Chapter 29
Due to hervery long sleep, Iris woke up much earlier than she normally would. It was still dark as she rose from her bed, but there was no longer a scrap of weariness left within her. She could not lie down for even a secondlonger.
She knew that she probably shouldn’t, but she also could not resist. Iris used the quiet time alone to wander through the Oakley household, to remind her of what home felt like these days. She had not been gone long at all, but so much had happened that it felt like alifetime.
Elizabeth was having a baby, Iris herself had fallen in love with Lord Oakley, and she felt like he might love her back. Years of activity had blurred past Iris in a moment. Or maybe it just felt like that because so much of her life had beennothing.
Iris wandered through the large building, smiling happily to herself. There was a strong sense of calm and contentment in her chest that left her knowing this was exactly how things were supposed to have gone. The crazy plan had worked better than she ever could havehoped.
Her fingers brushed over the walls, she trod carefully onto the carpets, Iris inhaled deeply to let everything inside of her. It wasn’t ever where she expected to end up, but she did not ever want to leaveagain.
Hopefully, now, she would never haveto.
There was no point in getting herself all worked up about what Olivia might say because it was out of her control. She trusted Elizabeth implicitly anyway, and she believed that she could make Oliviaunderstand.
They had shared a moment anyway, after their father’s funeral, and Iris hoped that Olivia remembered that when she passed her judgment on what she haddone.
“Daisy?” Iris jumped as a soft voice broke through the dark silence. “Daisy, is thatyou?”
Iris could only make the outline of the man standing across from her in the hallway, but she knew who it was regardless. The way her heart leapt into her throat was enough to make herunderstand.
“Lord Oakley,” she gulped as she spoke. “I am terribly sorry. I have woken much too early. I am simply... reacquainting myself with the house. If I had known that you would still be awake, I never would have disturbedyou...”
“You are not disturbing me.” Ewan moved closer to her. “It is lovely to see you up and about again. I must confess I was very worried about you on the journeyhome.”
“Yes, I think the carriage ride was harder on my body than I thought it would be. I am terribly glad to beback.”
“I amtoo.”
As Ewan moved even closer to Iris, she felt that illicit thrill racing through her once more. If he reached out his arms, they could be dancing together again in aheartbeat.
“What are you doing up so late, may I ask?” Iris felt more confident around Ewan now. She did not mind asking him such personal questions. “Is it yourbusiness?”
“Yes, I have lots to do and I am afraid I have had the opposite problem to you. I slept too much on the carriage ride home, so I have not been able to feel tired untilnow.”
"At least you managed to get some paperwork done," Iris grinned, although it was unlikely that Ewan could see it in the night. “I am sure that is a task you are glad to have behindyou.”
“Oh yes, I am, it is terribly dull. If I went adventuring around the world, I would not have to worry about any ofthat.”
“Which of course is why you mustgo.”
Iris realized that there was a hollowness to her tone as she said that. There wasn’t any enthusiasm to her as she imagined the Lord on a wild adventure around the world. She would be pleased for him to finally be happy, he deserved it after all the hard work he had done for his entire life, but she did not want him to leave. She did not want him to go anywhere withouther.
Tell him now,her brain suddenly thought.Tell him the truth while there is no one elsearound.
She even parted her lips to do so, but somehow the words did not come out. She did not want to ruin this sweet, tantalizing moment in the dark with the cold, hard to digesttruth.
“Yes, maybe I will. We shallsee.”
With the darkness of the night shrouding them, Ewan did not think twice about acting on instinct. He held out his hands and wrapped his fingers around Daisy’s. As he clung onto her, his heart raced, he chest swelled with warmth, and he could not wipe the smile from hisface.
This was love, and Amy had been right. It truly was more simple than he made it out tobe.
Iris did not know what to think as Ewan held onto her hands. The night time allowed her to feel like it was a dream, so it did not feel so wrong, but his grip and the sparks he sent through her body were more real than anything that had come beforeit.
“Does your new ship have a name?” she asked as normally as she could manage, just to keep something about this moment on thelevel.
“Not yet, but I shall give her one soon,” Ewan repliedquietly.
