Chapter 230 - LOOKING AT MY MATE LIKE THAT?
Ruth was cleaning Elsie's bookshelf that had a large collection of various romantic books. She dusted the shelf and started sorting out the books as per the ones which Elsie had finished reading, and the ones which were still left untouched.
"So this one she has finished last week so it will go here. And this one... ummm.. yes it should be here."
Her hands stopped when one of the books caught her attention. Its red coloured designer book cover was attractive. She picked up the book observing it curiously.
'LETHAL LOVE'
She ran her fingers on those golden letters printed in bold and large font.
She giggled. Why would anyone think that love could be lethal?
She shook her head but was curious. Ruth had never been a voracious reader but had read quite some books from the local library in Vincardine or the books that her acquaintances were willing to lend her for a few days.
Other than that, her readily skills were limited to reading the rising prices of commodities and newspapers.
She wondered what the book might be about. Was it a fairytale? Fiction or a real-life love story? Had the author written his own story in it?
"It is a really god book, if you are interested in reading it."
Startled, Ruth dropped the book on the floor and turned around with wide eyes.
Her heart calmed down after hearing the chortling sound of Elsie.
"Oh, Ruth! You should have seen your face. You looked so scared, as if I have caught you stealing some precious gem." Elsie again burst into a loud laugh.
Ruth was embarrassed. She thinned her lips in a straight line then bent down to pick up the book. Elsie, still laughing to her heart's content, sat in a chair before she fell on the ground while clutching her stomach.
"I... I was just looking."
"I do not mind it and did not say otherwise. But what caught your attention in this book?" Elsie asked, sobering up a little.
Ruth bit the insides of her cheek. She was too disinterested and inexperienced in the love department. After days, Elsie now knew that about Ruth, and hence was genuinely curious.
"Erm.. its title. Lethal Love!"
"Lethal Love." Elsie repeated it as if recalling the story.
"It is indeed interesting title." She agreed.
Curiosity got the best out of Ruth, and she left her work and turned to Elsie with twinkling eyes.
"What is this book about?" She asked.
Elsie recalled the story vividly as it was one of her favourite books.
"It is a story about a man- misunderstood by the society with unfair fate and a woman- beautiful and sweet. The story starts with skirmishes and rough note in the beginning but gradually turns into a beautiful path of emotions that lead the reader to their hearts." Elsie smiled.
"Does it have a happy ending?" Ruth then asked.
"Does not every book these days have the happy ending?!"
"Yes. But some love stories fails to find their happy endings." Ruth shrugged.
"Well... you need to read the book to know that." Elsie propped up her legs on the table. Her new pair of shoes was too uncomfortable for her liking.
"Soooo... can I?" Ruth asked expectantly.
"Of course, you can have it. I have read it twice. You can keep the book till you learn every word written in it by your heart."
Ruth jumped in joy, clutching the book close to her chest. "Thank you so much, Lady Elsie!" She beamed.
"Yes. But Ruth, do not tell brother Edwin that I have given this book to you." Elsie warned.
"Why?" Now Ruth was puzzled.
Was it his book? And if it was, then she did not want to read it! But was he into romantic literature, she highly doubt that.
"You know my cousin dearest do not give anyone gifts. Except ME!" Elsie's eyes travelled down to Ruth's chest, which was adorned by a pretty locket with blue crystal hanging by a silver crescent moon.
"You mean this book..."
"Yes. Brother Edwin gifted this book to me when... erm... when I turned twenty." Elsie blushed.
-"Small gift for a grown up woman who is now ready to hunt down her mate!"-
Edwin had said teasingly when he gave her that book.
Ruth only made an 'o' with her lips in understanding.
A minute later, Elsie heard her asking in the lower voice.
"Has he... read it?" Ruth was facing the shelf, avoiding showing her face to Elsie, which must have been turned crimson in embarrassment.
"Why do not you ask that question to him yourself?"
The book again fell with a thud as Ruth's eyes grew wide hearing the playful tone of Elsie.
"What do you want to ask me?" Ruth sucked a deep breath hearing his deep and rich voice that shot shivers down her spine and made her knees go weak.
"Brother, Ruth here wanted to ask that if you have-"
"NOTHING!" Ruth turned sharply with wide eyes and squeaked to stop Elsie.
She found Edwin already looking at the book on the ground. She hurriedly picked it up and excused herself.
"Please excuse me, Lady Elsie."
Edwin watched in confusion as Ruth literally broke into a run to get away from him. He then turned to Elsie, but she was too busy laughing her ass off to clear his confusion.
Ruth groaned, hiding her face in the book as she ran out of Elsie's chamber. She was drowned to her neck in the puddle of embarrassment to notice someone coming from the opposite direction.
"Ouuch!"
She bumped into a hard surface. Someone steadied her before she fell on her butt by holding her hand. She removed the book to see Lester's olive-green eyes.
She hastened back and owed for an apology. "I am very sorry Lord Wright. I was-"
"It is fine, Miss Ruth."
The awkwardness settled between them after that. It had been that way since the episode with Eloise. Ruth regretted that incident as it had made Lester a little strange around her.
He did not mention that episode after that. Nobody did... including Eloise. Maybe they all knew about Edwin warning Ruth.
"Lethal Love? It is a nice book." She heard him comment.
"Have you... have you read it My Lord?"
Was it only her who had not heard about this book before?
"No. But I have heard the story." He replied.
"Did Lady Elsie told you the story?"
Ruth instantly regretted asking that. She momentarily forgot that the dimensions of their relationship had changed after that fight.
She was about to apologise but was taken aback by his answer. "No. Edwin did."
That made her look up at him in surprise. Wh-what?"
"Is there any problem in him reading this book, Miss Ruth?"
She shook her head. "N-no. I mean... he does not look like a person who have a romantic bone in his body." Ruth moved her gaze away from him.
Lester smiled shortly. "Not everything is as it looks, Miss Ruth. There is always something more than what meets the eyes."
Ruth listened with interest. He had deep meaning to his words. Was he telling her something without saying anything?
"Yes. I guess... you are right Lord Wright." She nodded.
"My Lord!" A guard came then bowed in front of Lester.
"Someone is visiting Miss Moore in the garden." He informed.
Ruth was not expecting anyone. "Did they tell their name?"
The guard looked unsure as his eyes darted towards Lester. After an approving nod from the Lord, he said, "The lady is giving her identity as Mrs Rees Welby."
Ruth rolled her eyes at Thea's antics. The guards must have stopped her from entering the inner premises, so she used the 'I-am-your-senior's wife' card.
"I do not think it is safe to keep Miss Green waiting when she clearly looks impatient." Lester said.
"Yes, My Lord."
Ruth followed the guard after that, thinking why Thea was there and was asking for Ruth first and not Rees. Lester, on the other hand, stood on his spot while observing Ruth's retreating figure.
His face turned dead serious as he tried to solve the mystery that the woman was.
"Would you care to explain why the hell are you looking at my mate like that?"
*
*
*
"Ruth!"
Thea waved her hands high in the air drawing the attention of all the nearby servants. Ruth kept her head low in embarrassment.
This idiot just could not act properly, even once!
"Thea!" Ruth hissed as she neared her.
"Oh, my dear best friend! How much I have missed you! Oh, my heart... it is swelling with love and my eyes are stinging with tears of joy!" Thea threw her hands around Ruth and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.
"Th-Thea... a-air... air..." Ruth croaked helplessly like a dying whale.
Ruth gasped for air after someone released her from the clasp of this ruthless polar bear.
"Who are-" Ida's words lingered mid-air as she sniffed the familiar scent.
She looked surprised to smell Rees's scent over the unfamiliar woman's body.
"You must be Thea, right?" Ida asked.
"Yes! The one and only!" Thea always felt proud when the werewolves sniffed Rees's scent on her.
When they sniffed, unlike humans, it helped her know who was the werewolf and who was a human.
Ruth did not know any of that and was dumbstruck. "How did you recognise her?"
Ida passed a glance to Thea before answering. "It was just a random guess. You have told me so much about her that I supposed she must be Thea."
"And you must be Ida!" Thea exclaimed confidently.
"Ruth has this habit of talking so much about a person, who is not present there with her in front of a person who is present there with her and vice versa." Thea explained.
"You are right! Nice to meet you, Miss Green!"
"Hey! I do not do that!"
The other two women ignored Ruth and continued, "Oh, Ida please call me Thea."
"But-"
"Yes... yes... I am Rees's fiancee and all. But first I am me-Thea! So call me by my name." Thea smiled.
"Okay. Thea it is then!"
Ruth waited for more than ten minutes, while the two women chattered incessantly about some stupid and endless gossips that Ruth was not interested to hear.
And after Ida had to excuse herself as someone called her, she left with a promise of meeting Thea next time soon.
Thea waved her goodbye and turned to Ruth, who had a deep frown plastered on her face.
Someone was in trouble, it seemed.