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“You will manage well enough, regardless – for she was correct in her assessment of your courage.”
She stilled, setting down her coffee cup carefully, and regarded him, those sky-blue eyes wide.
“You… you think that I have courage?”
“Of course I do, Iris. You stood up to my grandmother from the start, you face Maggie’s aggression and dislike with calm determination, and you do not complain. Most women would have fainted away with a fit of the vapours, and then, upon being revived, told me that they were leaving.”
She blinked, as if his words startled her.
“Leon! I would never leave you! And I do not faint. Nor do any of my sisters – although we may have been seen to wobble a little, occasionally.”
His heart soared – he had not been seeking such a declaration from her, and her instantaneous rebuttal of the idea of leaving him filled him with warmth, with hope. She had said those words in a completely unstudied manner, as simply a declaration of fact. If she felt so strongly… was there hope that she might come to truly love him?
>>>
Despite Leon’s faith in her courage, the sight of Lady Neelsham’s imposing home made her feel quite queasy. It was, of course, in the best neighbourhood.
The nearby homes were equally impressive, and despite having grown up living in just such a street, Iris felt somehow made small. They stepped down from the carriage, and soon stood on the doorstep.
Leon rapped the knocker firmly against the black painted door, and the echo of the sound came back to them, faintly, accompanied by footsteps. Iris stood straighter and made sure that her best socially polite smile graced her face.
The door opened, and a grey-haired butler regarded them seriously for a moment, before breaking into a broad smile.
“Lord Greenleigh! It is a pleasure to see you again. Please, do come in – Lady Neelsham is in the large parlour.” He led them up the stairs, and to the door of a room which must, from its position, look out over the square in front of the house. He tapped on the door, and entered when bidden. “Lord and Lady Greenleigh, my Lady.”
Then he stepped aside, and Leon led her through that door.
For a moment, she was stunned by the beauty of the room she now stood in. Double glass doors stood open onto a balcony, and she could see the gardens in the Square laid out below. Tall windows either side of those doors let in yet more light, and the entire room was decorated in tones of gold and cream. It was like being in a pool of sunlight.
Then Leon moved her forward, and her eyes came to focus on Lady Neelsham, who had risen from her chair to greet them. In that instant, Iris was acutely aware that she was being studied by the older woman.
“I can see that you like my parlour. Good, I would be worried about your sensibilities if you didn’t.”
“Grandmother. It’s good to see you again.”
Lady Neelsham was still watching Iris, who swallowed, and chose to approach this as improperly as Lady Neelsham just had.
“Yes, Lady Neelsham, I very much like your parlour. Thank you for inviting us to call on you.”
Beside her, Leon made the strangest small sound, almost as if he had stifled a laugh. Lady Neelsham continued to study her, as if expecting her to look away, or display some sign of nervousness. Iris, provoked to stubbornness by that look, held perfectly still, meeting the Lady’s eyes, and waited.
After an interminable silence, Lady Neelsham laughed, looking at Leon for a moment.
“She’ll do, Leon.” She turned back to Iris. “I did wonder if that flash of courage when we caught you two together at Lady Gillieston’s was truly in your character, or an aberration. It would appear that you are consistent. I sent for tea the moment that I saw your carriage approaching around the Square – it should be here in a moment. Please do sit.”
Lady Neelsham waved them to the couch which was placed opposite her chair, and Leon led Iris to it. She dropped to sit on it as elegantly as she could, given that her legs were near giving out beneath her from the stress of the moment. As she did, there came a tap at the door, and a maid brought in a large tea tray, which she set down on the table between them and Lady Neelsham.
All conversation stopped whilst the maid left and Lady Neelsham poured the tea, as they each selected cakes from the heaped platter before them. Only once tea had been sipped, and Iris had tasted the cakes – flavoured with vanilla and cinnamon, and quite delicious – did Lady Neelsham speak again.
This time, it was Leon that she gazed at, and Iris had the feeling that Lady Neelsham expected him to be unhappy with her next words.
“And is your mad sister any better? Or is that too much to hope for?”
Iris felt Leon stiffen, and she knew that he did not like Maggie to be spoken of so disparagingly. Then she felt him sag a little out of that stiffness, as a sigh escaped him.
“That is too much to hope for. She becomes more frail every day, and her mental state varies, but I could not describe any of it as truly ‘better’ in any way.”
Lady Neelsham gave a sharp nod, and turned her eyes to Iris.
