Daisy wrapped her arms tightly around Iris for a moment, trying to convey that she was doing all of this for her. There would not be another soul on the planet that she would throw her life on the line for. But Iris deserved it... if it all workedout.
Eventually, the girls walked slowly down the stairs, as if they were in a procession. Daisy remembered to hold her head high, she jutted out her chin and adopted an air of arrogance, just as she had seen other high-born ladies do. She shook off the shackles of being only a servant girl and she felt herself be reborn into the role of Iris Warwick – one of the most highly desired women in thetown.
I can do this, she tried to convince herself in her mind.I can be a lady, just for one day.There was a part of her that wanted this to succeed for herself too. She wanted to prove to herself that she was much more worthy than the world had let her believe. If she could become a lady, even if it was only for a short period, then maybe everything would not seem sobad.
Daisy positioned herself by the grand front door to the Warwick home, and she clasped her hands together in front of her, in a very ‘Iris' way. It was lucky that she had always paid attention to her friend because she found it much easier to step into her shoes than she thought it would be. Her heart raced in her chest, her mouth ran cotton dry with anxiety, her knees were knocking together under the beautiful gown that she had on, but outwardly she just about managed to keep hercool.
Iris felt much more confident than Daisy. As she stood behind her and waited, she did not hold any of the nerves that Daisy did. She felt confident that this man who had never met her would believe that Daisy was her, and she was also very happy that he would not even glance one eye at her. It was lovely for her to just be a nobody, she felt like it was something she could get usedto.
As the door swung open, everyone braced themselves expecting a tall, powerful man to be on the other side. Highborn men often held themselves in a certain way, commanding respect even when they did not deserve it. Daisy found many of them intimidating too... but there was something about Walter Andrews that made no one feel thatway.
He shared the same lighter hair that Iris and her mother had, and he had the pale skin too, but it was challenging to notice much more about him because he hunched so far forwards. It was almost as if he did not like the eyes of the world upon him either. His black coat shrouded him and his body language was one of a man who would rather be leftalone.
“Hello there, Uncle,” Daisy declared with maybe a little too much fake gusto. “It is wonderful to see you looking so well.” Iris had coached her on what to say initially, but Daisy could feel the words slipping from her mind. “I... I am... I hope the journey over was not tooterrible.”
“Mmmm,” Walter grunted back, clearly not wanting to be engaged inconversation.
Daisy glanced desperately at Iris, but she gave her an encouraging nod back. As far as Iris was concerned this was going verywell!
“Would you like...” Daisy made a sweeping gesture with her hands. “Shall I get one of the maids to make you sometea.”
“Yes,” he snapped backsimply.
Iris bristled herself, she felt that it was wrong for a man to be so rude to her friend, but she caught herself before she could express her disgust as she remembered that it was not herplace.
Maybe one of the less liberating things about being a maid was the restriction ofopinion.
“Then let us go into the dining room.” Somehow Daisy managed to remain strong. “The staff will bring us our drinks intothere.”
Iris hated to leave Daisy alone, she suddenly felt compelled to oversee everything, but she needed to race downstairs into the kitchen if they were going to pull this off. The girls had decided that it would be better for Iris to do as much serving as possible, to test the limits of what they could get away with. Without anyone to compare her too, Walter would likely accept Daisy for who she said she was without question, but if Iris was around, he might pick up the qualities within her that were very much like hermother.
In short, if they could fool him, they could foolanyone.
“How is it going?” The cook, Betty, asked desperately as Iris tore into the kitchen. She had been so worried about all of this from the moment that the plan had been unveiled to her that she’d bitten down all of her nails. “What happened with youruncle?”
“It is good,” Iris insisted with a smile. “Daisy is doing a wonderful job of being me. Now it is my turn to see if I can beher.”
“Oh you will have no trouble,” Betty answered with a deep warmth. “I have witnessed you practicing over the last few days and I am certain that you will do reallywell.”
Iris paused just for a second, before grabbing onto the tray, thinking about how wonderfully the serving staff had treated her recently. Of course, some of them were shocked when Iris revealed their plan, but after the initial surprise, they had been nothing but supportive of her. She couldn't help wishing that she had spent more time at least allowing these people into her life a little more. Her time in this house would have been much richer if shehad.
“Thank you very much, Betty,” she replied with a large smile. Betty noticed how much more beautiful this girl was with a grin, her entire face lit up with it. “I will let you know how thisgoes.”
The tray shook lightly in Iris’s hands as she returned to the dining room. Her uncle was sitting at the head of the table – in the seat that used to be her father’s – and Daisy was sitting across from him. Walter looked a little more like he was paying attention now as Daisy explained the grim details of Iris’s father’sdeath.
"The illness got to him quickly then?" Walter leant in closer as he spoke. "There was not anything that the doctors coulddo?"
“He did not give me all the details,” Daisy answered honestly. “But it certainly seems thatway.”
“He never liked to talk, even to my sister. I felt sorry for her when she had to marry him, but she seemed happyenough.”
This stunned Iris much more than it did Daisy. She was not used to people speaking ill of anyone else, particularly not the dead. It also struck her that this man knew her father well, and her mother even better. If the circumstances were any different, she could speak to him about her. She could ask him what she was like as a child, and how she wassimilar.
But those questions would have to go unanswered because she needed to keep upappearances.
“Here is the tea,” she commented softly, while curtsying. Daisy had taught her that whenever she was in doubt she should curtsy. It was a sign of respect that the wealthy could not get enough of. Despite the fact that Iris thought it was very silly, she went along with it anyway. “Shall I pour you both a cup, Sir?Miss?”
At that moment, Walter turned around to face Iris and he looked at her. Hereallylooked at her. He examined her closely while narrowing his eyes as if he felt confused. Iris's heart stopped dead in her chest, and she felt certain that Daisy was afraid too. He was staring at her much too intently, it seemed that their plan was already over. Now they would have to face the consequence of what they haddone...
“Yes, tea, please,” he eventually commented while twisting away from her. “Now, Iris,” he addressed Daisy. “What is it you were saying about your father’s funeral? Was it a terrible affair? I felt awful that I could not travel ontime...”
Iris breathed deeply, maybe too deeply. She could not believe it; they had gotten away with it! Her uncle believed that she was a servant and Daisy was a lady. It was almost too good to be true. They could move forward, they could continue on and really get into theseroles.
Speaking ofwhich...
Iris picked up the tray and took it over to the table with a smile on her face. It was time to finallyserve.
