was not. He had never entertained a lady in his sitting room. He had entertained ladies, surely, but he had an apartment in Town for that sort of thing. His mother’s sitting room was, well, his mother’s sitting room. It was not a place to bring young ladies. He was on shaky ground with Miss Talbot, but he in no way wished her to leave.

“So, your mother is with your sister?” asked Genie, taking another warm scone. It was not for nothing the Grant household employed the best chef in London.

“Yes, I have five elder sisters. All now happily married.”

“I have two elder brothers and two younger. I did find it a bit difficult to be the only girl in a house of boys. Did you find this also to be the case?”

“The only boy in a world of females?” Grant gave a mischievous grin. “Never was there a boy more coddled. My parents waited fifteen years before I finally made an appearance. As the only son, considerably younger than my sisters, I was prized, spoiled, and utterly bossed about by my six mothers.”

Genie smiled. “It does not sound too terribly bad.”

“It was not, I confess. I was never at a loss for amusements.”

“Then why, please forgive me if it is impolite to ask these things of a self-proclaimed rake, but why have you decided never to marry?”

“Ah, yes, marriage. Well, perhaps you have no understanding, since you were not raised with sisters, but in a household of five elder sisters, there was nothing more important or spoken of with more fervor or at more length than the topic of matrimony. My sisters must be wed, of course, and the prospect of their subsequent entries onto the marriage mart comprised my entire upbringing. By the time I reached my majority, I was rather tired of the whole conversation.”

“Still, it seems a bit drastic to declare never to wed.”

“Had to. Only thing I could do. Have you any idea how tiring it is to have six matchmakers parading potential brides before you like an auction at Tattersall’s?”

Genie considered the urgent focus on finding her a husband and nodded. “I think I may understand you.”

“The ladies were getting insistent. They even tried arranging situations to entrap me. My own mother even tried to force my hand to marry the daughter of a marquis. It was a sly game, I confess, but they did not expect me to jump from the balcony.”

“You jumped from the balcony?”

“Indeed I did. I was trapped on the balcony with a young lady screaming that I was molesting her and tearing her own bodice. What else was I to do?”

“Were you hurt?”

“Broke my ankle but still managed to run down the street until I found Thornton. Hid at his castle in Scotland for the rest of the season.”

“That is horrible. No wonder you have a fear of debutantes.”

“Dreadful fear, I’m afraid.”

“But what about me? You are sitting quite alone with me. Should you not be afraid that I might cry that you have made violent love to me and entrap you into marriage?”

“Might you be willing to allow me to make violent love to you?” Grant asked, moving from his seat to sit beside her on the couch. Their clandestine kiss was still fresh in his memory. It had not been the most passionate or skilled kiss he had ever enjoyed, but at present, hers were the only lips he wished to taste again.

Genie laughed and turned away, smoothing her skirts in a nervous fashion. “Am I to be frightened? I cannot imagine that you would molest me in your mother’s sitting room.”

“True. You are aware of my partiality for trees.”

Genie’s color heightened and she deftly redirected the conversation from the dangerous topic of trees. “Seems too benign of a parlor for a scene of seduction.”

“Truly? You are an expert on seduction? What are they teaching farmers’ daughters these days?”

“I am somewhat an expert if you must know,” said Genie, turning back to him with a sly grin. “I have secretly read many gothic novels, and I can say with every assurance that seductions do not happen in front parlors.”

“You don’t say. Do go on. Where must I linger for an appropriate seduction?”

“First, it must be night. Always night. Second, there must be a thick layer of mist. Third, you should really be wandering through a moor or a graveyard.”

“Wait, wait, how am I going to get a young lady to go out into a graveyard at night so I can molest her properly?”

“I’m not exactly sure, but it seems to happen all the time in novels.”

“Your advice does not seem particularly sensible. How am I to put it into practice if you don’t tell me how to make the thing come about? What sensible young lady lets herself be lured out into the moors at night? Seems you would only be able to seduce young things without a brain in their heads.”

“I do not believe men are interested in the size of a lady’s intellect. In fact, I am sure men are only concerned with appearance. The novels are quite clear on this point. Alabaster skin is apparently a temptation no dark-hearted villain can resist. Drives them to insane lengths.”

“Now I must be driven insane? Really, Miss Talbot, your version of seduction is sounding less appealing by the minute.”

“And, of course, the villain must come to a horrific and most dreadful end.”

“Say no more!” Grant clanked down his cup for emphasis. “I hereby repent of any thoughts of seduction. Really now, running about in graveyards with brainless chits, going insane, meeting my doom. No, no, it’s all too much. I’d rather play whist with my mother.”

“Then I regret to inform you that you are not a true rogue.”

“I am very sorry to hear it.”

“Here we are,” said the housekeeper, leading in a clean boy, dressed in a skeleton suit and black boots. “I found these things of yours in the attic, Mr. Grant. I assumed you would not mind. The clothes he had on were not worth keeping. I put them in the burn pile.”

Jem, for Grant could now see that it was the scrawny imp they had sent to take a private bath, paraded proudly into the room. He was considerably cleaner, but his orange hair still stuck out in odd angles and he doubted very much he had washed it.

“Look, miss. Socks!” He pulled up a pant leg to show her.

“Yes, of course you must always wear your socks,” agreed Genie.

“Never had any before,” said Jem.

“Oh!” said Genie, touching Grant’s hand with hers. She met his eyes, and he knew at that moment he would never be the same.

Never had socks. The thought stilled Grant. He had lived his entire life in comfort and privilege, his only real difficulties being the avoidance of his marriage-minded sisters and mother. How many different pairs of socks had he owned in his life. Hundreds? Thousands? Had he ever once considered them as he put them on? No, never. Not once. He doubted he would ever look at a pair of socks the same way again.

“I shall see to it you will be provided with socks,” said Grant. “Now, sit here and have a scone. I need to take Miss Talbot back home. Afterward, report to the stables. They may be able to find some work for you. If you mind your manners and make yourself useful, I’ll see about letting you have some trifle for dessert.”

Jem’s eyes grew large. “I never had no trifle. Is it as good as they say?”

Grant leaned forward and said in a conspiratorial tone, “Better!”

Jem sat down to scones and Grant offered Genie his arm, leading her back into the garden. “You have a good way with him,” she said. “It is too bad you have set your mind against matrimony. You would have been a good father.”

“Have you been sent here by my mother and sisters to try to change my mind? Flattery will not serve your cause,” laughed Grant, yet the compliment circled around his heart and nestled in for a comfortable stay.

“Here we are at the garden gate,” said Grant. “Perhaps we can meet by the moonlight to whisper our love through a crack in the garden wall, my Pyramus to your Thisbe.”

Genie laughed. “I thought you had taken a dislike to romantic tragedies.”

“Ah, yes. They did both fall on their sword. I was thinking more of the delightful version told by Nick Bottom.”

“
Midsummer
Night’s Dream
? I am always game for a laugh, much to my shame, as you well know!”

“Yet there is no lady I would rather be with,” said Grant much too truthfully. He leaned a shoulder on the wall that divided their gardens and took her hand in his.

She stepped closer and gazed up at him with deep blue eyes that despite the coolness of the color danced with fire. Her lips, full and pink, beckoned him. He leaned down to indulge in a kiss but realized what he was doing and pulled back with a jerk.

“Sorry. My mistake. You are so beautiful I cannot seem to resist. Yet my intentions are less than honorable, so I must forbear!”

Genie’s breath came fast and her cheeks were flushed. It only added to her beauty. “So one must only kiss if one’s intentions are honorable?”

“In present company, it is a must I fear.”

“Then I should give you this.” In a flash, Genie wrapped her hands around his neck and pressed her lips to his. Fire shot through his body and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight.

She broke the kiss but did not pull away from his embrace. “My intentions are honorable,” she said, looking up at him through her lashes.

He could no longer resist. He kissed her. Not a chaste kiss one bestows upon a virginal debutante, but a hungry kiss of a man enflamed with lust. Her lips parted easily and he deepened the kiss, unable to stop himself from tasting the pleasures that had plagued his thoughts since he first kissed her under the tree. His hands roamed up and down her back until he cupped her backside and pressed her to him, knowing she must feel the full length of his regard for her.

“Whatcha doing?” asked the small voice of Jem.

“Oh!” exclaimed Genie and jumped away from Grant.

“Go on back to the parlor, Jem,” commanded Grant, biting back a curse for the person who dared separate him from his lady.

“Do I still get a trifle?”

“If you can get there now and stay there,” demanded Grant.

A rustling in the brush was the only evidence Jem had heeded the command.

“I fear we have been gone a while,” said Genie, her cheeks flushed. “How will we explain our absence?”

Grant took several deep breaths to cool his ardor. He needed to get himself under control to be seen in public. “Fortunately, I am not as attached to the truth as no doubt I should be. Leave it to me.”

Grant walked beside Genie back to Bremerton house, unsure how he felt. He was supposed to make young things feel confused and love struck, not the other way around. He had never been kissed by a society miss before. There had been young ladies who attempted to kiss him but only in an effort to get “caught” and thereby force a proposal. Genie had kissed him because she wanted him, not his name or his fortune.

When they entered Lady Bremerton’s sitting room, it was clear their absence had been noted, but before anyone could speak, Grant took the situation in hand.

“There you are!” Grant said to Marchford in an accusatory tone. “Where have you been? We have looked everywhere for you.”

“You were looking for us?” asked Marchford. “We have been looking for you! You have been missed for at least a half hour.”

“But this cannot be. We saw that you and Lady Louisa were no longer in the garden and went into the lane to look for you. We even took a stroll up and down the street, but we could never find you.”

“Ah, so that is where you were,” sighed Lady Bremerton in relief. “I see that there is no harm done, but next time, Genie, do tell me if you plan to leave the garden.”

“Yes, Aunt Cora,” said Genie obediently.

The gentlemen left shortly after, leaving Genie time to think upon her adventure with Mr. Grant. What could she have been thinking to so accost him? It may not be a graveyard at midnight, but she feared she was in very real danger of seduction.