In the Wilkins’ home, Iris sat by the window awaiting the return of her parents. She bit at her nails, a habit which had only recently started.

Deep down, Iris knew better than to expect her father to return, but she was hoping to see him once before he was imprisoned. She feared being alone with Agatha since it was Clive who tended to shield her from her mother.

At the sound of horses, Iris perked up. She leaned forward to get a good look out the window and was relieved to see her mother.

Iris’s smile soon fell to a frown after seeing only her mother.

’It is for the best,’ Iris thought, reminding herself of the crime her father committed.

Iris took a deep breath, preparing herself for the worst. She didn’t fear hearing about her father’s punishment, but rather, how her mother would respond.

Agatha already accused Iris of aiding Eloise.

Would she comfort Iris or place the blame on her?

Iris stood up from her chair by the window and moved to open the door. Already, Agatha glared at Iris.

"Mother," Iris softly called.

"Inside," Agatha ordered Iris.

Agatha walked by Iris, a trail of cold air following behind her.

Iris closed the door and turned around to face her mother. Before she could properly greet her mother, Iris was struck on her face. The sound of skin colliding echoed throughout the house.

Iris was too stunned to speak.

Never in all her years had her parents ever struck her.

Iris slowly raised her trembling hand to touch where her cheek ached. With teary eyes, she looked up at Agatha.

"You did this. You went to Eloise and plotted with her to ruin this family. Do you now see what you have done?" Agatha yelled, her face turning red from anger. "My husband is now imprisoned, and I am left to bear the responsibilities of settling our debts. We owe Eloise."

"I do not have any role in this," Iris said, her tears sliding down her cheek. "This was all father’s doing. He said he was innocent."

"Iris, do not try these tricks with me. We both know where you went when you were missing. I tried to warn you about Eloise. She stabbed you in the back once before, and now she has done it again, but this time, she has wedged the knife in your back," said Agatha.

Agatha turned away from Iris to calm herself. Any more and she might cut Iris’s face. "You were wrong to trust her. You have not found yourself a spouse. Do you think you will still be desirable once word of this gets out? I will have trouble marrying you off."

"He should have thought of this before he tried to steal Uncle Thomas’s home. I didn’t ruin this family; father did. It is not fair for me to be blamed for the actions of someone else. How could I have possibly helped Eloise when no one spoke the truth to me?" Iris asked, her voice rising with every word.

"I do not know how you did it, but I am certain that you went to her. Eloise is married to a wealthy man. You are without a husband, and you have made it harder for yourself to find one. You will soon feel the consequences of your actions," said Agatha.

Agatha knew the invitations to balls would quickly stop once word got out.

"You should count yourself lucky if you are fortunate to find a decent husband. Do you think Eloise cares for you so deeply that she would introduce her husband’s peers to you? Will she invite you to her gatherings, which she is hosting?" Agatha asked, certain it would not happen.

"She would, but you would not allow me to see her if she did. You must stop pointing your fingers at everyone but my father. He is the one who put you in this position. It was selfish of him to put us in this position and leave us to fix it. We do not deserve this," Iris said, frustrated that she was being blamed.

Agatha placed her hands on her hips and bowed her head slightly. Iris was right, but Agatha could not ignore that Iris had lied to her.

"I am now forced to send a letter to your brother to ask that he come home to help me. We will need to make desperate changes to this family if we are to survive. Both of you will need to find spouses and fast. You are not in any position to be picky with the men before you," Agatha said.

Iris lowered her hand from her face. "And what about my brother? Will you force him to marry a simple lady?"

"How could I? You both need to marry into families with money by any means necessary. Even if you are to stop acting like a lady. You are about to see the cruel side of this world, where a lady must do what she must to secure her future. I hope helping Eloise was worth it," Agatha said, and left Iris to ponder on her future.

"I did not help Eloise. Why are you planning to punish me if the court found my father guilty of what he was accused of? I didn’t ask for him to go to such lengths. Neither of you told me about the debts. You kept me in the dark," Iris said, bearing anger for both parents.

Agatha stopped walking and faced Iris. "We tried to give you a life we did not have. We went to great lengths to ensure you would find yourself a good husband. Only when you become a wife and have children will you understand the decisions you are forced to make."

"I hope to never marry a man who makes me for a second believe this is to be accepted. I will not stand by my husband when he is wrong, nor will I blame my children for his actions. I hope to be better than you," Iris declared.

"Good. I once hated to think of you being stuck as I was, but if you are not lucky, my life will be your fate. I hope you offer me an apology the day reality strikes you and you wake up from your girlish dreams," Agatha said, certain Iris would soon sing a different tune.

Agatha was disappointed that Iris had not listened to her warnings about Eloise, but she knew Iris’s heart. To save Iris, she should have kept her away from Eloise long ago.

"You will not go anywhere near Eloise from this day onward. You are only allowed to leave this house when I am at your side. Now, I don’t want to be disturbed. I must write to your brother and prepare to visit your father again," Agatha said, leaving Iris to be alone.

Agatha had too much to fix all by herself. Before she ruined her relationship with Iris, she needed time alone. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Standing alone, Iris wept as she faced the reality that she had lost both of her parents.