Page 32 of The Rules of Courtship (Hearts of Harewood #3)

SAMUEL

Rule #32: Only marry for love

The wedding went much as Samuel had expected, both in how happy he was for the newly wedded couple and in how beautifully the bride shone. Oliver radiated, his gaze never straying from Ruth and his smile never wavering. He had even agreed to borrow Samuel’s blue waistcoat, which was striking with his gray coat and white cravat. Ruth had needed no help looking every bit the stunning, blushing bride. Together they made a powerful impression, strong enough to incite a longing in Samuel’s chest for a woman to love.

There were some murmurs among the congregation over how quickly they chose to be married following Captain Rose’s death. A couple was overheard in the pew behind Samuel stating it was far too early for Oliver to have put off his mourning. Samuel gave them a judgmental look down his nose, which successfully quieted them at once. It had been a fear that the parishioners of Harewood would find this uncouth, but Ruth and Oliver decided they would rather be married than care what others said about them. They moved ahead with the wedding after the appropriate three months of mourning had been observed—the proper time appointed for an uncle, though very few people understood precisely why they had made that choice.

Ruth was dressed in a soft pink silk gown, her hair styled high on her head with small pink roses situated throughout the curls. If Samuel had still been in love with Ruth, it would have been much harder for him to witness, but he was gratified—and somewhat relieved—to find himself feeling immense happiness for the pair of them instead.

“They are so beautiful,” Eliza said beside him, bouncing her small babe in her arms. Lydia was growing fussy, but the service was nearly finished.

Samuel smiled his agreement.

She passed Lydia to Jacob beside her and let out a small sigh, enjoying the wedding.

As glad as he was that two people he cared about had found such happiness, Samuel could not help but want the same for himself. He wanted to stand in front of everyone he knew and vow to love and honor a woman he cared about. He wanted a wife, a home of his own, children. He craved a family like Eliza had and a partner like Oliver was getting today.

The letter in his pocket burned against his chest. It had been months since he started writing to the mysterious woman, and he thought it was time to remove the mystery. If she was not someone he could have a life with, he deserved to know.

She deserved to know.

So Samuel had written a letter requesting they meet, dropping the cloaks of anonymity.

But fear had kept him from leaving the letter in the exchange place in their kissing gate. What would Samuel do if she refused him? If she stopped writing? If she found the prospect of meeting Samuel to be abhorrent and he lost his companion altogether?

The service came to an end. Samuel watched the people mill about, filing from the rows and leaving the chapel to line up outside and congratulate the newly married couple. Of all the women here, none of them struck him as the person he had been writing to. Miss Kimball was pretty, though her nose raised in distaste far too often for his liking. Miss Snubbs was anxiously speaking to another matron, her eyes wide as she passed on some on dit . Miss James silently followed her family outside, demure and polite. Surely the mysterious writer was one of these ladies, but whom? None of them showed an outward personality to match that of the one in their letters.

But the woman he had grown to love was in this chapel today, surely. She must be.

Samuel shook off the thought, aware that this wedding was not the time to worry over his own romance. He filed out with the rest of the crowd and clapped Oliver on the back, a wide smile spreading over his face.

“Congratulations,” he said.

Oliver grinned, his eyes crinkling in joy. “Thank you, Sam.”

“How long will you be away?” Samuel asked, his head tipped to the side.

“A fortnight,” Oliver said. “If you would like to stay at the house and watch over my cellars, you are more than welcome.”

Father had become nearly unbearable in the last few months, his anger at not receiving enough from Captain Rose mounting. The unreasonable depth of his frustration led Samuel to believe something was wrong with his father, something the man had not yet admitted.

But he did not wish to be around his father long enough to learn what it was.

“Perhaps I will,” he said to Oliver with a playful gleam .

“We leave in the morning for our honeymoon, so I will tell Harrison to expect you before noon.”

Samuel nodded, relieved to have a respite. A break from his house, which had come to feel unpleasant. “Thank you.”

Oliver seemed to understand. He was aware of Samuel’s father and how much Samuel hated being home lately. “Of course.”

He moved on, Ruth tugging him along to greet her parents. Samuel stepped back, moving out of the way. He watched Ruth and Oliver share a warm look, the fresh bloom of love surrounding them both, and drew in a strangled breath.

It was time. He was going to be brave.

Samuel was going to leave the letter asking to meet his mysterious friend right now. Slipping away from the crowd, he started walking toward the path that led to his kissing gate, his heart thundering.

One way or another, Samuel was going to find someone to love, someone who would love him in return.