She walked through the lush green grass over to where everyone else was waiting, and she took her place at the back of the crowd. Surrounded by so many other bodies all dressed in a similar fashion to her, it was much easier for Iris to blend, to be a wallflower without even trying, which was a sensation she adored. If it could be that way all the time, she would never beinside.
Everyone else was so focused on what was going on ahead of them, they were all marvelling at the large, grey headstone that Robert must have picked out for himself at some point, that just for a moment Iris was outside, in a crowd, and she didn’t feel panicked about it. That might have just been because no one was looking at her, but it was nice, just for one second to feelnormal.
Just like everyoneelse...
* * *
Iris knewthat it would be challenging to face a house full of people she barely knew, but somehow the gathering of mourners that had followed the Warwick family home managed to completely outweigh her expectations. Distant relatives embraced her despite the fact that she was clearly uncomfortable with it, her father’s friends tried to engage her in endless conversations, there wasn’t a place in the house for her to get a moment of rest. She had even tried to escape to her bedroom at one point, but a distant cousin had followed her and criticised the open drapes. Apparently, that was another thing that couldn't be seen as anything other than ‘disrespectful', given thecircumstances.
“Robert was averygood businessman," an elderly gentleman said to her for about the fifth time. His grey hair hung into his eyes and his suit was very ill fitting. In Iris's opinion this was a man who had money in his youth and wanted to be seen as that still despite the fact that the money was obviously gone. "Very good. None of us saw this illness coming. It was a hugesurprise."
“Yes, to us, too.” Iris’s words were coming out through gritted teeth, it was taking all that she had not to totally lose it. She felt sorry for this silly fellow, but she had been politely trying to get rid of him for over twenty minutes. He did not seem to know how to take ahint.
“It all happened so quickly, didn’t it?” He shook his head and took a large swig of his drink. “Soquickly.”
"Miss Iris?" Her heart leapt with joy as she heard the familiar sound of Daisy calling out to her. Finally, someone that she actually wanted to communicate with. "May I request a moment of your timeplease?"
“Oh, yes, of course.” Relief flooded Iris as she spotted a chance to finally get away. “Anything you need,Daisy.”
As Daisy curtsied, it was a challenge for the girls not to burst out into laughter. This was the way Daisy behaved around everyone else, but with Iris, it seemed stilted and strained. It felt odd for her friend to be so formal withher.
Iris led Daisy out into the kitchen where they hunted for a quiet spot in all the activity. The staff were all so focused on keeping the house guests happy, that they barely paid any attention to the girls atall.
“I just wanted to check in on you, Miss Iris,” Daisy flicked her concerned eyes all over her friend’s face. “I know this day is a difficult one foryou.”
“You came at exactly the right moment,” Iris reassured her with a smile. “The small talk is driving me crazy. I find it hard to talk so freely about a man I did not knowwell.”
“I am sure your sisters feel the same,” Daisy nodded as she spoke. “They will be getting it all too, but you can leave everyone soon if youwant.”
"Why?" Iris's heart flew in her chest. Was it possible? Could they finally escape this nightmare? She had almost resigned to it for the rest of the day, but if there wasanyway out, she was willing to takeit.
“The master’s lawyer is here and he would like to read the will to youall.”
Oh!That wasn’t what Iris had been expecting at all. It certainly wasn’t good news. The room buzzed and pulsed around her, she blinked a few times to try and stop the terror from takingover.
“Is that typical?” Iris knotted up her eyebrows in confusion. “Is that the sort of thing that should be done here andnow?”
“He said that it is urgent, that is the only reason why I came to you.” Daisy pursed her lips as she waited for Iris’s reaction. “Shall I get hold of your sisters? Maybe we could arrange a meeting in your father’s office where you can have someprivacy?”
Iris’s brain darted between decisions. This seemed too heavy for her, something that the others would be better at dealing with, but Daisy had come to her specifically. It was up toher.
“Yes, I suppose so,” she replied with a shaky voice. “There isn’t any point in putting off what can be done today. Maybe this will be good closure. Maybe it is better to get it all done in one day. What do youthink?”
“Erm, yes.” Daisy didn’t look very confident as she answered, but Iris had a feeling that was more about her than the situation. “You are probablyright.”
“Then let us do this now.” Iris nodded and smiled. They both knew that it was false, but they went with itanyway.
Daisy nodded. “If you would like to go to your father’s office now, I will bring your sistersthere.”
People tried to grab Iris’s attention as she moved her way through the crowds, but this time she did not care if she appeared rude. There was obviously something going on with this will reading that made it so urgent, so different to what usually happened. Again, Iris’s overactive imagination took her to places that she shouldn’t be goingto.
Iris didn’t stop moving until she was outside of the room that always held so much intimidation for her. She thought of her father then, she remembered their last, slightly awkward, encounter. She had argued with him, stood up for herself. She acted a little bit like the free bird from the painting... although it hadn’t led her anywhere. Not really. She flew, but she didn’t quite manage to soar out of theroom.
Maybe this time inside the room would be better. She could only hopeso.
