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23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

I ris gazed up at the Hartley Estate, her heart heavy with an emotion she couldn't quite name. As their carriage came to a halt, she steeled herself for the visit ahead. It was Maude's first time hosting the family in her new home, and Iris was determined to present a facade of cheerfulness despite the turmoil roiling within her.

Lord Rosier helped his wife and daughter alight from the carriage, his jovial voice belying the tension that had settled over the family in recent weeks. "Well, my dears, shall we see what our Maude has done with the place?"

Lady Rosier tittered, smoothing her skirts. "I do hope she hasn't made any drastic changes. The Hartley Estate has always been so tastefully appointed."

Iris said nothing, following her parents up the sweeping steps to where Maude and her new husband, Ralph Hartley, stood waiting to greet them. Maude's face was alight with happiness, a stark contrast to the melancholy that had settled over Iris like a shroud .

"Welcome, welcome!" Maude cried, embracing each of them in turn. When she came to Iris, she held her sister a moment longer, her eyes searching Iris's face with concern. "Oh, how I've missed you all!"

Mr. Hartley, a genial man with kind eyes, ushered them into the grand foyer. "We're delighted to have you here. Maude has been in quite a state of anticipation all week."

As they moved through the house, Iris drifted behind the others. She half-listened to her mother's exclamations over the decor and her father's discussion with Mr. Hartley about estate management. Her mind was elsewhere, caught in a web of half-remembered moments and confusing emotions.

Ever attuned to her sister's moods, Maude noticed Iris's distraction. As they paused in the drawing room, she took the opportunity to approach her.

"Iris, dear, would you care to see my new pianoforte? It's just arrived from London, and I'm eager for your opinion."

Grateful for the excuse to escape the forced gaiety, Iris nodded. "Of course, I'd be delighted."

Maude turned to the others. "If you'll excuse us, I simply must show Iris my new instrument. We shan't be long."

Lady Rosier opened her mouth as if to protest, but Lord Rosier touched her arm gently. "Let the girls have their time together, my dear. I'm sure Mr. Hartley would be happy to show us the improvements he's made to the grounds."

As Maude led Iris away, their mother's voice faded behind them. "Well, if you insist. Though I do hope Iris remembers to mind her manners. She's been so distracted of late..."

The sisters climbed the stairs in silence, Iris acutely aware of the concerned glances Maude kept casting her way. When they reached Maude's private sitting room, Iris was surprised to find no pianoforte in sight.

"Maude, I thought—"

"Forgive me, sister," Maude interrupted, closing the door behind them. "I... I needed to speak with you privately."

Iris sank into a nearby chair, a sense of foreboding settling over her. "What is it? Has something happened?"

Maude rang for tea, her movements uncharacteristically nervous. "No, nothing's happened. At least, nothing new. It's just..." She trailed off, wringing her hands.

A maid appeared with a tea tray, and Maude busied herself with pouring, the familiar ritual steadying her nerves. As she handed Iris a delicate porcelain cup, their eyes met, and Iris was startled by the anguish she saw in her sister's gaze.

"Maude, you're frightening me. Please, tell me what's troubling you."

Setting her own cup aside untouched, Maude took a deep breath. "Iris, there's something I must tell you. Something I should have told you long ago."

Iris felt her heart begin to race. "Does this have to do with my accident? With the memories I've lost?"

Maude nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "Yes, and... and with Lord Thornbrook."

At the mention of his name, Iris felt a jolt of recognition, accompanied by a flood of confusing emotions. "Him? What about him?"

"Oh, Iris," Maude whispered, her voice thick with remorse. "We've done you such a terrible wrong. All of us, but especially Mama and Papa. We... we lied to you."

Iris set her teacup down with a clatter, her hands trembling. " Lied? About what?"

Maude reached for her sister's hands, gripping them tightly. "About everything. About your relationship with Lord Thornbrook, the nature of your accident, and why we've kept him away from you these past weeks."

As Maude began to speak, her words tumbling out in a rush of guilt and long-suppressed truth, Iris felt as though the world was tilting beneath her. She listened in stunned silence as her sister revealed the depth of the deception perpetrated against her.

"You and Lord Thornbrook... you were in love," Maude explained, her voice trembling. "Deeply, passionately in love. But Mama and Papa disapproved. They thought him unsuitable, his reputation too scandalous."

Iris shook her head, struggling to reconcile this information with her fragmented memories. "But... but I don't remember…"

"The accident," Maude continued, squeezing Iris's hands. "It wasn't just a fall from your horse. You were running away, Iris. After Mother discovered his letters."

Then, a flash of memory struck Iris—the pounding of hooves, the wind in her hair, a sense of desperate urgency. She gasped, pressing a hand to her temple. "I... I remember riding. Fast, too fast. But why can't I remember him?"

Maude's face crumpled with guilt. "When you fell, you woke without memory of Lord Thornbrook or your plans... Mama saw it as an opportunity. A chance to separate you from him once and for all."

Anger, hot and fierce, began to build in Iris's chest. "You mean they took advantage of my memory loss? They deliberately kept the truth from me?"

Nodding miserably, Maude continued. "They convinced themselves it was for your own good. That you'd be happier and safer with someone like Lord Edgar. We all went along with it, Iris. Even me. I'm so sorry."

Iris stood abruptly, pacing the room as her mind raced. Flashes of memory assailed her—stolen glances across crowded ballrooms, hushed conversations in the rose arbor, the feel of Horatio's hand on hers as they played together at the pianoforte.

"The music," she murmured. "The piece I couldn't remember learning..."

"You composed it together," Maude confirmed. "It was to be my wedding song."

Whirling to face her sister, Iris demanded, "And Lord Edgar? Has he been part of this deception as well?"

Maude shook her head. "No, he's as much a pawn in this as you are. He truly cares for you, Iris. He has no idea of your history with Lord Thornbrook."

Iris sank back into her chair, overwhelmed by the magnitude of the betrayal. "How could they do this? How could you let them?"

Tears spilled down Maude's cheeks as she reached for her sister. "I was wrong, so terribly wrong. I told myself it was for the best, that you'd be happier not remembering. But seeing you these past weeks, watching you struggle... I couldn't bear it any longer. You deserve to know the truth, to make your own choices."

Iris sat silently for a long moment, her mind awhirl with conflicting emotions. Anger at the deception warred with a growing sense of clarity, as though puzzle pieces were finally falling into place.

She thought of Lord Thornbrook, of the strange pull she'd felt towards him despite her supposed amnesia. Of the way her heart had raced when their eyes met across the room at Maude's wedding .

"The letters," she said suddenly, looking up at Maude. "I've been receiving letters from him. Letters I'd sent to him before my memory loss."

Maude smiled poignantly. "Oh, Iris. I knew it. I knew he would find a way to reach you and help you remember."

Iris stood once more, moving to the window. Her heart ached with a longing she was only now beginning to understand.

"What am I to do, Maude? How can I face Mama and Papa, knowing what they've done?"

Maude joined her at the window, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You must follow your heart, Iris. Now that you know the truth, you can decide what you want. Who you want."

Turning to face her sister, Iris embraced her fiercely. "Thank you, Maude, for telling me the truth. There's still so much I don't remember, but I know... I know what I feel for him is real, and I must go to him."

Maude joined her, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We must be cautious, Iris. A lady cannot simply ride off to confront a gentleman, no matter how just the cause."

Iris turned, her eyes flashing with frustration. "But I cannot simply pretend nothing has changed! To go on as if I don't know the truth, to continue this charade with Lord Edgar..."

"Patience, dear sister," Maude counseled. "We shall find a way, but it must be done properly, with discretion."

Taking a deep breath, Iris nodded. "You're right, of course. I was not thinking clearly."

Maude squeezed her hand. "For now, we must return to the others. But I promise you, Iris, we will find a way to address this. Perhaps a carefully worded letter to Lord Thornbrook or an orchestrated meeting at a public gathering. "

"And Lord Edgar?" Iris asked, her conscience pricking at her."

"We shall also deal with that delicately," Maude assured her. "But first, you must compose yourself. Can you face the others?"

Iris straightened her spine, smoothing her skirts. "I must. A lady always maintains her composure, does she not?"

With a sad smile, Maude nodded. "Indeed. Shall we rejoin the party? I believe I hear Mama inquiring after us."

As they slipped out of the room and down the back stairs, Iris's mind was already racing ahead. She would decide her own fate, free from the manipulations of others.

The truth, so long denied, now burned within her like a flame. Iris knew not what the future might hold, but she felt truly alive for the first time in weeks. The fog of confusion had lifted, replaced by a fierce determination to reclaim her life and her love.

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