Page 19 of The Rules of Courtship
Oliver laughed, the deep sound ringing through the air. He straightened in the saddle. “Because you cannot abide anyone else telling you what to do. Everything about this plan is contrary to what makes you comfortable.”
She felt like an apple. He had sliced her in half, revealing the seeds and wormholes and brown bruised segments. She wanted to put both halves together again and hide her imperfections.
“This could be good for both of us,” he said into the silence, looking over her shoulder. Birds called in the distance, but the world was otherwise asleep, no witnesses to their agreement. “For your first task, I would like you to accept Samuel’s next offer, whether it is to take you in to dinner tonight or to partner him in a game of whist. Whatever it is, you will accept him.”
Of course. Realization dawned on her.Thiswas his motivation. Ruth rebelled against the idea instinctively. She had spent years avoiding giving Samuel any hope. But Eliza had made a fair point when they’d spoken outside of the church, and perhaps this was what both Ruth and Samuel needed for Samuel to accept that they were not a good pair.
Ruth could even use that time to her advantage, expounding upon the Temple twins’ greater accomplishments and beauty in the hopes of directing him toward a suitable woman. A man who dressed as Samuel did surely wanted a wife who would match his enthusiasm for clothing, at the very least.
Agreeing to Oliver’s proposal could accomplish all the goals she had come here with. It was perfect.
“What are you scheming?” Oliver asked.
“Nothing.” She flashed him a smile. “Shall we race back to the stables? The sun is out now, so we should see well enough.”
He didn’t look convinced, but nodded. “Very well.”
“Go!” she called without giving him a chance to situate himself beside her. She commanded her borrowed horse to fly down the hill and over the fields. Wind whipped against herface, cleansing her troubling feelings and making her feel whole again.
Ruth was unfamiliar with the terrain, but the horse knew the grounds well. It was no match in strength and speed for Oliver’s horse, however. He overtook them just before they reached the house, taking the win by a nose.
Ruth laughed, her breaths heavy, energy coursing through her. She grinned at Oliver and found him smiling back, his green eyes bright from the exercise. Something happened in that moment, a tug on Ruth that tethered her to Oliver. Her feverish thoughts lowered to a simmer, her gaze caught on Oliver in a way she could not break. They breathed heavily in time, sharing a look that was heady and unidentifiable.
“Ah, it appears I’ve missed you,” Mr. Bailey said, stepping out of the stables and cutting through the moment with a scythe. His long, dark coat billowed in the gentle breeze. His dark hair was hidden beneath a black hat, throwing a shadow over his features. She could not easily see his eyes.
“We’ve been to see the sunrise,” Oliver said, further breaking the connection. “Ruth could easily be persuaded to continue riding, I’m sure.”
Mr. Bailey’s gaze swung to her, his head tilting back to make his deep chocolate eyes more visible. “Is that true?”
Her breaths were still heaving, her body jittery from residual feelings. She swallowed, doing her best to sound natural and not at all affected. “It is easier to keep me on a horse than convince me off of one,” she conceded.
“Splendid. Shall we ride toward the stream? It is a lovely bit of land. If the hill was your aim, you would not have seen it.”
“I would like that.”
Oliver started to turn his horse around, coming up beside her. He didn’t seem in the least affected by the moment they’d shared. In fact, she could easily believe it had been one-sided. “Shall we all go together?” he asked innocently.
Mr. Bailey looked prepared to object.
Ruth felt torn. Immediately, she wanted Oliver at her side. But if he was forever with her, how would she strengthen her relationships with other gentlemen? She used to ride frequently with Oliver. Sometimes they’d be accompanied by a groom, sometimes not. They’d grown closer over those rides, and a conversation without him present was more likely to make headway than if he joined them.
She opened her mouth to gently object when Mr. Bailey gave a nod of consent. “I will fetch a horse. If you’d be so kind as to wait for me.”
Ruth smiled until he disappeared around the corner, then turned a wide-eyed look at Oliver. “Join us? I thought I was meant to be courting all the eligible gentlemen.”
Oliver’s chin dipped down, his eyebrows lifting. “All of them?”
“The eligible ones,” she repeated, in case he had not heard that part.
“Yes, well, I cannot in good conscience allow you to ride off with that man without a chaperone. We hardly know him.”
“Yetwedo not need a chaperone?”
“That is different,” Oliver said. “You said so yourself: we are more akin to brother and sister.”
Why did his voice sound like it held an edge of bitterness? Ruth stared, uncertain whether she disliked his implications or his control more. “You have no authority over my choices.”
“No, but I care about your safety, and I’d dearly like to see this stream.”
