Page 36 of The Rules of Courtship
“Very well.”
The circle widened, allowing more space for Miss Jane to complete her task. She stood, thinking for a moment, before putting one hand behind her back and the other forward, bent and waving, like it was coming from her face. She made a strange, guttural sound, and everyone stared at her.
“A bird?” Miss Edmonds asked.
“No.” Miss Jane repeated the guttural sound, like a moaning, dying animal. Oh, dear. It did not sound at all like she intended, he imagined.
“Are you a bear?” Mr. Bailey asked.
“No.”
It was obvious to Oliver what she was meant to be.
“An elephant?” Ruth asked.
“Yes!” Miss Jane dropped her arms. “I will take my brooch back, please.”
Oliver handed it to her. He ought to make his excuses now and sneak up to his room, but his watch was sitting on the table. He would have to wait until it was selected by someone else.
“Who is next?” Miss Temple asked. “I believe it was Mr. Edmonds, yes?”
They moved through the group, in the order of how many constellations they had spotted—and could identify—while the forfeits grew more ridiculous. Edmonds had selected Miss Temple’s handkerchief and forced her to recite a nursery rhyme while walking a straight line backwards. She did so without knocking into any furniture, impressively. Then Miss Edmonds had selected Samuel’s watch fob and had forced him to tell a story about the house party attendees. He had done an excellent job, of course, making everyone laugh—even Oliver.
Ruth had only sparked the smallest of smiles, however.
Miss Temple selected Edmonds and required him to stand onone foot while he recited a poem from memory. Mr. Bailey then approached the table, looking at the remaining items. He looked up at Ruth, and Oliver couldn’t help but see her blush in response when he reached for a glove.
“Whose glove is it?” Miss Temple asked. “The two look nearly identical.”
“I placed a left hand glove on the table,” Ruth said.
Miss Edmonds pulled out her glove to verify. “It is mine, if it is a right hand.”
Mr. Bailey took his time holding the dainty fingers up and pressing it against his hand. “Appears to be a right hand,” he said, affording Oliver no small amount of relief. Watching the man flirt with Ruth was maddening.
The last few items were claimed, Samuel taking Ruth’s glove and Miss Jane taking Mr. Bailey’s, leaving Oliver’s lone watch on the table and Ruth the last to choose.
His heart thudded. It was undeniable that things were strained between them at present. He held his breath, waiting to hear what she would say he needed to do. It was like her to come up with the most outlandish activities. She had once forced her brother to jump in the pond—in March. Ryland had done it, because she had held on to his boot until he’d completed his task.
With how Ruth felt at present, Oliver would not be surprised if she told him to walk along the balustrade on the balcony, or roll down the hill into the pond, or even kiss the candle, but switch a candle out for a cat’s paw once his eyes were closed.
Did the Temple twins own a cat? He certainly hoped not.
Ruth looked down at the pocket watch on the table, then to Oliver. “If you’d like your watch, you can walk across the rug with your eyes closed.”
Oliver waited. That was all? Surely she would add a complication. He had once been in the room when she’d requiredEliza, her dearest friend, to travel from one side of the room to the other without touching the floor.
Ruth blinked at him, and he found he didn’t appreciate her lack of enthusiasm.
“Wonderful.” Oliver moved toward the carpet. “Pardon me,” he said to Mrs. Watson and Lady Helena, seated on the sofa.
“Shall we move out of your way?” Lady Helena asked. She had been watching their game from afar, laughing at some of the antics in between her conversation with her friend.
“That isn’t necessary. You shouldn’t be in any danger on the sofa.” Oliver was capable of walking a straight line, at least. He stood at one end and shot Ruth a look before closing his eyes and walking across the carpet. “Tell me to stop before I reach the fireplace,” he said.
“Stop!” Lady Helena called with a clap of her hands. “Well done, Oliver.”
He hadwalked. Blindly, yes, but it had been only a few steps. There was no challenge at all to his forfeit. It was almost offensive that she would not put more thought into it.
