Iris wanted that. She wanted it so badly that it hurt. It was there, right in front of her, all she had to do was reach out and grabit.
“But what about our families? My sisters? Their children? Your sister. Can we really just say goodbye to all ofit?”
“We can visit.” Ewan shrugged his shoulders as if it would be an easy trip to make. “We do not even need to remain in one place forever. We can travel the world, see all the places that you wish to see. We can do whatever we want to do. All I want is to be with you, to make you happy, my life is meaningless withoutyou.”
“I... I... I want to say yes,” Iris admitted. She saw no point in acting otherwise. “I want to agree to this, but it feelscrazy.”
“Crazier than switching with your maid friend?” Ewan mused playfully. “Everything that you have done iscrazy.”
“I know, butthis... this is turning our backs oneverything.”
Ewan’s face fell. He felt so certain that Iris would love his idea, that was why he spent such effort making it all happen. But of course, he had left her behind with no clue about what he wanted to do, maybe she just needed sometime.
Iris let go of him and she moved away. They needed to think smart, it did not matter only what they wanted. No one got to live their lives only in thatway.
"It does not have to be immediate," he told her reassuringly. “First, I need to speak with Amy, then I need to arrange a ball for her so she can choose an eligible man for herself. Then, I assume you will need time to speak with all your family members too. There is no rush, this can be done slowly. I just want us to have achance.”
“Time,” Iris panted. “Time.” Time to make a decision, time to say her goodbyes, time to adjust to the thought of a brand new life. “Thankyou.”
Ewan cocked his head slightly as if he was going to kiss Iris, but he seemed to think better of it at the last minute. He seemed to understand that space was a part of her time, which he felt compelled to giveher.
“You go,” he instructed. “Go and think things through. I will call Amy in here to speak with her about my plans. I am sure you want to discuss it too, but I feel like the initial news needs to come fromme.”
“I will think,” Iris promised Ewan. “I will think this through, I promise youthat.”
“I know you will.” Ewan took his seat finally and he gazed at the woman he loved. He knew that love for him would not be simple, but he did not expect it to be so complex either. “I just hope that you come to the same conclusion as me. Our love is worth something, it is worthwhile, it is worth fighting for. Do not see it as giving up. See it as grasping on to somethingnew.”
“I will,” Iris promised, wishing that she could see it as hedid.
“We are simply too much for the stiff English society rules.” Ewan smiled, wanting to remind Iris of their first meeting. “That is why we are always breakingthem.”
Iris smiled secretly to herself, loving that they had an inner joke just for them. The dance, the rule breaking, the rebellion... it all started fromthere.
“I will speak with you soon, I promise, LordOakley.”
* * *
Iris waitedon Amy’s bed while she was in her brother’s office, reeling from the news. This was an unexpected turn of events., if she had even had an incline where Ewan’s head was at, she might well have stoppedhim.
But was he right? Was this their one chance at happiness? Did they have to leave the country to make things right? If they moved to America, no one would know who they were, no one would expect anything from them. They could simply live in some little brown house somewhere, staring out over the rolling countryside. They could just be happy... Iris and Ewan, with children running around at their feet. Maybe things were different there, maybe they didn’t need to be a certain way to give their childrenchances.
“Oh, Iris,” Amy cried out as she returned to the room. Her face was tear stained, but she had a bright grin on her lips. “Iris I cannot believe it. Ewan just told me everything.” She dived on the bed next to her friend and wrapped her arms around her. “I shall be sorry to see you go, but you deserve thishappiness.”
“What about you?” To Iris, leaving Amy behind was one of the biggest problems. “What shall youdo?”
“I hope I will be married soon, once I have picked out a nice man.” Amy giggled coquettishly. “My brother wants to hold a ball for me, and he said I can have complete control over who Imarry.”
Iris noted she did not sound unhappy at all, it seemed that she was looking forward to choosing her husband. So much so, that she was willing to say goodbye to herbrother.
“Well that is wonderful news,” Iris replied smilingly, with tears streaming down her cheeks. “I am so happy foryou.”
“Are you going to go?” Amy asked while burying her face into Iris’s neck. “Ewan said that you wereunsure?”
“It is not a simple decision to make, that is all. I need to think thingsthrough.”
“While you are thinking, will you help me to prepare for my ball?” Amy asked coyly. “I know that is a lot to ask of you, but you have given me the confidence to get this far. I do not want to do thisalone.”
“Of course I will!” Iris was glad for the distraction. Nothing could happen until that was complete anyway, so something else to steal her attention was exactly what she needed. “The first thing we need to plan is yourdress.”
Iris hoped that with time, clarity would come, and she also prayed that she was brave enough to make the decision that she wanted and smart enough to ensure that it all worked outalright...
