MAIL ORDER BRIDE: ARISTOCRAT: The Duke’s Engagement (Historical Victorian Duke Romance) (New Adult Romance Short Stories) (76 page)

Ruth pulled the dress off her. There she stood in English clothes when the door opened. Ruth looked up, for a split second wondering if she should try to cover herself or not.

Her mother stood in the doorway. Above all else, she didn’t look surprised.

She closed the door behind her and walked into the room.

Ruth sat there, frozen.
What is going to happen now?
She may not be able to be shunned but that didn’t mean her parents couldn’t punish her.

Her mother carefully picked up the dress, folded it and set it down on the back of the bed before sitting down beside. Katherine looked at her daughter, a tight smile over her lips. Her eyes looked sad.

“You’ve been borrowing your cousins clothing, I see.” Ruth opened her mouth to protest, to defend her cousins. They hadn’t forced her into anything. They shouldn’t be given trouble. “And I’m guessing it would be a safe bet that you’ve met a boy?”

Ruth closed her mouth, a flush burning her cheeks. She knew that would be enough of an answer for her mother. She nodded.

Her mother sat silently.

“I’m sorry, Maemm,” Ruth said quickly. “I didn’t mean-”

“You’re sorry?” Her mother raised an eyebrow. “Sorry?”

Ruth closed her mouth again.
Maemm is right. Sorry’s not good enough. I’ve gone and broken deatt’s heart and now….
Now her own heart was broke.
That’s selfish of me.
She deserved to have her heart broken, but not deatt. Deatt had never done anything to deserve this.

“Did you not think for a second,” Ruth winced, waiting for the harsh words. “That this may be Gott’s plan for you?”

Ruth stood there, her mind frozen as she thought about what her mother had just said. She didn’t sound mad. She sounded calm and collected as she reached out and touched Ruth’s knee. “You’ve not taken your vows yet,” she reminded her daughter.

Ruth stared at her mother. “But… deatt…”

Kathrine waved a hand away, dismissing the concern. “You father has never minded if you, or Mary, wanted to take part in the English world.”

The words hit her like a blow to the chest. “But-”

“You’re not too old,” her mother said. “Rumaschpring is still an option.”

Another blow.

She was right. Her mother was right. She could…

“I could stay here,” she whispered.

“Well nee, you should come home with us, at least for a little while.” Her mother said.

“Jah, of course. You’re right,” Ruth nodded.

“But, you could stay with your cousins for a little while, and of course see this boy…”

Ruth’s cheeks flushed. Dean.

Ruth’s heart skipped a beat. She had a chance to see him again.

There was a soft knock on the door. It opened.

Ruth’s father stared at her, his eyes burning into her soul as she looked at the clothing she wore. Ruth felt her cheeks flush

“Is Joshua here already?” Kathrine asked, taking the attention off her daughter.

“Jah.” It didn’t do any good. Ruth looked down, unable to meet her father’s eyes. “We’d best get going.”

“I’ll change.” Ruth’s voice was so soft she hardly heard herself.

Her mother stood. “Take your time,” she said softly. “We will wait.”

Ruth nodded and watched as her mother headed to the door, and her parents left her alone.

Ruth changed quickly, shame overwhelming her as she thought about the look on her father’s face. How was she supposed to be able to go out into the English world after seeing that look?

Ruth packed her bag quickly, folded the English clothes that she had been wearing and left them on the bed neatly.

She picked up her bag and headed for the door. When she made her way back into the living room everyone turned to look at her. Joshua stared at her, his eyes locked on her. Clearly he had found out about what she’d been doing.
Gott’s plan.
Ruth tried to remind herself of what her mother had said. Maybe this had been Gotts plan for her. Maybe she was supposed to do this.
Or maybe it had been a test. A test I failed.
Ruth took a deep breath, trying to keep her face straight. She looked around. Grace stepped forward. She pulled Ruth into a tight hug.

“I’ll see you around.” She promised.

Ruth fought back the urge to cry. She fought back the tears. Grace pulled away and gave her a soft smile before turning to Mary.

Ruth looked around. There was no sign of Natasha or Jamie. Maybe they had been sent to their room, for fear of corrupting Ruth more.

After Grace hugged Mary everyone turned to the door.

Ruth reached the door first and pulled it open. She stopped dead in her tracks, Mary running into her.

“Ouch!”

Ruth paid no attention to it. She’d realized why Jamie and Natasha weren’t there to say goodbye.

She stared at the boy in front of her.

Dean’s cheeks were bright red.

“Hi.” He looked so embarrassed, his eyes locked on her. “I uh, heard you were leaving and wanted to say goodbye.”

Ruth stared at him with wide eyes, her voice unable to work.

“You must be the… boy my daughter’s been seeing.”

Her father’s English amazed Ruth.

He stepped forward and looked Dean up and down.

“Yes sir, I am.” Dean glanced at Ruth before stepping forward and holding his hand out to shake. “I’m glad we got a chance to meet before you left.” He looked scared as he turned his full attention to Ruth’s father. “Because I’d like to court your daughter.”

Ruth’s heart jumped into her throat. She stood there completely unable to react.

Richard reached out and shook Dean’s hand. “We’ll have to see about that.”

Two weeks later

“Are you sure about this?” Mary asked. “You still have time to-”

“Nee I don’t,” Ruth said, then paused. “No.
No,
I don’t,” she corrected herself. If she was going too go out in the English world she was going to use English words.

“Are you going to come visit?”

“Of course I will,” Ruth promised her sister.

“She’ll be back before she realizes it.” Kathrine spoke from the doorway. Her eyes sparkled. “And then she will be gone again.”

Despite her fears, Ruth’s father didn’t seem to mind that she was going to take part in Rumaschspring. Ruth grabbed her bag and headed for the kitchen. She checked the clock.
They should be here soon.
Her heart skipped a beat.

Her father hadn’t been into the idea of having Dean pick her up, but he had agreed it would be a chance for him to at least speak to the boy again. He sat at the table. His eyes red, but he refused to meet Ruth’s gaze.

She padded over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be back soon,” she promised. “I’ll… I’ll be good.” She wasn’t going to go out and do what Katie’s sister had done- which none of the parents were supposed to know about. She only wanted to be able to spend more time with Dean.

“Jah, I know ye will be.” He reached out and put a hand on hers. “But I’ll miss ye. You’re my little girl and I don’t like the idea of
any
man courting you.”

Ruth smiled. She wasn’t sure why he’d used that word, or if it had been Jamie or Natasha who told him to, but it had done the trick. Just enough for deatt to give him a chance.

A knock on the door caused Ruth’s heart to skip a beat. Mary rushed to get it as Ruth turned to her mother. Kathrine closed the distance between them and pulled her daughter into a hug.

“Don’t forget Gott’s plan,” she whispered just loud enough for only Ruth to hear it.

“I won’t.” Ruth promised, hugging her mother tightly.

She pulled away, willing herself not to cry as she turned to the door and faced Dean.

Her heart skipped a beat.

He closed the distance between them in a fraction of a second, his arms wrapping around her waist, at a respectable spot. He pulled her close to him. Her arms wrapped around his neck.

“Ruth,” he whispered, his head nuzzling into the crook of her neck. He pulled away quickly, clearing his throat as if he wasn’t sure that had been allowed. His cheeks flushed as he turned to her mother. He gave her a soft nod. He turned to her father and gave him a nod as well.

Ruth glanced past Dean to see three others standing there. Natasha and Jamie, but Natasha spoke to someone, someone Ruth knew all too well. Joshua.

They looked deep in conversation.
Gotts plan.
Ruth smiled softly.

“I uh,” Dean cleared his throat. “I just wanted you to know.” His eyes locked on my father. “I spoke to Grace about…. Courting customs to great length. I understand what’s expected and allowed.” He swallowed dryly. “I know during…” He paused, his brow furrowing as he searched for the word. “Rumaschpring, things are a little different but I want you to know that I’m not taking this lightly.”

Ruth’s heart skipped a beat. She turned to see her father’s reaction.

To her surprise she saw a smile spread across his lips.

“I expect my daughter to be in safe hands with you.” He stood, holding out his hand to Dean.

“She is,” Dean promised as they shook hands.

Ruth, Dean, Jamie and Natasha stayed only a little longer during which time Joshua promised to come out and visit them- but Ruth wasn’t sure it was to visit her. Ruth had a few chances to head out to the truck, but she didn’t take them, seeing the look in Joshua’s eyes as he spoke to the girl beside him. She caught her mother looking at them once. They didn’t say a word, but her mother gave her a single nod, a smile spreading across her lips.

Finally, around midday they had to get going. They would already have to get a hotel room for the night, a thought that Ruth’s father was not a fan of, but Dean promised to get his own room, giving the girls a room to themselves. Ruth reached out and took her hand, her fingers tangling together as she silently thanked him for everything he was doing- for everything he had done, and everything he said to her father. Most of all, for the fact that he sounded so honest about it.

Dean held his arm out for Ruth to walk her out to the car when the time came. Her parents cried as she said goodbye. But the look in her mother's eyes said it all.

Don’t forget Gott’s plan.

***The End***

Betrothed

& In Love With a Commoner

By: Elaine Young

CHAPTER ONE

Lady Arabella Barrington’s normally smiling; rosebud lips were pressed in a thin line of displeasure bordering on fury. Her eyebrows furrowed with rage she paced back and forth down the length of her bedroom, her stocking clad feet sinking into the lush mauve carpet.

Normally the tastefully furnished bedroom was Lady Arabella’s sanctuary and her spirits could be lifted by simply entering her room and soaking in the familiar, cherished surroundings. Half a dozen years ago when her mother had insisted on giving their estate a face lift; Arabella had joyfully thrown out the old-fashioned heavy furnishing and dark wallpapers. She had chosen a purple and silver color scheme to create a light, airy feel to her suite of rooms. But for once not even the beautiful draperies in dark purple, the silvery bedding or the antique furniture tastefully arranged in her rooms could lift her spirits. Her mind was in turmoil and she was fuming. She wanted to throw something at someone but didn’t know exactly whom she could blame for her current predicament.

The messenger who had brought the news to her parents?

Her grandfather who had made this monumental decision about her life without even bothering to consult her?  

Her parents who had agreed without asking for her input?

Or should her anger be directed towards the arrogant Duke who thought he could lay claim to her?

At length she stopped her pacing and fell back on the silken sheets of her large bed flanked on both sides by French windows and groaned out loud. The truth of the matter was it made no difference who had decided this; the only thing that mattered was a decision had been made. One which everyone expected her to abide by. But she knew she couldn’t.

For most of her eighteen years Arabella, or Bella as she was known by her close friends and family had always gotten her way in life.  As the only daughter of extremely wealthy, aristocratic parents, she had been spoiled rotten and had been raised like a princess, with a golden spoon in her mouth.  So it was no surprise that she possessed a fiery temper and could be exceedingly stubborn. But those flaws were outweighed by a naturally sweet and kind disposition and a lively, generous spirit. Everyone loved Bella because she loved everyone. There was no haughtiness in her personality so people flocked to her to enjoy her friendship rather than envying her exceptional beauty and great wealth.  Although she was a very popular young lady, Bella only counted Mavis Reid as her truest and dearest friend. The two had been inseparable since they were toddlers and did everything together. As soon as Bella had been told the earth shattering news, a maid had been dispatched post haste to the Reid household. While Bella waited for Mavis to arrive, she wrestled with her dilemma.