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Ruth felt discomforted by her lack of corset. She had always liked the constant pressure around her middle, and she greatly missed it. But wearing one would ruin the illusion she was going for.
The fabric around her chest, binding it down, wasn’t the same. In fact, it felt uncomfortable around her rather generous bosom.
“How do I look?” Ruth asked Ivy, as she twirled around in Thomas’ clothes.
“I think you look rather dashing.”
Ruth smiled as she placed a hat over her pinned up hair, pulling it down over her eyes so that she wouldn’t be recognised.
She paused as she heard the front door open. Ivy hurried out of the room to double check that it was Thomas, before coming back and giving a nod of affirmation.
Ruth grinned, rushing out of the room and downstairs as her uncle was still taking off his coat.
“Ruth?” Thomas asked as he saw her.
Her heart sank in disappointment at being recognised, before realising that no one else would likely be in the house. And Thomas had known her all her life; just because he recognised her didn’t mean that others would.
“No,” she said, forcing her voice low. “I’m The Owl.”
Thomas rolled his eyes. “Ruth, you’re never going to fool anyone with that disguise.”
“I might,” she said, forgetting about making her voice low.
“Ruth, your face is too soft, and you’re quite recognisable. Especially to someone like James who knows how to pay attention.”
“Ivy thought it was a good disguise,” she countered, folding her arms.
Ivy cleared her throat before speaking up. “Well, no. I said you looked dashing, not that you would fool anyone.”
Ruth sighed. “Well, we have to do something.”
“No, we don’t,” Thomas said, shaking his head a little. “James will let it slide eventually. We just have to have patience.”
“If he’s so willing to let it slide, why was he here in the middle of the night?”
Thomas did a poor job of holding back a smirk. “Well, to start, it wasn’t that late. The Londoners tend to stay up a little later than we do back home. And is it not obvious why he was here?”
“To see The Owl.”
“No, to see you, Ruth. If he wasn’t so smitten with you, he most likely wouldn’t have stopped by.”
“Smitten?”
“You hadn’t noticed? James has every intention of courting you.”
“Oh,” Ruth said with a frown, the unexpected information causing her brain to freeze. “But I don’t want that.”
“Then reject him. Perhaps you should wait until after the contract has been signed, though. Just in case.”
Ruth’s frown deepened, despite Thomas’ reassurance that rejecting James was an option. “Would he really do such a thing? Be so petty?”
“I was joking,” Thomas clarified. “Mostly.”
Ruth huffed as she finally removed her hat; it was getting in the way of her vision.
“Though you may want to reconsider his offer. James is good man, and he will be only the first of many. You will have to start considering the prospect of marriage soon.”
“Why?”
“Why? Well, because you’ll have to marry eventually and you’re hardly getting any younger.”
“Neither are you,” Ruth countered with a pout. “And you’re the one who has to carry on the family name.”
“Let me worry about that.”
“Then let me worry about my own future. I don’t want to get married. I have no interest in it.”
“You’re only saying that because no one has caught your interest.”
“Perhaps, but at this point, I doubt anyone ever will. And I’m not upset by that. The only thing about it I don’t like is that everyone else thinks I should be perturbed by my lack of romantic attraction.”
Thomas nodded in understanding. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed. If you don’t want to marry, no one should force you to.”
“Thank you.”
Thomas smiled. “Perhaps you should change out of that outfit and into something more appropriate. Believe me, we shall find a solution to this that is a little less theatrical.”
Ruth nodded before heading back upstairs with Ivy trailing behind her.
“Ruth?” Ivy asked as Ruth focused on the buttons of her waistcoat.
“Hmm?”
“Did you mean what you said to Thomas? About never wanting to get married?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it. Why?”
“Nothing, I just... Do you really never feel attracted to anyone? Never get giddy at the thought of simply holding their hand?”
“No,” Ruth said, a little shortly. “And I don’t see how that’s a problem. I’m not needed to continue the family name, and romance just seems more trouble than it’s worth beyond that. I have Thomas and I have you. Friends and family. What more could I need?”
“You truly think of me as a friend?”
“Well, I suppose so, yes. Why?”
“I just- I... It’s nothing. I’m grateful.”
Ruth frowned. “Grateful? Why?”
“Well, it’s just, you’re... You’re you. You’re The Owl and I’m just some kid...”
Ruth’s frown deepened. “I don’t understand. Are you saying a friendship between us is unlikely because of our age difference?”
“No. Well, yes, a little. And our difference in social status.” Ruth, oblivious as always, missed the way that Ivy waved to her face when she spoke, indicating that she was talking about more than just her class.
“Huh. I suppose I never really gave that any thought.”
“And you’re so...”
“So...?”
Ivy shook her head, seemingly unable to finish that sentence.
“I enjoy having someone to talk about my inventions with,” Ruth reasoned, as a way of explaining. “And other things as well, I suppose.”
“Then I am happy to be your friend,” Ivy said, finally settling Ruth’s unease at the strange conversation.