As Daisy left her alone while she scurried down the stairs to get lunch organized, Iris braved moving close enough to the window to gaze towards the outside world. She could only do this because she could hear her father and his friends below her, inside the house. If she even suspected for one moment that they might see her, she wouldn’tdare.
She couldn't explain it, even to herself, but the more time that she spent indoors the more she feared being stared at. Six years was a very long time to close herself off from everyone else, but to Iris, she was certain that she could remain that way forever if it came toit.
She soon lost her focus as she glanced over the luscious green of the grass and the bright reds and oranges of the flowers. The trees that lay across her family’s land even blurred into nothingness. Iris’s imagination allowed her to forget that she was in the wonderful, admired Warwick mansion, and instead a beautiful, much smaller castle took its place. Iris became a beggar girl in her mind, a young lady selling flowers. She had nothing but determination and spunk, she saw herself with a bright smile and hardened skin. She was the opposite to the person she was rightnow.
Then Iris dreamed up a broad shouldered, dark haired gorgeous prince who wanted a peony. He came to her, he asked her for a flower for a beautiful girl which he immediately gave back to her after paying for it, making her feel like the most special girl on theplanet.
Her lips inadvertently puckered as she imagined the prince leaning in closer to her, allowing her to get lost in his warm, hazel coloured eyes. There was love in his gaze, the sort of love that she wanted to swim in forever. Then, he leant in closer and he kissed her, causing her heart to stop dead in her chest. She was almost breathless with it, and it wasn't evenreal...
“Miss Iris?” Daisy had concern in her tone now, which instantly caused Iris to snap her eyes open as if she’d been caught doing something terrible. “Is everything alright? You look...lost.”
Lost.That was the best word to describe Iris’s whole life. She’d been lost for far toolong.
“No, I am okay, I was just being thoughtful.” She smiled blandly, desperately hoping that this was the one façade that Daisy could not see through. “Is lunchsorted?”
“The cook is organizing it now. It will be up soon.” Daisy sat on Iris’s bed sheets, looking terribly distracted. “I have something to discuss with you,Iris.”
Iris's heart instantly started beating a hundred times faster. She did not need Daisy to say any more for her to understand that this was not going to be good news for her. To brace herself, she took her place on the bed next to herfriend.
“What is going on, Daisy?” Without even meaning for it to be there, Iris had a warning tone in her voice. She hated surprises, they terrified her almost as much as the rest of the worlddid.
“I’m afraid that the horse ride will have to wait.” Daisy gave her an apologetic look, sadness filled her dark blue eyes. “Iris, your father would like to meet with you, once his friends aregone.”
"How... how do you know?" Iris's head began to spin, the world felt unsteady underneath her. She grasped tighter onto the bed sheets just to prevent herself from falling. Her pulse rate thundered as she considered what her father was going to say to her. He never spoke to her unless it was important, unless it was business. Something to do with the Warwickname.
This had to be it, the day he forced her out of her depression and her room. He wanted her to getmarried.
“The butler overheard and he gave me the information to warn you.” All the staff knew about Iris’s delicate temperament. Not all of them knew her as well as Daisy did, but they all liked her well enough. “I do not know what it is about, but I thought it was best for you to beprepared.”
“I know,” Iris whispered clutching onto her stomach. Her appetite was now long gone; she couldn’t imagine wanting to eat ever again. “He has plans for me to leave this house at long last.” She stared at Daisy with all the sheer terror that she felt deep in the pit of his chest. Her pale irises betrayed the depths of her emotions. “I am going to getmarried.”
Daisy fell into silence. She didn't want to lose Iris, especially as she knew how little she wanted to leave, but this was the one area in which she couldn't have an opinion. What her master wanted to do with his own daughter was his choice, the opinion of a lowly housemaid meantnothing.
She did the only thing that she could and she wrapped Iris up in a hug. At least some physical comfort would help this poor girl who had no real idea of what awaitedher.
