Page 37 of The Rules of Courtship
Ruth approached him while the rest of the group clapped. He held out his hand, and she dropped his pocket watch into it without raising her gaze to meet his eyes.
He wanted to say something, to stop her, but everyone in the room was looking at him. Instead, he watched her step around him and approach her mother.
“I am tired,” Ruth said quietly.
Lady Helena observed her. “Shall I come up with you?”
“Sarah will be with me,” Ruth said, smiling. “I will see you in the morning.”
“Good night, darling,” Lady Helena said, rising to kiss Ruth’s cheek.
Oliver watched her lips press briefly to Ruth’s skin and wished—very briefly—he could do the same. Gads, but heneeded to practice better control over his thoughts and his emotions.
“I believe I will do the same,” Samuel said, yawning.
“As will I,” Oliver said quickly.
“Oh, how odious of you, Mr. Harding,” Miss Jane said, pouting, while Ruth hurriedly slipped from the room. “I thought we were going to play Vingt-et-Un?”
“Will you forgive me?” Samuel asked.
Oliver felt a sense of urgency to follow Ruth, or he would miss the chance to speak to her. But Miss Jane and her flirtations weren’t finished for the evening.
“Very well,” Miss Jane said. “But I expect you to play twice as long tomorrow night to make up for it.”
“Tomorrow we will be dancing,” Miss Temple reminded her sister. “Father agreed to bring in Mrs. Hoover to play for us. It is all sorted already.”
“Then perhaps in the afternoon,” Samuel suggested.
Miss Jane beamed. “That would be splendid.
“I hope everyone will join us,” Samuel said before bowing to the group and turning toward the door.
Oliver followed him after a brief good night, sighing as they reached the staircase. He peered at his cousin as they trudged up toward their chambers. “I thought you liked her,” he said.
“She’s pretty and kind, but…I do not know.” Samuel sighed. “I haven’t felt any sort of connection.”
“It could come yet.”
Samuel didn’t respond to this.
“Why the early evening?” Oliver asked.
Samuel glanced at him. “I thought to do some light reading in my room. You?”
Oliver glanced at him but said nothing disparaging. The man wasn’t known to be a reader, but if he wanted to share why he had really wished to leave the drawing room early, he would have.
“Never mind,” Samuel said. “I think I know why you could no longer remain. Shall I begin packing my trunk?”
“No,” Oliver said. “I promised you two days.”
“It’s nearly been that.”
They’d reached Oliver’s door. He scrubbed a hand down his face. They had only been at Lord Rocklin’s house for five days, which meant they had nine more until the house party ended. He didn’t think he could survive nine days of games and silly girls, but Samuel had been correct. The idea of spending that time alone in his quiet, empty house wasn’t much better. At least here, he was distracted some of the time.
“I am going to stay one more day, at least,” Oliver said.
“Two, then,” Samuel corrected him. “The day after tomorrow is Sunday.”
