Iris almost commented that maybe he did not feel able to speak of her, because society would have expected him to move on by now, but she caught herself right at the last moment. Something about that comment, considering her current position, feltinappropriate.
“Anyway, it was worse when father died. That left a lot of responsibility in my brother’s lap. He has dealt with it very well, but I do feel like sometimes he resents that he cannot just have a normallife.”
“What would he be doing, if his life was normal?” Iris busied herself as she spoke to make herself available, but also to give Amy the chance to not answer if she did not wantto.
“I am not sure, maybe he would be looking for awife.”
“Or he might be looking to find you a husband...” Iris glanced at Amy out of the corner of her eye as she said this, searching for a reaction. She wanted to know just how Amy felt about this very topic because she wanted to help her if shecould.
“Yes, maybe, I suppose it is time.” Amy leapt up and began to pace the room. “I suppose I will have to meet potential matchessoon.”
“How do you feel about that?” Maybe this was a step too far, maybe it was not her place to pry so deeply, but she felt like this was something Amy needed someone to talk to about. With no older sisters to guide her at all, Iris would have to do what shecould.
“I am not sure.” Amy blushed as she shrugged. “I would like to find a nice husband, one who will take good care of me.” Iris could see a similar fantasy behind her eyes as she used to have herself. “I would like to be married to a kind man and it would be wonderful to have children of myown.”
“I am sure that if your brother is the wonderful man that you say he is, then he will choose you someone that you willlove.”
Amy clapped her hands together happily. “I hope so too. Maybe I will talk about it with him when he returns. I am going to go for breakfastnow.”
Without needing to be dressed or even to have her hair brushed, there was nothing for Iris to do, so she smiled and nodded, sending Amy on her way. Once she was gone, Iris then set about helping the others without even needing to be asked. She cleaned up Amy’s room to ensure that it looked better than it had ever done before, then she made her way through the hallways, dusting and cleaning any bits that shespotted.
It felt good to be helpful, even if she was a little anxious about the master’s return. Iris just hoped that he saw her worth, just as everyone else was starting to. If he liked her and he saw what a positive impact she’d had on Amy, then she would be allowed tostay.
Iris was content here; she did not want to startagain.
* * *
After lunch was served,and Amy returned to her lessons, Iris spotted the cook wiping sweat from her forehead. As she watched this kindly-looking lady, Iris was reminded of Betty and she felt a deep tug in her heart. She wanted to make a similar connectionhere.
“Would you like any help polishing the silver?” Iris asked in a timid voice. “I know that you are all trying to get the house ready for the master today, and I am at a bit of a loose end. I am free to help if you needit.”
“Oh right, Daisy, is it?” The cook asked. “I’m Alma, and yes. The silver has been polished, but it does not hurt to do it again. Not that the master is fussy, but we like to keep things nice forhim.”
“Of course, I totallyunderstand.”
The kitchen was busy, filled with people, and as Iris sat in the corner to polish the silver to the best of her ability, she listened to how people spoke about the return of the master. They all seemed to like him, very much, which had to be a rather good sign. Iris could not image anyone speaking so highly of her father. He was cold, with everyone. His return likely sparked endless fear into theirsystems.
It was funny how her old life now felt like a distant memory to Iris. She had spent much more of her life there than she did here, but this felt vibrant and real. Her life as Iris Warwick felt fuzzy, like a dream she could barely recall anymore. The hurt over losing her mother, the years spent locked away, the intense fear she experienced over the thought of getting married... none of it could get inside her bubble anymore. It was more like thinking about the events that had happened to someoneelse.
Daisy was still very real, but that was about it. Iris felt that Daisy was always going to be a prominent, real memory because her life was so intrinsically woven in with herown.
“Daisy? Daisy?” It took Iris a moment to remember that Daisy washer.
“Oh, yes, sorry I was in a world of my own then,” she chuckled as she spoke. “Is everythingalright?”
“Are you a little bit of a dreamer?” Alma asked smilingly. “I used to have another daydreamer working for me, but she kept dropping things on the master. It was veryembarrassing.”
“Oh no, only now and a... again,” Iris stammered. “I did not mean to fall into a dream then, it won’t happenagain.”
“Don’t worry so much, child!” Alma exclaimed. “You cannot do much damage while polishing the silver... except maybe to yourself. No, I just wanted to know how you feel about your one-on-one meeting with the master tomorrow? I know it is not custom in every household, but Master Oakley likes to meet with all his staff personally. He will certainly wish to speak with you since you work so closely with hissister.”
“He will?” Iris’s heart hammered painfully against her chest. Her mind spun as she tried to imagine how this would go. It was unlikely that he would recognize her for who she really was, but hehadbeen at her home at the night of the ball. That made her very nervous. “Oh right, well, I hope that I will not be too much of a disappointment tohim.”
“Oh that will be no trouble, you have been wonderful for Amy. He is bound to really loveyou.”
Iris gulped loudly. No amount of kind words was about to make her feel one hundred percent better about this meeting. Even if she was who she was pretending to be, meeting with the master would be veryintimidating.
Was that what he wanted? Maybe he wasn’t as kind as everyone suggested afterall!
