Chapter 16
By the timethe day had drawn to a close and the sun was tumbling from the sky, Iris was relieved from her duties. However, she was more than annoyed to see her bag still sitting in the middle of the room, exactly where she left it. If the butler had not arranged for someone to take it to her room, then how on Earth was she supposed to know where to go? It had been challenging enough for her to find her way back to this place. She couldn’t get to a place that she didn’t know the wayto.
A rage snaked through her chest, Iris felt hurt and angry at what she considered to be a very nasty betrayal. Even if the butler knew the truth about her, this was no way to behave. He was still supposed to act like agentleman.
With an angry determination, Iris grabbed the bag from the pathetic heap it was on the ground and she stalked through the hallway until she found someone. This sort of behaviour would not have been acceptable had the master of the house been home from his business, so she would not take itnow.
Maybe the serving staff were used to being treated this way, but Iris assumed that would be from other people, not one another. From the stories she had heard in the past, they got enough trouble from the high-born people, so why would they do it to each other? It seemed utterly preposterous, should they not all be on the sameside?
“Where is the butler?” Iris snapped at the first young girl she caught cowering in the corner. “He would not tell me his name but I should like to speak with him anyway. His behaviour has beenunacceptable.”
“Are you... Daisy?” the girl asked anxiously. While she waited for a reply, her eyes darted from side to side as if she suspected that she was about to getcaught.
“Yes, Iam.”
“I’mVictoria.”
All of Iris’s emotions puddled into nothing as she looked at this girl. Now that she was staring at her properly, she could see elements of a family resemblance. Victoria had mousier coloured hair and slightly greener eyes, but both her and Daisy had the same warmth in theirsmiles.
She was also glad that she'd been addressed as Daisy. The less they spoke about the truth, the less likely they were to be overheard. She was not sure if that conversation would be necessary eventually, but for now, it was better to keep thingssimple.
“I thought that you would come and see me as soon as you got in?” she enquired with a much quieter tone than Daisy usually spoke with. Iris could not picture this girl being brave enough to suggest a switch... not that it was a bad thing to be more reserved if everyone was like Daisy, the world would be a very differentplace.
“I wanted to, but the butler told me that I could not.” Iris did not know if she was overstepping a boundary or not, but she wanted Victoria to know thetruth.
“Yes, Mr. Shipman, he can be... difficult.” Iris didn’t need to be told that! “But he will come around, you shallsee.”
“I do not know where I am tosleep.”
Iris changed the subject quickly because she wasn’t sure if she believed that statement or not. It would be nice to think that everything would fall into place on its own accord, but Iris was not convinced that things between her and him could ever befixed.
Even if he wanted to, right now she was so angry that she wouldn’t evencare.
“I will take you to the servant’s quarters, and we will see where you should sleep. The girl who worked before you had her own room in there, so I assume you shall be given the sameprivilege.”
Ooh, her own room. That was a luxury that Iris had not been provided with, in her house. Then again, this was a much nicer place so why wouldn't she? At least with her own room, she could keep out of the butler'sway.
The stairs to the servant’s quarters were dark and the smell of damp clung firmly to the air. It was already like another world entirely. The upstairs of the house, the parts that the public would see, were spotless, clean, and airy. The downstairs was dark and possibly a littlegrimy.
Iris didn’t mind though... at least, that’s what she kept telling herself. It wasn’t too bad, it certainly wasn’t too terrible for her to live in. There was just a very noticeabledifference.
The place was very busy, it seemed that there were people as far as the eye could see, which caused Iris’s walls to build up around her. She expected to feel comfortable here, practically right away like she had done at home, but now it was obvious that was only a childishnotion.
At her house, she knew the staff even if only a little to start with. Here, no one knew her and it seemed that no one trusted hereither.
Tears built up in the corner of her eye as she recalled her sad goodbye to Betty. Almost everything that had happened over the last few days was nothing more than a blur in Iris's memory, but that stuck out in her mind. She embraced her, holding onto her for far too long, all while whispering confidence boosters into her ear. Even though she was absolutely terrified, Iris used that to drive her forwards. It gave her a confidence and positivity that wouldn't have been thereotherwise.
Now all she wanted to do was be back in her friend’sarms.
Victoria spoke to the butler and another woman in a hushed way in the corner of the large room. It was clearly about her, from the way that their eyes kept darting in her direction, but Iris did not need to hear to know that it was bad. The negative atmosphere rolled off them inways.
“You’re Victoria’s cousin, right?” a crass voice belonging to a very dirty looking young boy cried out. His comment caused the hush to die down in the room, and Iris felt all eyes upon her. It was a very unwelcomesensation.
“Erm,yes?”
“Are you asking me, or telling me?” His snide remark was rewarded by laughter. The crow like cackling brought that ice panic back through Iris’s blood. “Well? You deaf orsomething?”
“I’m Victoria’s cousin.” Even a stronger tone didn’t help. The staff still laughed cruelly at her. “What is it to you?” she finished offbitterly.”
