Her friend grew quiet. “Yes… no… I don’t know,” Ruth confessed. “I want to be happy, but William is making it rather difficult.”
“Your happiness should not be defined by others,” Octavia counseled. “Only you can decide if you are happy.”
Ruth offered her a sheepish smile. “My father grew up penniless, and he had to fight to marry my mother. No one thought he was good enough for her. But, slowly, he built his empire and proved his worth,” she shared. “Unfortunately, my father never made time for my mother since he worked all the time, and they drifted apart.”
“I am sorry to hear that.”
“After my mother passed away, my father told me that his biggest regret was that he hadn’t been there for my mother. He had been so focused on chasing fame and fortune that he had failed to see what was right in front of him.”
Ruth continued. “I am not ready to give up on William. I refuse to accept this is how our story will go.”
“I do not believe that William is past hope,” Octavia responded. “With time, he may come around and realize what he has right in front of him.”
“I hope so,” Ruth said. “For what is the purpose of having what I always wanted, if I don’t have anyone to share it with?”
Octavia bobbed her head. “I was most fortunate to have a mother and father who adored one another. I was raised with an abundance of love in my home.”
“That sounds perfect,” Ruth said softly.
“It is what I aspire to have in my own home,” Octavia shared.
Ruth gave her a curious look. “Would you object terribly to Harred pursuing you?”
Octavia pressed her lips together as she thought on how much she should reveal. She would love it if Harred pursued her, but did she admit it to his sister-in-law?
“It is all right if you don’t wish to answer,” Ruth said.
“No, it is all right,” Octavia responded. “I am not opposed to Harred pursuing me, but you mustn’t tell him that I said that.”
The words had just left her lips when the coach came to an abrupt stop, causing Octavia to fall off her bench.
“What just happened?” Octavia asked as she righted herself.
A moment later, the door was thrown open and a stocky man pointed a pistol at Octavia. “Lady Octavia, you are coming with me!”
“I think not,” Octavia said as she sat back on the bench.
The man cocked his pistol. “I do not have time for your insolence. I was ordered to retrieve you. No one specified if I couldn’t shoot you first.”
Ruth spoke up. “I have money. Lots of money. I will give itto you if you leave Octavia alone,” she attempted, the fear evident in her voice.
“Tempting, but no,” the man declared. “Come along, my lady.”
Octavia didn’t want to leave the safety of the coach, but she was running out of time. She figured that this man would make good on his threat and shoot her.
The man reached in and grabbed her arm, yanking her forward. “I am tired of asking nicely. You have no choice in the matter.”
Octavia fumbled as she stepped down onto the pavement, but the man kept his hand firmly on her arm. Glancing up, she counted two other attackers as they held the footman at gunpoint.
As she was being forcefully led to another coach, Octavia tried to resist but it was no good. The man was much stronger than her and her resistance was futile.
Octavia was tossed into the coach, landing with a thump in the center. The man followed her inside and sat on the bench.
“The bench is far more comfortable than the ground, my lady,” he mocked.
She sat up and moved to sit on the bench. “Why are you doing this?” she asked just as the coach started picking up speed.
The man shrugged. “For the money.”
