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Chapter 33

Iris waitedoutside Amy’s bedroom for her to wake up, hopping anxiously from foot to foot while anticipation raced right through her system rapidly. Of course, she had not been able to get any sleep, but she had absolutely no exhaustion in her system atall.

She wasn’t sure what Ewan expected her to do while she remained under his roof, but she could not sit still and wait for things to happen around her. She needed to carry on as normal until something dramatic changed. Especially if she did not want anyone else to discover what was goingon.

Well, as normal as she could be, while also constantly checking on Victoria. The moment her saviour lost her job, she would know. Then she would be certain that she should have escaped. She hated that someone so innocent had been endangered by her. It was notfair.

Iris bit down on her fingernails, she paced outside the door, her feet twitched impatiently with nerves. Of everything that she’d ever had to wait for in her entire life, this was officially the worst. It made her anxious down to the marrow in herbone.

The moment Iris heard movement in Amy’s room she entered. She didn’t have time for her Lady to wake up, she owed her an explanation as well and she needed to get it out quickly before she fell apartcompletely.

“Miss Amy, how are you this morning?” she asked in a garbled tone of voice. “Is there anything I can do for you? What do you need?” Her words were getting away from her, she had lost all control of her mouth. “Just let me know, whatever itis...”

“You are still here.” Amy’s chest swelled with glee. “I cannot believe it, I am so happy, I feared you mightleave.”

“No.” Iris hung her head in shame. “I am stillhere.”

Amy twisted her body until her feet hit the floor, and almost immediately something caught her attention. There was a white envelope sitting on her dressing table that had not been there the night before. She pushed herself upright and padded across thecarpet.

“What’s this?” she asked quietly as she fiddled with it between her fingers. She recognized her brother’s handwriting, but not the name written across it. “Who isIris?”

Iris nodded slowly. Ewan knew her movements well, he understood that she would come and see Amy first. She was not sure if this was a way to make her confess to Amy, or if he simply knew that shewould.

"I am," she breathed. "My name is not Daisy Jones, it is, in fact, Iris Warwick." Iris waited, to see if there would be any recognition, but she remained very blank. "I am not who I say, I am not even a maid. I am, in fact, alady."

“So... why would you pretend otherwise?” In Amy’s mind, this made things even more confusing. If Daisy, or Iris, had a title, then surely it was even more likely that she could marry her brother without any issues. “I do notunderstand.”

“I ran away.” Iris decided to give the short version of events this time. She wanted Amy to know the truth, but not all of it. If she kept telling everyone everything, then sooner or later reality would be revealed and everyone would be affected anyway. “I left home to escape a situation that I did not want to be in. I came here to work, to earn an honest living. I did not mean for everything that happenedafterwards.”

“So, you cannot be yourself or people will come looking foryou?”

“Yes.” Iris was glad that Amy was starting to understand. “That isright.”

Amy paused for such a long moment that Iris prepared herself to be kicked out of her bedroom. If only she hadn’t fallen in love, she could’ve kept up this new life that made her really happy forevermore.

“I suppose you better read the letter then.” Amy finally shot her a smile. “Let us find out what Ewan has tosay.”

“You are not angry?” Iris askedquietly.

“Of course not, D... Iris.” Amy knotted her eyebrows together for a moment while she tried to get her head around that. “Sorry, it might take me a while to get used to your newname.”

“I do not mind you calling me Daisy. I have lived a very happy life asDaisy.”

“I do not mind,” Amy reiterated. “I understand that things happen, that there are sometimes things that need to be escaped. I am just glad that you came here, that isall.”

Iris tore at the envelope with a hammering heart. She had absolutely no idea why Ewan would leave her a message in written form rather than speaking to her face to face, but it seemed that she was about to findout.

DearIris,

Iris ran her finger over his cursive script. Ewan had taken the time to write this carefully, which had to mean the contents were very important. Iris was not sure how she knew, but she felt certain that this would be badnews.

I am sorry to leave you now, but as I am sure you can imagine I have a lot to get my head around. I need space and time to think thingsthrough.

Please, do not worry, your secret is safe with me, I am not considering revealing the information to anyone, I simply need to work out what it means for me. And you. Forus.

Iris's heart beat faster, she could almost taste blood in her mouth. In a way, this was very good news, but in another, it was absolutely terrible. If Ewan was not here, then how could she make thingsright?

I would appreciate it if you stay while I am away, it would give me great comfort to know that you are still in my home for me to speak with, regarding my decision. My feelings for you have notchanged.