Meanwhile, Iris carried a tray in her hands which contained Zayne’s dinner. She balanced the food carefully, not wanting any of it to spill or be wasted, as the head cook was already in an awful mood after too many vases had been broken early in the morning.

There was talk of some of the maids being dismissed for failing to do their work properly, and Iris was determined not to be one of them.

Iris had received her fair share of compliments from the head maid and others, though complaints followed too, as this was her first time working.

Her duties were simple enough, yet because she had immediately been assigned to serve Zayne in his bedchamber, it created tension with the other maids. Iris often wondered if they whispered about her behind her back, resenting her position.

When Iris reached Zayne’s bedchamber, she set the tray down on the floor and knocked on the door before picking it back up again. She waited patiently for Zayne to answer, and when he did, she stepped inside with the tray.

"You’re a bit early tonight, Iris. Do you have somewhere to be that you’re in a rush?" Zayne asked, his eyes following her movements as she crossed the chamber.

Iris was distracted by the fireplace. She hadn’t lit it, so who had?

Still, she was grateful she didn’t need to rely on a candle to offer her light.

"I am not early. In fact, your dinner is late, and the others thought you would be angry. I apologise for being so late with your meal," Iris said, moving to set the tray down on a table.

She placed the knives and forks neatly at the side and began to pour wine for Zayne.

"Is it late?" Zayne asked, glancing at the window, but it was covered by a heavy drape. "I didn’t notice. I just rose from my sleep."

’How wonderful it must be to sleep for so many hours,’ Iris thought, a pang of envy tightening in her chest.

"Are you judging me in your mind?" Zayne asked, sensing it just from her expression.

"N-No," Iris stuttered, betraying herself. "You are the owner of this mansion and my employer. I have no place to judge what you do. It is natural that, as your servant, I envy what you enjoy."

"You can sleep all day if you wish. If I am sleeping, then you have no work to do unless you wish to clean while I rest," Zayne said, his tone teasing.

"I have other chores when you sleep. It wouldn’t be fair to the other maids if I didn’t do my share, especially when I am new. Besides, I get paid extra for it. I will rest on the day when I do not have to work. I already plan to sleep all day," Iris admitted, her voice softening with the thought of rest.

"Hmm. No plans to visit your mother or see your cousin? Eloise is back in town, and during my outing today, I learned she is searching high and low for you. Don’t you think it is time to let her know you are here? She seems worried," Zayne said, watching her closely.

"I do intend to write to her soon to calm her. I wanted to visit her in person, but I fear that if I step out of the mansion, my mother will see me, and then I will be forced into that awful marriage. I will write to her tomorrow," Iris promised, though she still worried at the thought of being caught by her mother’s watchful eyes.

"Forgive me, but I wonder if you are holding back because you are ashamed to be working as a maid. After all, your dear cousin has married Lord Damien Hawthorne-"

"Do not for a second think that I envy Eloise, or that I am ashamed to work. I am happy for her, and this work is about my survival. That is far from the reason I don’t approach her. I just..." Iris stopped and sighed, her shoulders heavy. "I don’t want to pull her into my troubles."

"She would offer you a place within the estate, which Damien might not favour, but for her, he would do it. I’m sure if Eloise asked Damien, he would offer you a home and some money. They could help you live somewhat comfortably," Zayne said, hoping Iris would soon consider it.

"They could, but I don’t want to put Eloise in the position to ask. I don’t mind the work. I’ve grown used to the routine, and I have somewhere to rest my head. The pay is good as well. All of it is helping me to become a mature lady," Iris said.

"How so?"

"Well, before earning my own money, I would have gone to my father for dresses, shoes, and everything a lady needs. Now, I realise I must be more careful with my money. I’m beginning to understand how the world works," Iris answered, proud of how she had slowly changed.

"Hmm. I hope you don’t find this insulting, but there is a bedchamber with dresses left behind by visitors. They speak of them being out of season, so I assure you, they won’t want them, and most have never been worn. I have no use for them," Zayne said.

Iris fixed Zayne’s tray and replied, "It is kind of you, but I don’t want to wear dresses from your lovers."

"Lovers?" Zayne chuckled, the sound echoing against the chamber walls. "I don’t bring lovers here. There are other homes for that. These were left behind by relatives who stayed here. There’s plenty more they abandoned."

"What if they return and ask for their dresses? I don’t want to be accused of stealing. Besides, I have no reason to wear dresses belonging to the ladies of your family. My days of attending balls are over," Iris said, shaking her head. "But it was kind of you."

"You never know, Iris. You might have a sudden occasion that calls for it. It is either I buy my relatives new dresses if they ask for them back, or I buy you one," Zayne offered, his tone playful.

"Then you should buy me a new dress if you are adamant about offering it. I don’t want to be accused of wearing anyone’s gown. It would be embarrassing," Iris said. She knew how ladies acted when their belongings were stolen, and they wouldn’t hesitate to embarrass a maid.

Zayne stared at her for a moment before laughter filled the chamber. "And here I thought it would take longer to convince you."