Chapter 22
Knock,knock.
As Iris stood outside Ewan’s office, beating her hand against his large, hard door, her heart beat faster than it had ever gone before. She had planned exactly what she wanted to say when she found herself face-to-face with him, but since there was no telling which way this would go she still felt like she was on a terrifying roller-coaster of emotions. This was one meeting that she could not preparefor.
He will be reasonable, Iris tried her best to convince herself. Alice said that he is kind, Amy has reassured me, even Victoria told Daisy that Lord Oakley wasnice.
“Come in,” Ewan called, after only a beat. His voice sounded cool and calm now, but Iris knew it would not always be that way. She had not sent word that she was coming, but Mr. Shipman had informed her that Lord Oakley had some free time now, so it seemed best to just go for it. Only now when it was too late did Iris doubt her crazyplan.
There was no turning backnow!
Iris pushed the door open, cringing as it creaked loudly, and she peered inside to see Ewan sitting behind a desk. His head was bent, but his eyes flicked up to meet hers as soon as she started speaking. She felt that bolt of electricity once more, but she tried to push it to one side fornow.
“I am sorry to trouble you, Lord Oakley, may I request a moment of your time?” Her father had never been included to let any of the serving staff into his office, but Iris did not think that Ewan would be that way. “If it is not a good time, I can comeback?”
Ewan narrowed his eyes at her. He gave Iris a distant look as if she was just another stranger. Her heart dipped low as she got this look, it didn’t seem fair when all she could really think about was their night together, but what could she do about it? She wasn’t really here for that right now anyway. She had something much more important to dealwith.
“You may come in now,” he finally declared with a deep sigh, as if he did not really want to deal with Iris at this moment. “Please, take aseat.”
Iris took a quick glance around the room as she moved through it. The white walls were clean and tall, and there were two long thin windows allowing the natural light to fill the room. He had a lamp on his desk, but most of his work was done by the daylight. In between two of those windows hung a small clock that ticked very noisily. Iris wondered if this gave Ewan a terrible headache as heworked.
Ewan’s desk was much longer than her father’s, and it had chairs all along it which felt much more inviting. There was also a very large bookshelf behind Ewan, and Iris really wanted to examine them all in turn, but there just wasn’t time. She had a job todo.
“Th... thank you for seeing me,” Iris stuttered as she moved to take a seat. Everything that she’d planned saying flew right out of her head. “I am sorry to trouble you; I know that you are a very busyman.”
“What is this regarding?” His tone was wary, which made Iris clam upinstantly.
“Oh well, I was not sure whether or not you wanted to talk about the last time wemet...”
"The first time I saw you, we were inside of my home," Ewan shut Iris down with a few hard words. “That is all there is to say about thematter.”
“Oh right, okay.” Iris felt very put out by that, but if it was what he wanted then she would ignore their past too. It hurt her deeply, she didn’t like the way it made her feel inside, but she would not let him see that. “Well, actually there is another matter that we need todiscuss.”
“And what is that?” Ewan shuffled his papers, making it clear that he had a lot todo.
“My...” Iris gulped, hating the fact that she had to lie to the one person who made her feel alive. Somehow, spinning this line to Ewan felt more challenging than when she had done it to anyone else. “My father is sick.” Her eyes flickered towards the ground, she could not stand to look at him. “My sister fears that he might die. I know it is a lot to ask, but I would like some time to go and visit him, if Imay?”
“Oh.” Ewan sounded shocked, this was not what he had been expecting at all. It made him feel bad for trying to ignore the connection that he had with the lovely woman, but having her in his home made it that much more challenging. “I see. Have you consulted Lady Oakley aboutthis?”
“She has suggested that she will be fine without me for a short while.” Iris still could not drag her eyes upright. Her entire body trembled with fear. “I know I am asking too much. I feel terrible about the timing but I really feel like I must get to visit him as soon aspossible.”
“And where does your fatherlive?”
“In the city.” Iris secretly crossed her fingers for luck underneath her chair. “I will organize a carriage to take methere.”
“No, you will not,” Ewan shook his head as he talked. “I cannot havethat.”
“I know this is awkward, but I would like to spend some time with my father before hepasses.”
Iris felt indignant as she talked. This did not feel like the sort of subject that she should have to defend herself on. It might have been a lie, but as far as Ewan knew her father was dying and he would not let her go. She felt like she was being punished for dancing with him at the ball, but he was as much of a part as that asher.
“Oh no, I understand that. I know that you need to be with your father.” Ewan shot Iris a small smile, but it was the friendliest that he has been with her since she had been under his roof. “What I mean is I do not want you organizing your own transport. I will sort a carriage for you. In fact, I am returning to the city myself next week to complete my business. I will escortyou.”
“You do not need to do that.” Immediately Iris panicked. How was she supposed to complete her secret mission with Ewan by her side? "I will be fine alone, I travelled down bymyself."
“I know that, but you are under my care now. I would like to ensure that you are safe on your journey. It makes sense if I am travelling in that direction too. I will take my own carriage of course, but I will be on the same journey asyou.”
Ewan had no idea why he was being so insistent with this beautiful young woman sitting before him, he did not usually care so much about his staff, but there was something about her that brought out his fiercely protective side. He was supposed to be keeping far away from Daisy, she was too much of a temptation for him, but the thought of her going all that way by herself wasunbearable.
