The Duke of My Heart (Regency Romance)

by Hanna Hamilton

  This... in Ewan’s arms, this was what made her truly happy.

  They slowly moved, and with each step Iris found herself moulding into Ewan more and more. As they swayed she wondered why she was making this man wait, why she wasn’t one hundred percent certain about him. How could she not want to be with this man? How could she not want to follow him everywhere? What did it matter if they lived across the other side of the world if they had each other? Everyone else had their happiness, why shouldn’t she?

  The more she thought along those lines, the freer her steps became, the faster her heart raced. She wanted this, she needed it, she desired to have this feeling forever... and with Ewan, she could have it.

  As she looked into his eyes, she swam in the green, loving the sensation. How could she ever find this again? She only had one life to live, her mother had taught her that, and she had already wasted so much of it. She did not want to waste another day.

  “Yes,” she whispered quietly, her heart flooding with happiness as the word fell from her mouth.

  "Yes?" Ewan was not sure what Iris meant by that. Of course, he knew what he wanted her to say, but he didn’t want to get his hopes too high. He needed to be cautious so as not to put the pressure on. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean yes.” Iris stepped back from Ewan and she flung her arms to the side willingly. “Yes, we should do this, we should get on your ship and go to America. We should be free to be together, to be in love.”

  “You... you mean it?”

  Iris grabbed onto Ewan’s hands and she gave him an intense wonderful stare. Her heart flapped loudly and her stomach churned excitedly. “I mean it,” she promised.

  “It will not be easy.” Ewan wasn’t sure why he was now being negative about the journey that he was so excited about. He just wanted her to understand everything. “The journey will be challenging, as will starting again.”

  "You would not have arranged it if you did not know that we could do it.” Iris laughed at the turn of events. Now she was convincing Ewan that this was the right move for them. “You have planned this very carefully, you have ensured that your sister, and that your business is in order. We can do this; it is our chance to be happy.”

  Iris knew this was the answer, it was the best way that she could have her happiness and her friend could keep her life too. Throughout all of this, there had been another half to the story, another version of events that she did not want to disturb. If Daisy had happiness, she did not want to ruin it. This way, she could find her happy ever after with her half of the tale, and Daisy could keep hers as well.

  “We can be happy,” Ewan smiled gleefully. “We can have everything that we’ve ever wanted. I must go and start arranging things now...”

  “Stop,” Iris giggled while pulled Ewan back to her. “You cannot do everything yet, we still have a lot to sort. Plus, tonight, unless you have forgotten, you are hosting your sister’s ball. You are very much in demand, and you need to ensure that Amy is being well taken care of in there. Work can come tomorrow.”

  Ewan nodded, knowing that Iris was right. He leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips. Now that he knew they were about to be wed, and that they would restart their lives in another country, he felt no guilt whatsoever. She was his, and he was hers. Who cared if the world knew?

  “Right, Miss Iris, you are correct, of course. I shall go and be the dutiful host tonight, but you cannot blame me for my excitement.”

  “I am excited too.”

  Ewan gave Iris one last longing look, but eventually, he pulled himself away. He did not want to be anywhere else in the world, he wanted to remain with Iris to spend time with the woman he loved, but his duty came first. And for Amy he did not mind.

  “I shall see you later on,” he promised. “Then tomorrow is a brand new day.”

  Iris laughed as she watched Ewan walk away. For a moment she waited for regret to fill her up, but for some reason, it did not come. She no longer minded the escape, the idea of leaving everything that had ever terrified her behind. Of course, there were things that she would miss, people that she hated the idea of losing, but she needed to find her happiness and she knew that everyone in her life would agree. Maybe they would miss her, but they wanted her to be happy.

  She practically skipped towards the kitchen to help out with any duties that needed completing, but just before she got there she found her feet taking a detour. She wanted to see Amy with this young Lord, she wanted to see any happiness on her face now that she had her own.

  Iris pushed her face through the door and she spotted Amy in her bright blue dress swirling around her body. There was no Lord with her but there was a shining joy in her gaze which suggested that things were good. Really good, actually.

  Amy sensed that eyes were upon her, and they did not belong to the wonderful Lord George Taylor, who had been sending shivers up and down her spine all night long.

  As she turned her head, and she saw Iris giving her a smile, she immediately started walking towards her to share the good news. George was so amazing, so incredible, so perfect for her. She needed to share this news before she burst with it all.

  Seeing Amy walk towards her, Iris remained where she was. She could recall that feeling herself, the flush of first love. Only she did not have anyone to share it with.

  “How are things going?” she asked quietly as Amy joined her. “I hear that you have been having a wonderful time.”

  “I have met the man that I want to marry,” she told Iris seriously. “He truly is kind and sweet, and he seems to feel the same way about me.”

  "Well, how could he not? Look at you, you are wonderful. You look beautiful."

  “Thanks to you.”

  Amy glanced down at the dress Iris had picked out for her, and she touched the hair that Iris had styled, she felt the confidence from the makeup that Iris had done for her. She had turned her into the beauty that could attract a man such as Lord George Taylor.

  “I hope that you will find a lot of happiness with him,” Iris said very seriously. “You deserve all the joy in the world.”

  “If I am happy, then you and Ewan can be happy too.” Amy had been acutely aware of this all night long, not that it had affected her decision at all. She would have fallen for George no matter what. He gave her powerful butterflies. “You can go to America without worrying about me.”

  Iris’s face broke into a smile. “Yes, I know.”

  “Does that mean you will?” Amy honestly did not mind her brother and Iris moving across the world, as long as they were happy. She wanted this woman to be her sister-in-law whatever it took. “Are you considering it?”

  “I have always been considering it... but now I have told Ewan yes. I have told him that I would like to go to America to be with him.”

  “That is incredible news!” Amy gripped tightly onto Iris’s forearms. “I am so happy for the both of you, this is amazing news.”

  “Will he take care of you?” Iris suddenly turned serious, if only for a moment. “Will he love you properly and look after you forever?”

  “Iris, I have learned so much from you,” Amy reassured her. “You have helped me to see what I want from my life and I know that George can give it to me. I know it is scary to jump into something new, but I know who I am and what I want, I know that this is right.”

  Iris understood, she had seen the change in Amy, she had seen her become a confident young woman who could take control of her own destiny.

  “Then I am endlessly happy for you, and I wish you all the love in the world.”

  “And I you.” Amy hugged Iris and they both basked in the glory of joy for a few moments. “I just know that you will get it now. You and my brother will be happy forever. We all will now.”

  Chapter 36

  Iris’s emotions only soared after the wonderful night of the party, it felt incredible for her to know that everything was finally coming together. It might not have been the smoothest fairy tale in the w
orld, but now she had her prince and her happy ever after. She had everything that she’d ever wanted.

  Nothing worth having came easily anyway.

  “I cannot believe that you are leaving,” Alice and Victoria crowded Iris as she got ready to finally say goodbye to the Oakley household that had brought her so much joy. “But I am sure you will have lots of fun in America.”

  They shared a look then, which Iris understood all too well. Rumours were spreading, and she found that this time she didn’t mind. She was the center of attention, and she truly did not mind. The official story was that Iris was to help Ewan with his new business venture across the world, but there were some not so discrete whispers that suggested everyone could see through the lie anyway. Iris did not mind them knowing that she and Ewan had fallen in love, she just did not want them to see that she was not who she purported to be. That was a secret that still needed to be kept.

  Victoria knew, of course, but she would never tell. She had her cousin’s interests at heart, as well as her own.

  “You, Lord Oakley, and the Lady all leaving home in the same week," Alice continued obliviously. "It is going to be a very quiet place without you all.”

  “I am sure you will find ways to amuse yourself,” Iris teased. “You have always been very good at that.”

  She embraced them both, in turn, mentally saying goodbye to two people that had made her feel wonderful during her time in the Oakley household. Maybe she had been closer to Amy, but she still enjoyed the company of these two very much.

  Although the hugs she shared with these two did not gut her in the way hugging Amy for the very last time had. At that moment, she felt like she was about to lose a limb. As happy as she was for her soon to be sister-in-law, it was a struggle to let her go.

  Still, things had to change for better things to come in their place. If this whole experience had taught her anything it was that the grass was always greener if you were willing to reach out and grab it.

  “Daisy?” Mr. Shipman, the butler that had once caused her nothing but issues, grabbed her attention. “You have a visitor at the door, a young lady who says she wishes to speak with you before you leave.”

  “Oh.” Confusion flooded Iris, she could not think who this could be. Her sisters had agreed to see her as she boarded the ship so as not to blow the cover, so it could not be them. “I see; did she say who she was?”

  “She did not give a name, but she was extremely keen to see you.”

  Iris raced to the door with a sense of panic deep in her chest. She did not know anyone, not in this life, apart from her sisters, so she honestly could not work out who it would be. She had the horrible feeling that everything was about to be unravelled just as she was about to get it all.

  “Oh my goodness.” Her hands clapped to her mouth as she saw the vision in the door frame. “Oh my goodness, I do not even know what to say.”

  Her heart stopped beating, she felt elated, confused, happy, and intensely shocked all at the same time. Of all the people she thought this might be, she never assumed that it would be this sweet face looking back at her. This was the one person that she assumed she would never see again. She had placed a metaphorical line in the sand, even if there was not any closure.

  Now though, it seemed that all of that was going to change.

  “Come here,” Daisy exclaimed gleefully. “I need to hug you.”

  Iris fell into Daisy’s arms, finding great comfort in this familiar environment. They never got to say the proper goodbye last time, if she could get it now then she could truly move to America with everything sorted back home.

  “Oh my goodness, Daisy,” she whispered into her hair. “I have missed you so very much.”

  Daisy pulled back and she stared into Iris’s eyes. There she could see a true happiness in her face. Despite all the odds being stacked against her, Daisy seemed to have found happiness with the Duke.

  Iris examined Daisy in her beautiful new fashion; her flowing pink dress, her buttery hair was curled to perfection, she had jewels decorating every inch of her. She looked as if she had been born into this life.

  “Is there anywhere that we can talk?” Daisy asked pointedly. “There must be a room where we can catch up?”

  Iris thought carefully, but there was nowhere that she was not certain that they would not be overheard. Now that she finally had Daisy back in her life, even if it was only for a moment, she wanted to be able to talk freely with her, to find out everything.

  “I think we should take a walk around the gardens? It is such a nice day.”

  It was not that nice really, but Daisy understood. “Of course, that sounds wonderful, although I might need to find a seat. I do not know if you have heard about my condition?”

  Iris smiled brightly. “I have been informed that you are expecting. That is wonderful news.”

  The girls said nothing else until they were fully outside and far enough away from the house that they felt safe. Almost simultaneously they burst into laughter at the madness of how far they had come. The last time they were truly together, they were working on the switch, now they were living in the results of it.

  “So, Elizabeth has informed me that you are moving to America. Is this true?”

  “It is.” Iris blushed, but she knew she could share the truth with her friend. “I have finally found love.”

  “With the Lord? I knew it. I always knew you would find some well to do man who could love you wholly.” Iris did not even need to confirm that Daisy’s assumptions were true, they both knew it was the case. “Is that why you are leaving?”

  “We are leaving to protect everyone, but also to be free.” Iris pursed her lips before she launched into her next question. “How have you been, Daisy? I have heard a little, but I think of you often. I want to know that you are happy with what has happened.”

  “Oh, Iris, I have found true love,” Daisy swooned. “I know you might not think much of the Duke, and I understand why people think of him as a hard man, but I have gotten underneath his exterior and he is not all bad.” She paused for a second as if she was thinking through her next words carefully. “He does not say much, but fortunately I talk enough for the both of us.”

  Iris let out a deep breath that she had not even realized she was holding in. Daisy was happy, truly happy, and in love. Her joy was based on more than just a title. She found great solace in that, and it felt good to know that her friend had it all.

  “We started off a little awkwardly, I found his silence challenging and I did not know where to place myself, but now I love our home and our life together.”

  “Is he away often, like you feared?”

  “He has his work, but he is home often enough for me. I am very content.”

  “Good.” Iris rested her hand on Daisy’s. “I am truly glad that your life has been good to you.”

  “And you have been alright? You have done well working in Lord Oakley’s home?”

  "I worked with a wonderful young lady," Iris smiled at the memory of her time with Amy. "I was to her what you always were to me. I became her friend and her confidant. I got her to a place where she is now married and very happy."

  “Well that is wonderful news,” Daisy exclaimed. “I always thought that you would be much happier with a purpose in your life. What purpose will you find in America?

  “I do not know,” Iris admitted. “But I am certain I will find something.”

  The Lord had money to look after them but Iris knew for sure that she would not simply sit around and do nothing. She needed a true purpose to keep her going.

  "I did not tell anyone who I am at the door because I was not certain what people knew..."

  "Oh, no one knows anything," Iris reassured her rapidly. "The Lord knows the truth and Victoria. Lady Amy knows some, but not much. I have been very careful with the information because I know that it affects you too.”

  “I only had to check because of my unborn child, please do not think that is
the reason I came.”

  “I would never think that.”

  “I have not told the Duke either. He assumes that I am Iris Warwick, and I am happy for him to believe that.”

  Iris nodded, she did not mind but she also could not have done that herself. She could never have started her love story on that one massive untruth. But maybe her identity meant more to her than it ever did Daisy.

  “Are you used to your new name.”

  “I am, actually. It is a good name.”

  They paused for a moment and smiled serenely at one another, both in the knowledge that they had both found true happiness.

  Iris knew that Daisy needed the goodbye just as much as she did. They had been friends for far too long to simply vanish from one another’s lives. Iris felt bad now that she had planned on doing just that. She should have been the one to make the effort.

  “I suppose I must be going,” Daisy declared sadly. “As must you, for your big worldwide adventure.”

  Daisy’s eyes misted as she realized that this was the end. She was glad that so many wonderful things had become of the switch, but she would have loved to hit the pause button for just a second. She would have loved to go back in time, to have lunch in Iris’s room one last time.

  Although it was not Iris’s room anymore, or even Iris’s home. The house belonged to Olivia and she and Iris both had their own lives.

  “It has been so wonderful to see you,” Iris gasped. “I am so glad that you came before I left. I do not know how I would have felt without truly knowing what had become of you.”

  As they held one another, all the unsaid emotions flowed between them, they remembered everything that had gone between them, all the times they had supported one another. If they had not met, if Daisy didn't work for the Warwick family, who knew what would have become of their lives?

  They would never have been able to find happiness.

  “I will certainly never forget you!” Daisy exclaimed loudly. “You have impacted me in so many ways.”