“Ah, butyouare the one with the pretty flower crown,” Letitia said. “Would you like to help me pick more flowers so that I can match you?”
“Yes!”
For the next fifteen minutes, that was what they did. When they finished, both of them had crowns, and Iris also had a necklace and bracelets. The clouds above started to look a bit ominous, so they gathered their floral accouterments and walked the short distance from the park back to the Duke of Rutley’s house.
Letitia maintained a friendly, casual conversation as she and Iris walked hand in hand, but inside, her mind reeled with the information she had learned.
Could it be true? Could Iris really be a member of the Lightholder family? What would that mean for her, for the family as a whole?
She would have to tell the duke, of course. But if Iris was truly a Lightholder, that meant that she had family far beyond the Dukeof Rutley. She had cousins—cousins galore, honestly. She would have other children around her. Aunts, uncles. She would have everything a girl could want.
It would mean that the duke could not keep her a secret, the way he had been, and Letty didn’t know how he would react to that revelation.
Her mind was still churning over this newest development when they made it back to the house. No sooner had they gone in the front door and had their jackets taken by the footman on duty than the duke himself appeared, carrying a large box.
Iris let out a shy little squeak and tried to hide behind Letty’s legs. Letitia looked up at the duke with an apology in her eyes. He’d tried to hide it, but it was obvious that it hurt him—the way Iris talked to everyone else but behaved as if he were some kind of terrifying monster.
But the duke didn’t look upset. He looked… delighted.
For a moment, Letitia was confused.
Then, the boxbarked.
Iris leaned out from her hiding place immediately, her eyes going wide.
“Good afternoon, Iris,” the duke said, his excitement practically pouring off of him. “Do you think you might help me with this box?”
There was a rustle inside the box, then another yip.
Iris tugged at Letitia’s hand hard enough that she was liable to yank the thing right off.
“I think there’s a puppy in there,” she whispered to Letitia.
“Why don’t you go see?” Letty whispered back.
The duke knelt on the ground, not minding his fine clothes a bit. He put the box on the ground, and it skittered a few inches on its own. Iris, already reaching for it, jerked back with a happy little shriek.
“Would you like me to open it?” the duke asked carefully, a twinkling smile suggesting that he knew the answer already.
Iris shook her head rapidly and reached out with a careful, slow movement.
The instant she lifted the lid off the box, a tiny head poked out, all big, dark eyes and fluffy golden ears. The dog’s tongue was hanging out of its mouth, and it panted as it looked around happily.
Iris’ eyes were so big, they looked like they might fall right out of her head.
In the next moment, the puppy clumsily leaped out of the box. It was small, gold, and white, with short fur. Its paws were oversized for its body, but not large enough to indicate it would grow into a big dog.
“She’s a spaniel,” the duke said, still on the ground, eyes darting between Iris and the dog. “Her mama’s line has been living with a family I know for years. Iris, do you think that we should keep this one to live with us?”
Iris nodded hurriedly, her eyes fixed on the dog, who was now sniffing the marble floor as if it were the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen.
“Would you like to show me how to greet her?” the duke asked. “Dogs like to get to you know, in a way that’s a little bit different from people.”
Iris gave him a blinding smile and another nod.
Letitia fought the urge to press her hands to her chest as the duke put out his palm, face up, and Iris, barely hesitating, laid her hand atop his. Slowly, gently, the duke led their joined hands toward the puppy’s nose. The dog gave up sniffing the floor and turned to this new, fascinating thing.
A moment later, the dog licked Iris’ hand, causing her to shriek with laughter. Only this time, she didn’t turn to share her joy with Letty. She turned to the duke, who looked like he scarcely dared to hope.
