Page 34 of The Rules of Courtship
“Yes, let’s do that,” Jane agreed, already pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve with an embellished corner.
“Who is interested in joining?” Catherine said, commanding the group. “If so, place your forfeits on the card table.”
Ruth was not. She knew a few of the constellations, but all she wanted now was to find a way to confront Oliver. She searched foran excuse to leave that would not be obvious or incite gossip, while each other member of the younger set came forward and set an item on the card table. Mr. Kellinger was lost in conversation with Lord Rocklin, while Mr. Watson appeared to already have dozed off in the wingback chair near the fire. Lady Helena and Mrs. Watson were still chatting, unaware of the competition developing around them.
“Miss Wycliffe?” Mr. Bailey asked, approaching her. “Will you join us?”
What could she say now? She stood, gathering her stepmother’s attention briefly. “I would love to.”
She pulled one of her gloves free and set it on the table just as the door to the drawing room opened and Oliver stepped in. Her breath stumbled, their eyes catching before he swiftly looked away.
Hurt sliced through her. What had she done?
“Mr. Rose!” Catherine said, a little too excitedly. “Will you join us? We are having a competition with the constellations, and you must put a forfeit on the card table to join.”
He cleared his throat. “Yes.”
The French doors sat ajar, and people were already milling outside. “Shall we?” Mr. Bailey asked.
“Yes, thank you.” Ruth took his arm, and they stepped around Oliver, who was looking at the forfeited items.
Catherine, Emily, and Jane stood at the balustrade of the balcony and leaned forward, looking out at the night sky. Samuel and Mr. Edmonds did not seem as eager.
“How do you intend to make this a competition?” Mr. Bailey asked, pulling Ruth toward the group.
“Each of us will count as many constellations as we can in two minutes, and the person with the highest number who can name them all wins,” Jane said, then looked to her sister for confirmation. “That is what we decided, yes?”
Catherine nodded, still looking at the sky. “Though each ofus can take a forfeit. We will go in order of how many constellations we can each count. “
“It’s unfortunate I only know about three then,” Ruth muttered.
Mr. Bailey laughed. “Which item did you place on the table, Miss Wycliffe? I know more than three.”
He wanted her forfeit. The way he looked down at her now, she didn’t know if she wanted him to have it—not if he was in love with Emily. But she’d seen another glove on the table. Emily had put down a right hand, so Ruth had put down a left.
“A glove,” she said, raising her hand to show her fingers. She slipped the second one off so it wouldn’t be obvious which of the dinner gloves sitting on the card table was hers.
Mr. Bailey smiled.
“Is everyone ready?” Catherine asked.
Murmurs of assent rose from the group as Oliver stepped outside and all the way to the balustrade, resting a hand on the railing. The ghostly moonlight lit his frown, making Ruth wonder what the devil was the matter with him, and why would he not speak to her? Had she done something?
“You have two minutes to find as many as you can. Begin!” Catherine called.
Ruth stepped toward the balustrade, coming to stand beside Oliver. “There’s no point in anyone else looking. Not with you playing.”
He tensed, but he didn’t turn in her direction.
“Unless you do not intend to reveal how well you know the constellations for some gentlemanly reason,” she pressed.
“I hadn’t planned anything like that,” he said, not turning his face away from the sky. His tone delivered the words as if it was a foregone conclusion.
“How would I know? You haven’t spoken to me in days.” It was immature of Ruth. She could recognize that. But shewanted to force him to explain what she had done to so wholly offend him.
Oliver glanced at her, his dark eyebrows pulled together. “I was not avoiding you, Ruth.”
She turned on him, hoping her expression challenged him as much as her heart did. Of course he had been avoiding her. How could he possibly claim otherwise? She was used to being one of the first people he looked to with a smile when he entered a room. He hadn’t looked at her properly since they’d met in the garden. For the life of her, Ruth could not understand what she had done wrong.
