They could not stand to be around her, even to sit long enough to eat. She was too unlikable for even that short amount oftime.
“Thank you, Victoria.” It was always Victoria who brought her the food though. Iris got the sense that she did not like this silly game much, but she felt compelled to go along with it for the others. Iris often wanted to question her on that, but she never followed it through for fear of pushing her further away. This short conversation at meal times was pretty much all she got all day long, especially if Amy was feeling sullen. “I appreciate it very much. Just leave it right there, I will get it when I get amoment.”
Victoria looked at Iris as if she had something else to say, and Iris’s heart lifted. Was she about to make things right? Would this turn out to be a good day all round? But no, she got carried away for nothing. Victoria rapidly snapped her lips closed again, and she turned on her heels to stomp away, leaving Iris withnothing.
As Iris heard Victoria’s footsteps fading into the distance, she really had to hold in the tears. Would it always be this way? Was she destined to belonely?
When Iris shut the world out, it was her choice, she had control over it. But now the world had shut her out and she didn’t care for it toomuch.
Iris sighed loudly and grabbed the plate of food, looking at the slightly sodden mess in front of her. If her stomach wasn’t growling with hunger, she wouldn’t have bothered to eat it at all, it looked so revolting. She had no idea what it evenwas.
At her own home, Iris was given the food of her choice, here she barely got anything. That was just one of the very noticeable differences between being a lady and being a maid. Honestly, it was one she didn’t care for toomuch.
Iris sat dejectedly on the edge of Amy’s bed and she ate in silence, really feeling truly very alone. She should have been used to this feeling by now, it was commonplace, but every time she was left alone to eat, she could not help thinking of Daisy and all the meal times they had sharedtogether.
Oh, how she missedthem...
Iris assumed that she might have heard something from her friend by now. Daisy knew where she was, she could have easily written to her or sent a message via Victoria, but there had been nothing. Iris felt certain that Victoria would have at least shared that information with her if she’dheard.
All Iris knew was that she would be at Duke Pembroke’s home by now, but that could have beenanywhere.
Maybe Daisy did not want to know her now, maybe her life was too good. Maybe she had forgotten all about her friend. Or maybe she was too frightened to write in case the whole plan unravelled. If that was the case, then she would never hear from her friendagain.
What a terribly upsettingthought.
“Daisy, are you... are youcrying?”
Iris hadn’t even realized that tears were pouring down her cheeks, but now that the mysterious voice had mentioned it, she brushed the wetness awayquickly.
“Oh no, I...” She glanced up to see one of the maids that she barely recognized staring at her with wide-eyed shock. “Sorry, you should not have been able to see me thisway.”
She stood up and placed the half eaten plate of food on the dressing table. Then Iris forced a bright smile on her face. She would not let these people see her beingdefeated.
“Is there anything I can do foryou?”
“I was just passing actually, and I saw you... well, I don’t much agree with how you’ve been treated. I cannot see any reason for you to be fearedmyself.”
“Feared?” Iris stepped back in confusion. “What do you mean,feared?”
The maid pursed her lips thoughtfully before she spoke once more. "The others, they think that there is something special about you. I guess they do not really think that you are Victoria's cousin and they assume that you do notbelong."
Iris gasped. Was she that obvious? She thought that she had learned how to be a maid very well. “I do not... I am not...” Words escaped herentirely.
“I do not think the same. I think you just need a friend.” The maid stepped closer, and this time Iris remained exactly where she was. “My name is Alice; I am sorry we have not been introducedproperly.”
With that, completely embarrassed, Iris burst into tears. She was not even sure where they came from, they simply burst from her eyes and cascaded speedily down herface.
“Oh no, Daisy, is this because ofthem?”
“It is partly because they are right,” Iris confessed, needing to shed some of the weight from her shoulders. “Maybe I do not belong here; I was not always this.” She wouldn’t say it all, she couldn’t, but she needed someone to connect with her. “I used to be... different, but I fell on difficulttimes.”
“That happens to many,” Alice reassured Iris. “We see it more than youknow.”
“You do?” Iris smiled through the sobs. “I am not too sure aboutthat.”
Alice cocked her head to one side and she examined Iris closely. Maybe if the others knew just how nice Iris was, maybe if they understood that her life had faced challenges just as they had, they would react to her better. Alice had never known anyone in need of a friend as much as this poor, crying girl in front ofher.
“I think you should come and eat dinner with everyone tonight,” she announcedproudly.
