Chapter 328: Grateful [2]
Zayne lay beside Iris, keeping her company while she stared up at the sky.
"Will you stay the night here?" Iris asked, not wanting to part just yet.
"I was considering it, but it’s likely best I return home instead. We don’t need rumours stirring up," said Zayne.
"How would it be scandalous when we wouldn’t even be sharing a chamber? There’ll be plenty said once it’s known I used to work as your maid. You staying the night wouldn’t make matters any worse," Iris said, hoping he would stay.
"The more you find yourself among high society, the more you’ll learn how quickly others take the little they know and twist it until it is bigger. Look at what you told me about yourself and Damien. I won’t give anyone the chance to claim I spoiled you," Zayne said, his jaw tightening at the thought.
"Once word gets out that I worked as your maid, they’ll assume that’s precisely how our courtship began. There’s no escaping it," Iris said, thinking of everything Eloise had already endured.
"We shall escape it, because I intend to be quite loud about the truth of our courtship. I’ll set the record straight from the very beginning, so there’s no room left for doubt, and should anyone dare speak otherwise, I’ll have them thrown in prison for their trouble."
Iris laughed, taking it for a joke. "Surely it can’t be so easy to arrest people who’ve committed no crime."
"You’d be surprised," said Zayne.
"I wouldn’t be pleased with you carelessly tossing people into prison for gossiping about us. We must ignore them, or give them a small fright if they push too far. I don’t want anyone thinking you are cruel, or that you’re abusing your family’s influence," Iris explained.
"Many of them harbour secrets that would see them arrested, so I’d merely be doing the town a favour. The people you’ll cross paths with in this world aren’t nearly as kind as they appear," Zayne warned her.
"I might not be used to your world yet, but I’ve attended enough balls to know how it operates. And then there’s how they’ve treated Eloise. If they’re not careful, perhaps I’ll be the one carried off to prison instead. Goodness," Iris said, sitting up abruptly.
"I might be turning into my parents," Iris sighed, worried.
Zayne sat up beside her. "I should hope not. I like you exactly as you are now. Would it be too soon to invite you to a gathering?"
"It might be. Allow me to get past tomorrow’s meeting with my father first. I doubt I’ll be in the mood for gatherings anytime soon after that. Still, which gathering did you mean?" Iris asked, curious.
"One where you’d meet my mother alone. I don’t want you feeling as though I’m keeping you hidden away," said Zayne.
"I don’t feel that way since I’m the one hiding myself these days. I’ll let you know once tomorrow has passed and I’m ready. Though, isn’t this all rather sudden? You’ve hardly courted me yet. Do you truly believe flowers alone secure a lady’s hand?" Iris asked, teasing Zayne.
"No. I know better than that. It’s proper for the parents to meet whoever their children have taken an interest in. I thought it might serve as a good distraction for you. Forgive me," Zayne said, running his fingers through his hair. "I’m still working out how best to go about all this."
"Fortunately for you, this fumbling side of you is pushing me further towards saying yes than you realise. I do enjoy watching you trip over your own plans. Lie with me a moment longer," Iris said, settling back into the grass. "It is funny how we sit up and down."
"It troubles me that you enjoy watching me panic," Zayne said, though he lay back down beside her. "The instant I’m home, I’m locking my wine cellar and hiding the key where no one shall find it."
Iris laughed at his scheme. "I was right. You are a good distraction for me. We may not be able to kiss, but surely there’s no rule against holding hands?" she asked, reaching for his hand.
She laced her fingers through his, holding on so he couldn’t easily pull away.
"You’d be surprised how many people believe a child can come from holding hands alone. And no, it isn’t only children who believe it," Zayne said, though he did not attempt to free his hand.
"Well, if this kingdom didn’t insist on keeping so many young ladies in the dark until the very last moment, perhaps there’d be far less panic to begin with."
"It’s married ladies who spread this lie," Zayne added.
"Well," Iris said, thinking it over. "Perhaps they don’t like to see others so happy when they aren’t receiving the same attention? I learned once, the hard way, that unhappy people have a habit of making life difficult for everyone around them."
"It wasn’t my own mother, but a neighbour we once had. She complained endlessly about a young couple nearby, and eventually managed to have them move away. She even lectured the girls my age about not following their example," Iris said, the memory clear in her mind.
She continued, "I don’t believe they did anything wrong. They had only shown their happiness."
"Once you realise how many people in this town can’t bear to see others happy, you’ll come to prefer the comfort of your own home instead. Which is precisely why I intend to give my future wife full control over making our home so comfortable, we might never need to leave it for days at a time," Zayne said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Iris looked away. "You are not proving to be nearly the gentleman you claim to be. This is precisely why I intend to know you far better before agreeing to marry you."
"I assure you that I am a gentleman. Think back on all the good moments we shared while you worked for me. I doubt you expected to be treated quite so well," said Zayne.
"That much is true. Though I find myself viewing the man who employed me and the man courting me now as two separate people. From now on, I will be thinking of the side that is only my suitor," Iris shared.
"That’s not fair," Zayne said, though he didn’t sound truly bothered. "Still, what do you make of my courting so far?"
"Quite well, actually. I’ve been thinking that there are two people with the means to have helped me with an issue I faced. I assumed at first it was Eloise, but I’m certain now it was you. Thank you for the debts," Iris said, watching his reaction.
Zayne was caught off guard, but he recovered quickly. "I don’t know what you’re referring to."
"Yes, you do," Iris said.
Zayne gave in and sighed. "You mustn’t think you owe me for it."
"Why would I think that? I never asked you to do it in the first place. It was your own doing, so I’m thankful, not indebted," Iris said, clearing up the misunderstanding. "I’d be a fool to take on more debt when I’ve finally found myself free of it."
"Here I was, worrying myself over nothing," Zayne said.
"Fortunately, you have me to keep you calm," Iris replied.
"You are the recent source of my troubles-"
"No talking," Iris shushed Zayne.