The Duke of My Heart (Regency Romance)

by Hanna Hamilton

Ever your friend,

  Daisy

  Iris’s last few days with Daisy had been nothing more than a blur. She wished that she had made more of them, she could not even recall saying goodbye. She hoped that somehow she could make that up to her friend. She did not want it to end that way.

  As Iris lay back down, she allowed her mind to wander in a way that she hadn’t done since entering the Oakley household. She was actually daydreaming... only this time the subject of her fantasy was not a prince coming to whisk her away. In fact, there was no romance at all. This time, Iris daydreamed about meeting up with Daisy.

  She saw herself being invited to some grand home, one that was even bigger than this one, where she would meet with ‘Lady Iris Pembroke’. She imagined seeing Daisy in the most beautiful lady-like dress she’d ever seen, Iris could just see her swishing gracefully in it, looking much more comfortable than Iris ever did.

  Daisy would demand that everyone leave them alone, which they would of course, because she was the lady of the house, and then they could finally talk freely. Iris dreamed that they’d share stories of their much happier lives since the switch, where they would both realise for sure that they had done the right thing.

  “Oh, I am so happy and in love,” the Daisy in Iris’s mind told her. “I did not think that I would love Duke Pembroke, but I do.”

  Now that Iris did not have to marry him, she hoped that the rumours about Duke Pembroke were false. She would have much preferred to learn that he was a lovely man that treated her friend well.

  “I am happy too,” Iris saw herself stating to Daisy. “I have friends who keep me company and a lovely young lady to work with."

  “I am glad. We both have everything that we ever wanted. I have the man of my dreams, and the life of a lady, and you have the freedom to do as you choose.”

  It did not matter to Iris that it had been a rocky road to get to where she was, she would still have done the switch again to avoid getting married to the Duke. She did not need a life of love anymore, maybe that would be something that never happened to her. If it didn't, Iris felt like she would probably be okay with that. Maybe.

  Love had not crossed her mind for a very long time, which probably meant that it was no longer needed. Without hours to spend staring out of her window thinking about these things, it mattered so much less.

  “We certainly have, everything has worked out perfectly. Thank you, Daisy.”

  "No, Iris, thank you. Without you, I would have none of this. You have made my life complete and I love you dearly for that."

  “I love you too, Daisy. You are the best friend a girl could ever hope for.”

  Then, of course, the girls would embrace, just like they should have done on their very last day together. If things had not been so rushed and stressful, that is what they would have done. It would be the goodbye that they both needed for closure.

  That was a lovely image, Iris enjoyed thinking about it. Especially the part where Daisy was satisfied with what she had now. Admittedly, Iris had spent far too long wrapped up in how she felt about the way that things had worked out, she had not given much thought to her friend’s new life.

  To picture her happy and satisfied with the switch allowed Iris to cling onto her own current happiness for a little while longer. Now that she had it, she never wanted to let it go, this was the most wonderful feeling on the planet.

  Chapter 19

  Although Iris was utterly convinced that she would get no sleep, she must have drifted off at some point because the morning came around all too quickly. Iris still felt very sleepy as she arose, but the buzzing of excitement was all too much.

  As she pulled on her uniform, Iris did so with a bright smile. This clothing fit her so much better than any of the stiff expensive dresses with tight stays underneath ever did. The dark blue slip dress which Iris wore with a cream coloured apron hugged her svelte figure in a much more comfortable way. It also gave her plenty of freedom to move, which of course was very important to her.

  Right, she thought in her mind. Today is a brand new day. A good day too. Keep up the way things are going, and this will become an amazing place to live.

  With a smile already on her face, Iris left her bedroom just to run straight into Alice who was racing towards her very quickly. Since she had spent such a long time in almost isolation, the fact that someone sought her out felt phenomenal.

  “Good morning, Daisy, how are you feeling this morning?” Her eyes shone with glee, she looked very excited. Alice was over the moon with what she had achieved the night before, the house already felt much more harmonious because of it. She knew that, by bringing the new girl down to eat with the others, but she still felt pleased with how well things had turned out.

  “I am very well, thank you, Alice. How are you?” Iris returned the grin.

  "Oh, I am going to be very busy today.” Alice clutched Iris’s arm as she spoke, she was so filled with anticipation and she wasn’t quite sure how to control it all. “More so than usual.”

  “How so?”

  “Oh, have you not heard?” Alice looked very shocked as she said this. “I am sorry, I thought that you knew. Master Oakley is due to return home from his trip tomorrow.”

  “Oh wow.” Iris had thought about this, she knew at some point that the master would come back, but she hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. Just as things had gotten settled, everything was about to turn on its head all over again. “Well, if you need any help please let me know. I have my duties with Amy, but during the times I am not busy please let me know if there is anything you need me to help with.”

  “Oh, thank you. That is very kind. I will look for you if I am desperate.”

  As Iris made her way up the stairs she noticed that everyone had their heads down and they were all getting on with work. The fact that the master was on his way home had everyone a little freaked out. Still, despite how much they all had to do, everyone turned to smile and greet her. It made Iris feel wonderful. The fact that they were making such an effort, finally, was huge. Iris did not think that she would ever be able to stop smiling...

  Until she ran head first into Mr. Shipman, that is. Iris was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn’t see where she was going until her head bashed into the body of another person.

  “Oh, I am sorry,” she said rapidly as she stumbled backwards. Her face flushed and she instantly felt very panicky inside at her mistake. That got even worse when she saw who it was – the one person in the Oakley household who still did not like her. “I did not mean to... I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

  Mr. Shipman continued to stare down at her as if she was something to be feared. Iris didn’t like that one bit. If everyone else could accept her for whoever she might be, then why did this man find it so hard? She decided to try and push just a little, to see if she could achieve anything.

  “I know that you all have a hard day today,” Iris said very softly, desperately trying to reach through. “I have already spoken to Amy about this, but please come to me if you need any help today.”

  “Oh.” Mr. Shipman looked very shocked at that, as if he could not believe that she was offering help. “Oh, right, I see.”

  Suddenly panicking that she might be stepping on some toes, or that the offer might come across wrong, Iris continued to chat in a very nervous way. “Of course I know I might not be able to do everything the way that you can, I have been told that you are an expert at what you do.” Iris hoped that some flattery would work wonders. “But if I can offer my assistance, I would like to do so.”

  Mr. Shipman nodded slowly, as if he did not know how to take this offer. He had been nothing but awful to this young lady, yet she was still willing to help him out. Considering all the handmaidens that had come before had left almost as quickly as they had arrived, he had to be impressed with this girl’s tenacity. She was determined, if nothing else.

  “Yes, thank you,” he bristled, unsure of how to behave now. “
That is very good of you.”

  "Of course, anytime."

  Iris turned to watch as Mr. Shipman walked off with a powerful sense of exhilaration racing through her system. This wasn’t a competition, she did not want to view it as that, but if it was that way, then surely she could count that as a win? It felt like a step in the right direction at any rate. It may never lead to friendship, Iris wasn’t sure that could ever come about, but she hoped that she no longer had an enemy.

  As Iris made her way up the stairs, she couldn’t help noticing that there was an actual skip in her step. She felt like her delicate body was lighter than air, and that she could take off flying if she wanted. Finally, she was the bird with the world below her. She was looking down on the world as she soared above.

  “Oh, good morning, Amy.” Iris was shocked to find Amy already out of bed and dressed as she entered her bedroom. Her first thought was that maybe she had woken up late herself, but the light in the sky was at the same point it was every single day. This was not her doing something different, this was Amy. “How are you feeling today?”

  “I am very excited that my brother is coming home.” Amy could barely keep still. Even if Iris wasn’t so happy today she felt like spending time with Amy would boost her spirits. She had that shining joy that impacted on the entire room. “It will be nice to see him, once he is home.”

  “You love him very much,” Iris observed. “He must be a very good brother to you.”

  “He is the best.” Amy perched on the edge of her bed and she pursed her lips thoughtfully. “It was hard for him, when our father died. I imagine it was hard for him when we lost our mother too.”

  “You do not recall you mother?” Iris knew that this was a dangerous subject, one that could quite easily send her back into a tailspin of emotion herself, but she wanted to try for Amy. She wanted her to let her in.

  “She passed away while giving birth to me.” Amy’s face fell, Iris wondered how much she blamed herself for that. “My brother never speaks of her, but I think it upset him greatly.”

  Iris almost commented that maybe he did not feel able to speak of her, because society would have expected him to move on by now, but she caught herself right at the last moment. Something about that comment, considering her current position, felt inappropriate.

  “Anyway, it was worse when father died. That left a lot of responsibility in my brother’s lap. He has dealt with it very well, but I do feel like sometimes he resents that he cannot just have a normal life.”

  “What would he be doing, if his life was normal?” Iris busied herself as she spoke to make herself available, but also to give Amy the chance to not answer if she did not want to.

  “I am not sure, maybe he would be looking for a wife.”

  “Or he might be looking to find you a husband...” Iris glanced at Amy out of the corner of her eye as she said this, searching for a reaction. She wanted to know just how Amy felt about this very topic because she wanted to help her if she could.

  “Yes, maybe, I suppose it is time.” Amy leapt up and began to pace the room. “I suppose I will have to meet potential matches soon.”

  “How do you feel about that?” Maybe this was a step too far, maybe it was not her place to pry so deeply, but she felt like this was something Amy needed someone to talk to about. With no older sisters to guide her at all, Iris would have to do what she could.

  “I am not sure.” Amy blushed as she shrugged. “I would like to find a nice husband, one who will take good care of me.” Iris could see a similar fantasy behind her eyes as she used to have herself. “I would like to be married to a kind man and it would be wonderful to have children of my own.”

  “I am sure that if your brother is the wonderful man that you say he is, then he will choose you someone that you will love.”

  Amy clapped her hands together happily. “I hope so too. Maybe I will talk about it with him when he returns. I am going to go for breakfast now.”

  Without needing to be dressed or even to have her hair brushed, there was nothing for Iris to do, so she smiled and nodded, sending Amy on her way. Once she was gone, Iris then set about helping the others without even needing to be asked. She cleaned up Amy’s room to ensure that it looked better than it had ever done before, then she made her way through the hallways, dusting and cleaning any bits that she spotted.

  It felt good to be helpful, even if she was a little anxious about the master’s return. Iris just hoped that he saw her worth, just as everyone else was starting to. If he liked her and he saw what a positive impact she’d had on Amy, then she would be allowed to stay.

  Iris was content here; she did not want to start again.

  * * *

  After lunch was served, and Amy returned to her lessons, Iris spotted the cook wiping sweat from her forehead. As she watched this kindly-looking lady, Iris was reminded of Betty and she felt a deep tug in her heart. She wanted to make a similar connection here.

  “Would you like any help polishing the silver?” Iris asked in a timid voice. “I know that you are all trying to get the house ready for the master today, and I am at a bit of a loose end. I am free to help if you need it.”

  “Oh right, Daisy, is it?” The cook asked. “I’m Alma, and yes. The silver has been polished, but it does not hurt to do it again. Not that the master is fussy, but we like to keep things nice for him.”

  “Of course, I totally understand.”

  The kitchen was busy, filled with people, and as Iris sat in the corner to polish the silver to the best of her ability, she listened to how people spoke about the return of the master. They all seemed to like him, very much, which had to be a rather good sign. Iris could not image anyone speaking so highly of her father. He was cold, with everyone. His return likely sparked endless fear into their systems.

  It was funny how her old life now felt like a distant memory to Iris. She had spent much more of her life there than she did here, but this felt vibrant and real. Her life as Iris Warwick felt fuzzy, like a dream she could barely recall anymore. The hurt over losing her mother, the years spent locked away, the intense fear she experienced over the thought of getting married... none of it could get inside her bubble anymore. It was more like thinking about the events that had happened to someone else.

  Daisy was still very real, but that was about it. Iris felt that Daisy was always going to be a prominent, real memory because her life was so intrinsically woven in with her own.

  “Daisy? Daisy?” It took Iris a moment to remember that Daisy was her.

  “Oh, yes, sorry I was in a world of my own then,” she chuckled as she spoke. “Is everything alright?”

  “Are you a little bit of a dreamer?” Alma asked smilingly. “I used to have another daydreamer working for me, but she kept dropping things on the master. It was very embarrassing.”

  “Oh no, only now and a... again,” Iris stammered. “I did not mean to fall into a dream then, it won’t happen again.”

  “Don’t worry so much, child!” Alma exclaimed. “You cannot do much damage while polishing the silver... except maybe to yourself. No, I just wanted to know how you feel about your one-on-one meeting with the master tomorrow? I know it is not custom in every household, but Master Oakley likes to meet with all his staff personally. He will certainly wish to speak with you since you work so closely with his sister.”

  “He will?” Iris’s heart hammered painfully against her chest. Her mind spun as she tried to imagine how this would go. It was unlikely that he would recognize her for who she really was, but he had been at her home at the night of the ball. That made her very nervous. “Oh right, well, I hope that I will not be too much of a disappointment to him.”

  “Oh that will be no trouble, you have been wonderful for Amy. He is bound to really love you.”

  Iris gulped loudly. No amount of kind words was about to make her feel one hundred percent better about this meeting. Even if she was who she was pretending to be, meeting with the master wou
ld be very intimidating.

  Was that what he wanted? Maybe he wasn’t as kind as everyone suggested after all!

  “Yes, I hope so.”

  * * *

  Iris was not convinced that she could manage. All day long she pondered on the meeting, she got herself all tied up in knots about it. One moment, she was convinced that everything would be absolutely fine, and the next she was in a state of panic all over again. On the one hand, she had done a very good job, but on the other, she was terrified of being exposed.

  Lying was not her strong suit, she had never tried to succeed at it because it wasn’t a trait that she admired. Now she needed it more than ever to stop herself from losing everything. Daisy too.

  Just go to sleep, she told herself angrily. It will be fine, there is no point in lying awake worrying all night long. Iris really did not want to be exhausted when she went to the meeting, but she couldn't switch her brain off. You have been strong, she said with a nod. You have come this far; you can do the rest. It will all be fine.

  Just... go... to... sleep.

  Simple.

  Chapter 20

  The atmosphere was thick, no one could relax as they waited for the master of the house, but there wasn’t a single person in the house as panicked as Iris. She was not sure what time of the day, but any minute now, then he would be home, and everything would change. Hopefully for the better, but she could not totally be sure.

  “Are you alright, Daisy?” Amy asked her kindly, shaking her from her thoughts. “You seem distracted today? You have been brushing my hair for so much longer than usual.”

  “I just want you to look your best for this special day,” Iris tried her best to cover up her distraction. “And I have to say that you do. You look wonderful.”

  Amy had a long pale pink dress on, which fit her beautifully without being too uncomfortable. She had light makeup dusted across her face, just enough to enhance her features without drowning her in it. Now Iris wanted to tie her hair up into braids to really set off the whole look. Luckily, from watching Daisy do it to her for all those years, it was something that she could do well.