“Yes,but...”
“I have given you too much free reign. I have allowed you too many freedoms. It has made youpetty.”
“No, father, it isn’t likethat...”
“Youwilldo as you are told this time. I will not hear another word on the topic. It has been a challenge enough. People believe that you are aloof which is why you are not seen. Men do not like the idea of aloof, but they do like the name. That is why some of them are willing to meet with you, to see if you are worthit.”
“What iftheyaren’t worthit?”
“Iris, I am warning you. This ishappening.”
All Iris wanted to say was that her and Olivia's family could share the home together. It was big enough, and she could help raise her nephews, but her father did not want to hear it. His mind was made up, and that was the end of it. She might not have known him well, but she could tell by his tone that he wasdone.
Iris knew deep down that he assumed he was doing the best thing for her, that he just wanted to ensure that she had a comfortable life, but he couldn’t seem to understand that what they wanted for her was very different. Her idea of comfort was to be left well alone. She liked to daydream, to imagine her life, she did not want to live it in the way that was expected ofher.
Sensing that his daughter was done fighting him, Robert returned to his seat. “I have picked a suitor that I think will be best for you, and we need to move things along quickly considering my limited time left. I have spoken with Duke Loftus Pembroke, and he is willing to build an arrangement withus.”
“For the dowry,” Iris couldn’t help getting in one lessdig.
“For many reasons. Money is not all this man’s highest concern.” Robert shook his head angrily at her. “He would like to meet with you first, so we will arrange that in the usual way. After which, if you please him then proceedings willcontinue.”
Iris felt like she was speeding along the road as fast as she could manage. Her entire life had been lifted up from beneath her and now it was totally out of her control. She would be forced to wed some Duke who would expect children, and probably quickly considering her age. That wouldmean...
She shuddered, no, she did not want to think of what that wouldmean.
“You may leave now, Iris, as I’m sure you can imagine I have a lot of work to get on with. Many things need sorting, and time is runningout.”
Iris opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, half wishing that she could continue to argue her case, and half wishing that she could find a better way to say goodbye. She felt certain that this would be the last time she’d see her father, and while they did not have a great relationship she did not want to leave on badterms.
She didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to her mother, she did not want to make that mistakeagain.
“Thank you, Father,” she said quietly in the end, as she stood up. It was not much, but it was better than nothing. Not that her father noticed. He shooed her out of the room without even giving her anotherglance.
Clearly, his death didn't affect him in the way that it didher.
Iris left the office at a slow pace, but as soon as she got out of the room she started running. She did not care how others looked at her, even if some of the servants were out in the hallways, her emotions had gotten the better of her and she needed to get back to her bedroom. Once she was inside her safe haven, the tight metal coil in her chest would loosen, her lungs would refill with air, the fog from her brain woulddissipate.
Shehoped.
“Oh, Miss Iris.” Daisy was sitting anxiously on the edge of her bed as she crashed back into her room. She knew that she should have spent the time getting some work done, but she could barely concentrate while she waited. The fate of her friend scared her just as much as it did Iris. “Is it the news that yoususpected?”
Iris flew into Daisy’s arms and she sobbed into her chest. “It is worse, so much worse.” She cried for a while, but as soon as she could, she blurted out the rest, needing to get it off her chest. “My father has a fever, he will not live much longer, so the need for me to marry now is urgent. He even has someone lined up for me. Duke Loftus Pembroke. I cannot escape this, there is noway.”
Hopelessness circled Iris, she felt like the end of the world hadcome.
“He might be a nice man,” Daisy shushed and rocked Iris. “You might really like him. You may even fall in love. You might get your happy ever after that you’ve alwayswanted.”
“With DukePembroke?” Iris declared, as if she actually knew this man. “Do you really think that is the name of someone that I shouldmarry?”
Daisy brushed a stray strand of hair off of Iris’s face and she tucked it behind her ear. “I do not know what will happen, Miss Iris, but I do know that you are stronger than you think. You have an inner power that you will discover and harness as you need it. You will find your place, somehow, and you will feel silly for everworrying.”
“Do you really think so?” Iris wasn’t convinced that there was any strength inside of her, but it felt nice to hear someone comfort her. “I hope you’re right, Daisy, because I am utterly terrified of everythingchanging.”
“Change is not always bad; you just have to learn how to embrace it.” Daisy was speaking to herself as much as she was Iris, because without her friend around her own life was about to shift, too. She had no idea if she would even be needed to work in this large, empty home anymore, which left her jobless and homeless. The references would be good, but a new home would never be the same. “You will befine.”
