“So who invited you here?” Iris zipped her lips tight, there was no way she wanted to get anyone else into trouble. “Does your cousin not work for me?Victoria?”
“Please, please, please.” Iris flew at Ewan and she grabbed onto both of his hand while she begged. “Do not blame Victoria for this, she only agreed because Daisy begged her. She just wanted to make two people happy. I nevermeant...”
Suddenly she trailed off, unsure of how to finish that sentence, so Ewan took it upon himself to do it for her. “You never meant for me to love you, Isee.”
Iris could not contain it any longer, she needed to share her feelings, especially as there would never be another chance. “I love you too,” she whispered. “So very much. That is why everything has been so difficult, I never wanted anyone to gethurt.”
Ewan pulled himself up off the bed and he wrapped his arms around Iris to claim her in a deep, sensual kiss. There was nothing chaste about this one, all the passion that they felt for one another came flying out. Desperation burned off of Ewan and Iris was boiling with shame andheartbreak.
This was it for them, their one chance at real love, and Iris’s real identity had been the thing to destroythem.
“If only you were you,” Ewan panted against her passion bruised lips. “None of this would be sohard.”
Iris wasn’t sure if he meantyouas in Iris Warwick or Daisy Jones, it hardly mattered now. Nothing matteredanymore.
“I am truly sorry,” she gasped as he held her for just a few seconds longer. “I wish I could be me, I wish this had not everhappened.”
“But if it had not,” Ewan replied knowingly. “Then we would never have met. You would be wed to the Duke. Ironically the only thing that brought us together will now tear usapart.”
Iris paused for a second, before asking a question that only came out of her mouth because she felt irrational and crazy after that kiss. Every argument she’d ever given herself still stood, she was just having some trouble rememberingthem.
“Does it haveto?”
“I am not sure,” Ewan admitted. “It feels like if we want our happiness then others will lose theirs.” He could see all the potential issues very quickly. “We could be together as Daisy and Ewan, but I fear people might find out the truth. Then you and I will also affect Amy, Daisy and the Duke, your sister...” He paused as the thought just hit him. “Your sister. That was her house we stopped outside in the city. Your father, he is not evendying.”
Iris cringed as all her lies worked their way around her. “No, he is alreadydead.”
Everything caught up with Ewan, he suddenly realized just how deep this web of lies ran. This was no longer just one small lie spinning out of control, it was lots of lies, and they just kept ongoing.
“I thought that you were losing your father.” He stepped back, processing all the information he’d just been given. He could not believe that he has kissed Daisy... no, Iris – that would take some getting used to – after this. “I felt truly terrible for you. I thought you were this sweet, innocent girl who I could easily love, but everything about you is false; your name, your age, your family status... how could I ever trust youagain?”
“My feelings werereal.”
“Butyounever were.” Ewan gave Iris a burning look which chilled her to the bone. “You weren’t real atall.”
Iris has been expecting this sort of reaction, it made sense of Ewan to go mad, but it still hurt to see rage rolling off of him inwaves.
“I know that you are angry,” she spoke calmly. “But please, keep this a secret. I know you must hate me, but as you said there are so many other people who will be affected by the truth. People who do not deserve this. My sisters, my uncle, my nephews, theDuke...”
“Oh, now you care about the Duke?” Ewan hated himself for being nasty, but he was just so angry. He hated knowing that he’d been duped so easily, it did not speak well for his character. “The man that you were so desperate to avoid that you caused all ofthis.”
“I know.” Iris hung her head in shame. “But he does not deserve all the negativity that he will receive. It is notfair.”
“But it is fair to me and my family?” Ewan felt impassioned, he had never done anything wrong, why should he be the one in so muchpain?
“No, I did not say that...” Iris felt terrible, she was not explaining herself as she wanted to at all. All she needed to do was find the right words, but Ewan did not have enough patience left to allow her tospeak.
“Daisy, Iris, whatever your name is, I suggest you do not leave yet if you do not want this to get out. I need to think, to work out what to do, and I cannot make a decision if you are nowhere to befound.”
Half of Iris wanted to run away, to escape this horrible tension, but the other half of her was glad that she’d been given a little more time. The less of her life spent working on the streets, the better. This would not be a pleasant night, but she would have a roof over herhead.
“Yes, whatever youwant.”
Ewan’s head fell into his hands and Iris could almost hear him stifling a sob. She hated knowing that all the pain he was currently suffering was entirely her fault. It also hurt to know that she couldn’t go to him, to comforthim.
He wanted her to stay, but he also wanted her to go. He wanted to know where she was, but he did not want her anywhere near him while he worked out what all of thismeant.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated herself one final time. “I never meant to hurt you, the last thing I want is for you to feelbad.”
But it was too late for that now, he felt awful. Much as she did not want to, Iris had to give him space, so she twisted her body around and she forced herself to leave. Her future was in Ewan’s hands now, she just had towait.
