Iris’s heart dropped, her mind twisted and turned in a panic. She knew this was coming, her father had pretty much told her as much, but to hear it come from the mouth of a stranger was almost too much. She was losing her house, her room, her safety net. Chances were she wouldn’t even see Daisy again either. No matter what happened next, everything would be different. All the things that had been solid in her existence for the last six years were goneforever.
This was almost worse than losing hermum.
“Elizabeth Steward, nee Warwick, your father has left you a sum ofmoney...”
Iris tuned out as the finer details of Elizabeth’s settlement were discussed. Money didn’t mean anything to her, it hadn’t brought her anything but trouble. She still held onto the romantic notion that her life would be so much better if she had been brought into a poorerfamily.
No, money didn’t matter. The size of her home didn’t matter. It was only her bedroom. If she could keep that, she would still be happy. If only there was a way that she could keep herroom...
“IrisWarwick.”
Her head snapped up as she heard her name. This was it, the moment she hadn’t been waiting for, the time she didn’t want to come ever. She could almost feel her cheeks growing increasingly pale as Mr. Langley and everyone else in the room stared ather.
“As your father has informed you, he wishes you to follow through on your betrothal to Duke LoftusPembroke...”
“What?” She leapt up from her chair in shock. That was supposed to be the only good thing to come out of this sorry mess. She still really did not want to get married, even if she didn’t have anywhere to live.Nothingwas going to change that. “What do you mean? My father wrote that in hiswill?”
“He updated it in the days before he died.” Mr. Langley told her in an overly calm and considered tone of voice. That only wound Iris up more, he was treating her like a child. “As soon as he learned about his illness, he did everything that he could to make sure things were inplace.”
Iris shot Elizabeth a terrified look, but her sister couldn’t help her now. This was a legal document sealing herfate.
“But, I haven’t met Duke Pembroke, I... I... I don’t even knowhim.”
Iris started pacing the room, desperately rooting through her brain for an answer. She thought that not being formally introduced to him would beenough.
“There is more.” Mr. Langley peered back down at the paper again. “Your father has requested that Mr. Walter Andrews come to oversee thearrangements.”
“Who is that?” Iris demanded, her anger flooding hervoice.
“He is your uncle on your mother’s side of the family, as there are no living relatives on your father’s. A letter has already been sent out to him so he will be here soon, then he will start progressing with theproceedings.”
“So, I inherit nothing.” Iris shook her head in dismay. “Nothing but a marriage proposal that my father knew I did not want.” She knew that she was speaking out of turn, but she couldn’t seem to stopherself.
“Your father has done what he thinks is right. You have money for yourdowry.”
“Is that supposed to be acomfort?”
Mr. Langley pressed his lips into a thin line, his expression showed utter exasperation. Iris would have thought that this was the sort of reaction that he dealt with every single day when it came to this sort of thing... but then again, maybe people were generally happy with what theyreceived.
“I think it would be best if I left now.” Mr. Langley stood up rapidly, as if this whole thing was making him uncomfortable. “I will leave the documentation in here for you, and if you have any questions please feel free to come to my office.” He paused and glanced at Iris. “Your father was a good man, I knew him very well. He wants what is best for you, which is why he has set this in motion already. I hope you see that for yourselfsoon.”
Iris knew that she wasn't being stubborn when she thought to herself that wasn't possible. This was something that she would never behappy.
Once Mr. Langley clicked the door shut behind him, both of Iris’s sisters came to comfort her. Neither of them knew what to say, they both understood how challenging this was, and they hated that they couldn’t do anything about it. Even Olivia as upset by this turn of events, but she already knew that there wasn’t anything she coulddo.
She didn’t ever want to admit it because she hated to show any sign of weakness, but she really needed the house. Ever since her husband passed away she’d been struggling. She had his family, but it wasn’t enough to keep her afloat. If it wasn’t for her children, she wouldn’t be so selfish, but they neededthis.
Olivia opened her mouth, all ready to tell Iris that she should stay and live with her and her children, but then she remembered that their uncle – a man that none of them had ever met before – was on the way to sort out her betrothal arrangements and she snapped her mouth shut againrapidly.
Maybe this was a good thing. It might be Iris’s only chance to get marriedanyway.
“You know that we are here for you,” Elizabeth whispered kindly to Iris. “I know this isn’t what you wanted, but anything you need and we willhelp.”
“Are you ready to get back out there?” Olivia questioned, trying to be as supportive as Elizabeth. “Do you think you can faceeveryone?”
“No.” Iris shook her head decisively. “I just want to go into my bedroom. You know that is where I feel mostcomfortable.”
She didn’t say that to make Olivia feel bad, but it had that effect regardless. She had been frustrated by Iris in the past, she found her lack of ability to cope with life hard work, but that didn’t mean she didn’t care. She just wanted all of her family members to be able to cope when life gotdifficult.
