Chapter 8
“You think I should cry?”Iris squealed with hysteria. “At the dinner table? Are you insane?” She was actually bent double with laughter, this was the funniest thing she’d heard in a very long time. The idea was completely ludicrous, which made it all the morehilarious.
“Maybe I am,” Daisy chuckled just as gleefully. It was so lovely to see her friend full of mirth, it made the whole mad plan worth it. She knew that she’d do anything to cheer Iris up, even if it was insane. “But have you ever noticed how it is impolite to show emotion when around others? I think wealthy people consider it an act of thepoor.”
“Maybe you are right, although I can hardly be considered an expert on what is and is not acceptable having spentverylittle time with others. What if I cannot cry? I do not think that weeping on command is something that I cando.”
“Then you should laugh. Loudly, obnoxiously, make him feel uncomfortable in the middle of your meeting. I do not think men understand that women laugh. It is ridiculous. Oh, and do not curtsy. You must not curtsy under anycondition.”
“Even if he bows?” Iris screwed up her nose in disgust. This was something that had been ingrained into her from a very young age. She could not imagine ignoring that tradition, it would be very difficult. Her instincts would undoubtedly force her into it, regardless of how hard she tried not to. “Are youmad?”
“How about talking aboutdriving?”
“But I do not know how to drive...” Iris did not understand this at all. Why would she lie to this gentleman? It made nosense.
“Of course you do not, it isn’t permitted for women to drive. If the Duke believes you do things that are not supposed to, he might be put off.” Daisy could see that was not going to work. Iris wanted to rebel, she wanted to act out of character, but she couldn’t get all her life lessons out of her head. It had been forced upon her since birth. “Or maybe you should hint that you owe a tradespersonmoney.”
“What?” Iris was stunned by these suggestions. They seemed too silly for words. She knew that there were a lot of complicated expectations in polite society, butreallythinking about it was starting to give her a headache. “Why would thatmatter?”
“Everything matters with the wealthy. You could even offer to lend him money, that would really insulthim.”
“I do not think I can do any of those things.” Iris looked helpless, like the end of her life was coming. “They all seem far too hard. I know I need to act differently to make this man want someone else, but I do not think that I will be able to go through with it when the timecomes.”
Daisy paused, realising that Iris was probably right. In front of her, she could act in any way that she wanted, but with others, she reverted right back into her shell. Maybe if she had been encouraged out much sooner it would not have become such a shock to hersystem.
“That is alright, we will rule out anything that you have to say. Maybe we can make it about how you appearinstead.”
Still, Iris could not shake the uncomfortable sensation that this wasn't right. If she wasn't so desperate to escape this arrangement she would put an end to it already. But every time she felt like giving up, she remembered what would happen to her if shedid.
“What do you mean? How can my look put himoff?”
“It will be very difficult,” Daisy admitted. “You are extremely beautiful. So much so that the Duke might wish to marry you however vulgar youare.”
“Do not say that,” Iris begged. “Do not leave me with no hope whatsoever. I am not that beautiful. Especially if I do nothing with myself. Right now, for example. I do not look beautiful rightnow.”
"You truly do not see yourself, do you?" Daisy felt amazed. Iris was the best-understated beauty that she had ever seen in her life. People raved about her wonderful, natural looks before she retired to her bedroom. Daisy knew for certain that if her mother hadn't died, the marriage proposals would have come from everywhere. "Iris, you are so beautiful that the whole world would want to be you if they could see you. Plus, you have the name. The name is worth alot."
Iris pouted out her lips, she knitted her eyebrows together and she tried to contort her face into as ugly an expression as possible. "I do not want to be beautiful, Daisy, I do not want the name. I just want to befree."
“Then let us practice walking,” Daisy announced with a smile. “You will wear a slightly muddied dress and you will walk without any grace. That will be much easier than having to sayanything.”
Daisy grabbed hold of Iris’s hand and she allowed herself to be dragged upright. There was a giggle, bubbling up in her throat, she could feel it in her chest. It was only this mirth that allowed her to continue with this insane plan. If it wasn’t so funny, she probably would have succumbed to hopelessness already. Despite where it wouldlead.
"I recall my lessons in posture when I was a very young child," Iris said as she stood at one end of the room. "My mother hired an expert in that sort of thing to help me and my sisters to get a head start." She smiled to herself as she remembered. "I always thought it was more for me than anyone else. I was the one who lacked in everything. Olivia has always been graceful, and Elizabeth is a very quick learner." Iris grabbed a book from the shelf nearby and she balanced it on top of her head. "She made us walk across the room for hours and hours. One foot in front of theother."
Daisy laughed at the sight of Iris doing a slightly awkward walk. She could tell that without the book, she would be very good at being graceful, but it was impossible for anyone to not look silly likethat.
“You are walking like a penguin,” she giggled while clutching onto her stomach. “Why did your mother feel the need to torture you somuch?”
“You try it,” Iris demanded. “Let us see if you can do anybetter.”
Daisy tried, she really did, but actually, the whole balancing a book on her head while she tried to move her feet was more challenging than it appeared. Every time her foot moved, the book slipped. If she shot her hands up to catch it, she lost her balance and her posture, and if she didn't the book fell to the ground with a loudbang.
“See?” Iris practically yelled with glee. “I told you. It is not easy. I was seven years old when Istarted.”
“Right, well we are not here to teach me how to walk anyway,” Daisy declared, trying to disguise her embarrassment. “We need you to forget how to do all of those things. So it would be a good thing if you try to walk without thatgrace.”
“Yes, ofcourse.”
