𝐍𝐎 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ➳ 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟐

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟯𝟮

Ruth walked out of her room the following morning only to bump into the chest of Arthur. She gasped slightly, completely alarmed but felt relieved to see it was only her lover. The man chuckled, grabbing her arms to steady her. Once she was stabled he let her go.

"You're in a rush," He observed the woman in a hurry. Ruth nodded, barely able to keep eye contact with him. She felt guilty after last night about her conversation with Dutch. She could never tell Arthur that she was thinking about splitting from the gang after she gets her revenge because she knew it would break his heart more than it would've if she was honest from the start. It was too late to tell him now. 

"Yeah I-" Ruth paused, working up the courage to look up at the blue eyed man. "I'm going to see with Dutch if it's okay if I start my work again," Ruth trailed off before biting the inside of her mouth. Maybe it would be pushing it but it wouldn't hurt to ask. "Now that he should trust me enough after yesterday."

"Don't get your hopes too high," Arthur sighed, looking at the woman with a gentle gaze. "And if he does agree, half will have to go to the gang. Now that you're apart of our family," he smiled softly. The words made that left his mouth made Ruth want the ground to suck her in, he really believed that she was comfortable being here. Being in a place where most of the people despise her for what she had to do. 

"I'm aware," Ruth nodded at him. Arthur stared at her before Ruth cleared her throat awkwardly. "Did Dutch say anything else to you?" She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly, trying not to look too suspicious but she knew her anxiety was getting the best of her. 

"He did actually," Arthur informed. Ruth immediately felt her heart stop dead, her eyes set on Arthur waiting for him to say it. She was waiting for the confrontation but it never came. "He told me about your plan. He seemed impressed and thinks it'll work," Arthur nodded with a smile. "I think it will too, if we execute it well enough." Ruth nodded quickly, feeling relieved that it seemed like Dutch didn't tell Arthur anything more about their conversation. 

"I was going to tell you myself, I thought it out yesterday when I had some time for myself," Ruth explained to him, that was the truth. The only thing she planned on telling him. "Anyway, I should go," Ruth explained before quickly pushing past him towards the staircase. 

"Ruth!" Arthur called out to her as she reached the top of the stairs. She turned around, forcing a smile on her face to hide her panic. The man was frowning in concern. "Is everything okay?" He asked. Ruth's eyes drifted to the window across from her before forcing a nod. 

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" Her eyes rested back on the man, forcing a reassuring smile. Arthur however didn't look too convinced but gave a quick and reluctant nod. "I'll see you," she muttered before hurrying down the stairs. She rushed away from the conversation, wishing she hadn't bumped into him yet. She was trying to avoid him, worried that the guilt would continue to eat her up until she cracked. She didn't want to hurt him so avoiding him was the best option for her. 

Ruth reached the bottom of the stairs and crossed through one of the rooms on her left, leaving the mansion and entering the life of the gang. She scanned around, the camp was dancing with life as the women attended to the choirs that Miss Grimshaw assigned them to, some of Dutch's boys lingered around, Javier was found playing music for Tilly while she washed some dirty clothes. Hosea sat at the round table reading the daily newspaper, Uncle trying to ramble to him about one of his made up stories as an attempt to make his life seem greater than what it is. Her eyes met the blue eyes of the raven haired woman who had tried to save Danny's life with Susan, the mother of the son that the gang rescued. Ruth approached the woman from where she was cutting up some vegetables for tonight's stew, the woman standing upright and brushing her hands on her green skirt.