Page 86 of The Rules of Courtship
Lady Helena agreed. They stopped in front of Eliza’s door. Oliver knocked, and Jacob came to answer it. When he noticedthe visitors, he smiled. “She is awake, if you would like to come in.”
“Yes, please,” Ruth said.
Oliver hung back.
“Are you returning to the drawing room?” Ruth asked.
He hesitated, worrying his lip with his teeth. “Not quite.”
Ruth moved aside to allow Lady Helena to enter the chamber. She gestured toward the room. “You may join us.”
Oliver pulled the letter from his pocket. “Harrison gave this to me. Evidently, it was found in Esther’s room with my name on it.”
“Esther is your uncle’s wife?” Ruth asked, trying to recall. She had met the woman only briefly.
“Yes. I know it is not polite?—”
“Go, Oliver. Read your letter. No one will care if you are away for a few minutes.”
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and nodded. “I shall return shortly.”
She smiled, closing the door behind him. When she turned to see Eliza sitting up in bed with a bundled baby in her arms, Ruth’s heart nearly burst. Tears sprang to her eyes as she crossed the room. “Lizzie, she is perfect.”
“An angel,” Lady Helena agreed, admiring her.
“We are calling her Lydia,” Eliza said, angling the baby so they could see her tiny face and thick, dark hair. Lydia scrunched her nose, her forehead wrinkling while she made tiny baby squeaking sounds.
“May I hold her?” Ruth asked. Eliza gently transferred her sweet baby into Ruth’s arms.
Lady Helena admired the baby then focused on Eliza. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better today. We plan to go home in the morning. Oliver has been so kind to let us stay.”
Jacob grunted from where he stood on the other side of the bed, his arms folded over his chest.
“He has opinions about how we ended up at Boone Park,” Eliza explained. “But I couldn’t very well miss the reading of the will, could I?”
“No one would expect it of you,” Ruth agreed, smiling down at Lydia as she gently rocked back and forth.
Eliza looked at her husband, her face growing serious. “Jacob spoke to Oliver,” she said quietly. “Though you might already know that.”
Ruth looked up. “You did?”
Jacob nodded. “It was…good. We are…good.”
“A man of many words,” Eliza said with a smile. “They have chosen to leave it for now. Maybe someday they will write together to their father, but at present, it is not a priority for either of them. They are glad to each have a new brother, but they do not feel inclined to make sure the whole of Harewood knows it as well.”
Ruth gave a small gasp, her hands tightening on Lydia. “That means…oh, Lizzie! I am to be yoursister-in-law!”
“Yes, I had thought of that,” Eliza said with amusement.
Ruth looked down at Lydia with wonder. “Which means this is myniece.”
“Does that change anything, truly?” Lady Helena asked.
“No, of course not. She was always going to call me Aunt Ruth, you know.” She ran her knuckles over Lydia’s soft velvety cheek and sighed as the baby scrunched her face in annoyance. “This is even better.”
Jacob shook his head, but he was smiling.
