He still loved her? That provided Iris with more comfort than she thought possible. If Ewan still loved her then they could somehow, maybe work things out, couldn’tthey?
I hope that your feelings have not changed either, or that you feel less of me for needing thisspace.
Less of him? Iris completely understood, even if she did not likeit.
Amy will take care of you, of that I amsure.
Kindregards,
Lord EwanOakley.
Iris did not need to reiterate what had been written to Amy because she had been reading over her shoulder. Upon finishing, Amy rubbed a reassuring hand all over hershoulder.
“So, what do we do now?” Amy asked. “Of course I will take care of you, but what should wedo?”
Iris folded the paper up carefully and she tucked it into her pocket. “I suppose we carry on as normal. I continue being your handmaiden, we act like nothing has changed, that way no one willsuspect.”
Amy nodded. "Right, I see. It will be strange now though. I do not know if I will be able to see you, in the same way, knowing that you are aLady."
“In all truthfulness, I never felt like a Lady. I feel much better being useful, I truly enjoy being yourhandmaiden.”
Iris picked up a brush and she dragged it through Amy’s hair. She could do ‘business as normal’ it made a lot of sense. Everything else was out of her control, so instead of losing herself in that like she would have done once upon a time, Iris found it much more practical to focus on what she did have powerover.
“Can I ask you something?” Amy started quietly, sounding about as shy as she was when Iris first mether.
“Of course, I will answer anything if I can.” Iris had learned the hard way that honesty felt so much better than lying, even if the lie was an essentialone.
“Why did you run away? What were you trying to escapefrom?”
“A man,” Iris replied quietly. “I did not want to get married to the man my father had picked out forme.”
“And... he did not listen to yourconcerns?”
“It was written in his will.” Iris gulped as she recalled Ewan’s reaction to that particular lie. “I am sorry that I was not truthful about my father dying. I needed to speak with my sister to let her know that I amsafe.”
“Oh, I see.” Amy did not seem as troubled by this as her brother was. “That is alright. So, you could escape your marriage in any otherway?”
“Do not worry about yourself,” Iris did her best to reassure Amy. “I am certain your brother will give you much morefreedom.”
They continued to get Amy dressed in an almost silence while they both thought things through. Amy looked at her life through a new lens, she was starting to realise just how lucky she was. She did not have anything excessive thrust upon her, and she felt certain that her brother would allow her to pick her own husband. Maybe it was a good thing that Iris had come into her life, it made her see how different things could havebeen.
She had always felt sorry for herself, having no parents, but things could have been so muchworse.
Iris’s nerves were grinding, but she had managed to push them to the back while she concentrated on each task at hand:pull on dress, tie up hair, get Amyready.
It was only when Amy left for her lessons that Iris’s mind took control. She sorted out the bed, tidied up the bedroom, took on mundane tasks that should have kept her mind occupied, but all the while she wondered. Where was Ewan? Where had he gone to think? Where was his mind set? What did he think about her now? Did he mean what he said, did he really loveher?
And most importantly, where would they go fromhere?
* * *
“Are you alright, Daisy?”Alice queried later on that evening. “I do not like to comment on appearance, but I have to say you look quiteill.”
It might not have been a genuine sickness, but Iris did not feel well. How long did it take for someone to work out how they felt? She thought he would be back already, but Ewan had chosen to spend the night somewhere else. Somewhere away fromher.
“My head does sting,” she admitted, believing that at least this was a better way to pass off her jittery fears. “I think I might need to get a good night of sleep tonight. I have not been restingwell.”
Alice gave her an imploring look, Iris tried to keep her pale face as blank as possible. She could not deal with any more questions right now; she really did feelunwell.
