Chapter 18
Iris feltlike she might actually be sick as she walked down the stairs to the dinner table to eat her very first meal with everyone else. Alice might have assured her that everything was going to be fine, but that didn’t necessarily mean it was. Many things could go wrong, and Iris’s brain flickered through them all at a very rapid pace. Everyone could hate her, she might make a fool out of herself, there could be hours of very awkward silence – especially if Alice was the only one who wanted herthere.
On top of that, there was a chance that this could all be a plan, some other way to torment her. Iris desperately prayed that it wasn’t, but she tried to prepare herself just in case. She did not want to walk head first into a trick without some form ofpreparation.
“Daisy!” Alice called out the moment that she spotted her walking into the midst of the other serving staff. “Come and sit withme.”
Iris’s chest flooded with relief. Alice looked genuinely happy to see her again, which had to be a very good sign. If it was a trick, surely there would be a sign by now. Iris decided to trust Alice and she made her way towardsher.
By Alice’s side was a very awkward looking Victoria. Iris watched as she shifted uncomfortably on her butt the closer she got. Her expression suggested that she would have preferred to be anywhere else in the world that where she was... either that or she was very embarrassed about her previous behaviour. Maybe she assumed that Iris held ill will against her. She did not, she just wanted to be friends. Iris hoped that once Victoria saw that, everything would be much lessdifficult.
“Thank you, Alice,” Iris replied in a hushed tone of voice as she tucked her skirt underneath her and she took her seat. “This is very kind of you. I am glad to be eating with youtonight.”
“Yes, of course, you are verywelcome.”
For a few moments, a thick silence clung to the air, Iris could feel every single eye upon her, so she forced her lips to curl up into a smile. If everyone could see that she intended to cause absolutely no trouble, then everything would be alright... or so shehoped.
Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump,thump.
Iris’s heart hammered loudly, but she did her best to contain that fear.Just keep smiling, she told herself.Everyone will come around; it will be fine.Her heart didn't stop, but eventually, the atmosphere thinned. Iris could feel the strangeness slippingaway.
After just a beat, someone made a comment about the pleasant smell of the food, and everyone began to speak all at once. As noise filled the room and the eyes drifted away, Iris let out a breath that she hadn’t even realized she was holding in. Itwasalright, all she needed to do was give ittime.
“See?” Alice nudged her playfully as Iris finally smiled for real. “I told you everything would befine.”
“So youdid.”
As Iris scanned her eyes across the whole table, she couldn’t help noticing that the butler wasn’t there. Maybe that was because he could not stand to be around her for even a moment, or maybe he had duties that he needed to attend to. Either way, Iris was glad. She didn’t want to deal with him on top of everyone else. He was another level ofchallenging.
"So, please tell us, Daisy," Alice continued loudly. She wanted the others to see just how sweet this soft-spoken girl was. "How are things going with Amy? She seems to be in much better spiritsnow?"
This was a subject that Iris felt comfortable discussing. She was proud of how well she'd done with Amy and she didn't mind the others knowing it. "She has become much more... amiable. I feel she might struggle to trust people, but she is slowly comingaround.”
“She trusts you, does she?” The harsh sounding male voice from her first day cried out to her. “Even though you aren’t exactly what you say youare?”
Iris flushed, half with anger, half with upset. Why did this boy have to go and ruin everything, just as it was going so well? “Oh, I...” she started, but he quickly jumped in oncemore.
“It is alright, none of us are.” He smirked brightly in her direction as he waved a hand dismissively. “I am Matthew; it is nice to meet youproperly.”
“Daisy, and it is good to meet youtoo.”
These people did not seem to care that she’d lied, they didn’t even ask her the truth. For someone who had felt like she needed to explain herself, this was a revelation to Iris. This was the sort of freedom that she had spent her whole life looking for. Finally, her wings had been unclipped and she could flyfree.
“Hey, Daisy!” Matthew called loudly across the table, engaging her in conversation once more. “Did you hear the one about Lil’ boyJohnnie?”
“Erm...” She honestly had no idea what this meant. “No?”
“Alright, here it goes.” Everyone fell into a hush to hear what Matthew was about to say. “Lil’ boy Jonnie asked his mother‘can anyone hear with their mouths?’. The lady replied that they could not, so the boy said‘then why did Mr. Smith tell sister that she had to come closer so he could speak with her, then he put his lips to her mouth instead of herears?’”
The entire room burst into laughter, and Iris made sure that hers rang out the loudest. They were mocking the silly structured rules of the high-born people, and while there was little humour to be found in the situation described in the silly tale, Iris found laughing at the rules rather than obeying them muchbetter.
At least she did not have to follow them herself, that made themmucheasier tomock.
“Oh, you like that one?” Matthew nodded appreciatively at her. “Wait until you hear the jokes I can come up with after a glass or two ofale.”
“Actually.” Iris’s cheeks flushed and her heart thundered all over again as she decided to do something very brave. She had once overheard one of her father’s friends telling him a joke, back when she was still seen in public. She didn’t understand it at the time, and she wasn’t totally sure that she did now, but if she wanted to fit in and she wanted these people to like her, then maybe it was time. “I have a jokemyself.”
“Ooh, I hope it is a naughty one!” Matthewexclaimed.
