Page 65 of The Rules of Courtship
“A fortnight from tomorrow,” Ryland explained. “But I shan’t keep you. Ruth, shall I see you home?”
“I have Jameson with me.”
“I can see you home,” he repeated.
Ruth gave Eliza an exaggerated head shake. “I think he would like to see me home. Can I bring you anything?”
“I will never refuse biscuits.”
“Then I will see you tomorrow.” Ruth reached for Eliza’s hand and gave it a soft squeeze before following her brother and Jacob outside. She dipped a curtsy to Jacob, then watched him retreat to his forge.
Jameson waited with both of their horses near the tree, so Ruth made her way toward him.
Ryland lifted his hat to run a hand through his dark auburn hair. “Ruth, I would like to speak to you. I was going to stop at your house after visiting with the Ridleys.”
“Oh?” She knew why he wanted to talk, but a conversation with her older brother about matters of the heart was not on her list of comfortable situations. She took her horse’s reins from the groom. “What about?”
“Ruth,” Ryland repeated.
She stopped and let out a sigh, dropping her arms from Rosaline’s reins.
“I was just at Boone Park,” he said.
Perhaps she did not know his intent after all. She glanced at him, trying to hide how interested she was in what he had to say. “How is Oliver?”
“Not well.”
“I offered to free him from the engagement, but he insists on keeping up the ruse for the time being.”
Ryland watched her closely. “He did not tell me it was a ruse.”
She shrugged. “Likely to save me the embarrassment.”
“I think you need to explain.”
“Can we ride while I do so?” she countered, taking Rosaline by the reins again. Jameson approached, his fingers laced to give her a step so she could boost herself into her saddle.
“Very well.”
They made their way onto the road and up the High Street, through the center of Harewood, allowing Ruth time to collect her thoughts. She had not hesitated to tell Eliza the truth of the situation, because Eliza was her dearest friend. She could not withhold the truth from her, and she had needed someone to confide in, someone she trusted to offer advice who knew the whole of it. Conversely, Ryland was arguably Oliver’s closest friend, and he had not done the same.
Did Ryland know the things Eliza had hinted at? Whatever secrets Oliver was keeping, something didn’t feel right.
“I am struggling to understand precisely what happened,” Ryland said when they had made it away from town and the curious people who might overhear. Jameson fell back, riding far enough behind them not to know what they spoke of. “I hadn’t any notion that either of you felt anything beyond friendship. And Oliver…well, he seemed overwhelmed.”
She drew in a breath, shoved aside her embarrassment, andexplained the entire ordeal to Ryland, culminating in Oliver’s advice to wait to break the engagement.
“If you love the man, tell him so,” Ryland said.
She had not admitted as much, but it should not have been too great a surprise that her brother could read her feelings as she’d explained what had happened. She hardly wanted to disclose that marriage to Oliver would be a different kind of torment if he did not feel equally about her. Ruth settled on another truth, instead. “It is hardly the time to worry about my future when his father is dying.”
Ryland nodded. “He does not take loss very well, either. The man has been left behind too many times already.” His voice held an edge of warning. Ruth had the impression he was cautioning her not to hurt his friend.
He needn’t have worried. If anyone would be breaking hearts, it certainly was not going to be Ruth.
“I look forward to your party,” she said, steering the conversation away.
“Will you give the details to our parents? I should be returning to Aurelia now. She is a master at wrangling the lads, but I do not like to leave her alone for long if I can help it.”
