Iris felt like she might actually be sick as she walked down the stairs to the dinner table to eat her very first meal with everyone else. Alice might have assured her that everything was going to be fine, but that didn’t necessarily mean it was. Many things could go wrong, and Iris’s brain flickered through them all at a very rapid pace. Everyone could hate her, she might make a fool out of herself, there could be hours of very awkward silence – especially if Alice was the only one who wanted her there.

On top of that, there was a chance that this could all be a plan, some other way to torment her. Iris desperately prayed that it wasn’t, but she tried to prepare herself just in case. She did not want to walk head first into a trick without some form of preparation.

“Daisy!” Alice called out the moment that she spotted her walking into the midst of the other serving staff. “Come and sit with me.”

Iris’s chest flooded with relief. Alice looked genuinely happy to see her again, which had to be a very good sign. If it was a trick, surely there would be a sign by now. Iris decided to trust Alice and she made her way towards her.

By Alice’s side was a very awkward looking Victoria. Iris watched as she shifted uncomfortably on her butt the closer she got. Her expression suggested that she would have preferred to be anywhere else in the world that where she was... either that or she was very embarrassed about her previous behaviour. Maybe she assumed that Iris held ill will against her. She did not, she just wanted to be friends. Iris hoped that once Victoria saw that, everything would be much less difficult.

“Thank you, Alice,” Iris replied in a hushed tone of voice as she tucked her skirt underneath her and she took her seat. “This is very kind of you. I am glad to be eating with you tonight.”

“Yes, of course, you are very welcome.”

For a few moments, a thick silence clung to the air, Iris could feel every single eye upon her, so she forced her lips to curl up into a smile. If everyone could see that she intended to cause absolutely no trouble, then everything would be alright... or so she hoped.

Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump.

Iris’s heart hammered loudly, but she did her best to contain that fear. Just keep smiling, she told herself. Everyone will come around; it will be fine. Her heart didn't stop, but eventually, the atmosphere thinned. Iris could feel the strangeness slipping away.

After just a beat, someone made a comment about the pleasant smell of the food, and everyone began to speak all at once. As noise filled the room and the eyes drifted away, Iris let out a breath that she hadn’t even realized she was holding in. It was alright, all she needed to do was give it time.

“See?” Alice nudged her playfully as Iris finally smiled for real. “I told you everything would be fine.”

“So you did.”

As Iris scanned her eyes across the whole table, she couldn’t help noticing that the butler wasn’t there. Maybe that was because he could not stand to be around her for even a moment, or maybe he had duties that he needed to attend to. Either way, Iris was glad. She didn’t want to deal with him on top of everyone else. He was another level of challenging.

"So, please tell us, Daisy," Alice continued loudly. She wanted the others to see just how sweet this soft-spoken girl was. "How are things going with Amy? She seems to be in much better spirits now?"

This was a subject that Iris felt comfortable discussing. She was proud of how well she'd done with Amy and she didn't mind the others knowing it. "She has become much more... amiable. I feel she might struggle to trust people, but she is slowly coming around.”

“She trusts you, does she?” The harsh sounding male voice from her first day cried out to her. “Even though you aren’t exactly what you say you are?”

Iris flushed, half with anger, half with upset. Why did this boy have to go and ruin everything, just as it was going so well? “Oh, I...” she started, but he quickly jumped in once more.

“It is alright, none of us are.” He smirked brightly in her direction as he waved a hand dismissively. “I am Matthew; it is nice to meet you properly.”

“Daisy, and it is good to meet you too.”

These people did not seem to care that she’d lied, they didn’t even ask her the truth. For someone who had felt like she needed to explain herself, this was a revelation to Iris. This was the sort of freedom that she had spent her whole life looking for. Finally, her wings had been unclipped and she could fly free.

“Hey, Daisy!” Matthew called loudly across the table, engaging her in conversation once more. “Did you hear the one about Lil’ boy Johnnie?”

“Erm...” She honestly had no idea what this meant. “No?”

“Alright, here it goes.” Everyone fell into a hush to hear what Matthew was about to say. “Lil’ boy Jonnie asked his mother ‘can anyone hear with their mouths?’. The lady replied that they could not, so the boy said ‘then why did Mr. Smith tell sister that she had to come closer so he could speak with her, then he put his lips to her mouth instead of her ears?’”

The entire room burst into laughter, and Iris made sure that hers rang out the loudest. They were mocking the silly structured rules of the high-born people, and while there was little humour to be found in the situation described in the silly tale, Iris found laughing at the rules rather than obeying them much better.

At least she did not have to follow them herself, that made them much easier to mock.

“Oh, you like that one?” Matthew nodded appreciatively at her. “Wait until you hear the jokes I can come up with after a glass or two of ale.”

“Actually.” Iris’s cheeks flushed and her heart thundered all over again as she decided to do something very brave. She had once overheard one of her father’s friends telling him a joke, back when she was still seen in public. She didn’t understand it at the time, and she wasn’t totally sure that she did now, but if she wanted to fit in and she wanted these people to like her, then maybe it was time. “I have a joke myself.”

“Ooh, I hope it is a naughty one!” Matthew exclaimed.

Iris thought it might be. “Marriage is designed to keep women out of mischief, and to get them into trouble!”

As everyone bellowed into laughter, Iris let out a breath of relief. Maybe now she could actually be seen as one of the gang, she could be included which was all she ever wanted.

“That is very true!” someone agreed. “And very funny.”

“Good one, Daisy.” Alice patted her on the back. “Even funnier than Matthew’s joke.”

Even Matthew laughed and Victoria gave her a sweet smile. Her expression seemed to suggest that nothing would be the same anymore, and Iris took that to be a good thing. It certainly could not get any worse. Now, with Amy letting her in, and the other staff speaking to her as if she was worthwhile, Iris’s heart lifted and she felt herself soar higher than air. This was the happiest that she could ever remember feeling.

Maybe, just maybe, this was about to be the best day of her life.

“So, Daisy, tell us more about the home you worked at before,” Alice asked innocently enough. She couldn’t possibly understand how much that made Iris panic inside. “Were you there for a long time?”

“Just a short while,” Iris answered carefully. She wanted to be honest, but not too truthful. Even if these people would accept her, she couldn’t risk exposing Daisy. “But it was a home quite similar to this one. Maybe not as grand though.”

“What was the girl like that you worked for?”

Iris spotted Victoria’s eyes widen in a panicked shock. She tried to give her a reassuring smile, but the poor girl still looked stressed out. Iris was going to have to prove to her that she could keep up the façade by talking.

“Oh, well she was a lovely girl. A little troubled, at times, but overall very pleasant to work with.” She tried to combine herself with Daisy as she explained this, to create a caricature for the girl she worked for before. It was the closest she’d gotten to daydreaming in a very long time. “I feel like working with her has helped me to understand Amy a little better. I can anticipate her needs in a much quicker way,”

“You certainly have lasted the longest, and I haven’t seen anyone get through to Amy like you have.” Alice’s kind words touched Iris very deeply. It felt wonderful to know that her presence was welcome. “I think you have been a very good addition to the house. Amy is lucky to have you for a handmaiden.”

“Thank you very much,” Iris gasped with glee. “That is very kind of you to say.”

Eventually, other people made their way over to where Iris was sitting to speak with her. Alice had opened the floodgates, she had made it acceptable for people to be friends with Iris, and now everyone wanted a piece.

Iris was the center of attention, and for the first time in her life, she loved it. The eyes upon her felt nice, the words spoken to her thrilled her immensely, she had stepped out from her wallflower position and it felt wonderful. Even Victoria came for a chat, and while they still had a lot of tension between them because of all the things they could not say to one another, it was much better than before.

As far as Iris was concerned, things were looking up.

* * *

As Iris lay in her bed later that night she couldn’t go to sleep even if she wanted to. Her brain was buzzing with excitement, her body shivered with happiness, she could not remove the smile from her face however hard she tried. This was the best that she’d ever felt.

Everyone liked her, they really seemed to want to be around her... it was amazing. The more relaxed she felt around the other staff, the more she felt like herself. Of course, she still had to be careful with what she said, but it felt wonderful all the same.

Maybe she would write Daisy a letter after all. She might not be able to send it today, but she would find out Duke Pembroke’s home address eventually. At least this time she could write something positive.

Iris twisted in her bed and she flicked on her tiny lamp. It would be a strain to write under such dark conditions, but she needed to get it out of her system now, while her brain was filled with it.

Dear Iris,

I hope you have found as much happiness in your new life as I have. I am enjoying my new position very much, thank you very much for organizing it for me. You were right, it is an enjoyable place to work. I have friends, a lovely lady to work for, and a warm and comfortable home.

Of course, I have not met the master of the house yet, but I do not believe that will change much. If he is away on business a lot, then I cannot see that his presence will affect anything. I can only hope.

I would love to see you again at some point, I am not sure if it is possible but if we could arrange it that would be lovely. There are many things that I would love to speak with you about, if the opportunity arises.

Ever your friend,

Daisy

Iris’s last few days with Daisy had been nothing more than a blur. She wished that she had made more of them, she could not even recall saying goodbye. She hoped that somehow she could make that up to her friend. She did not want it to end that way.

As Iris lay back down, she allowed her mind to wander in a way that she hadn’t done since entering the Oakley household. She was actually daydreaming... only this time the subject of her fantasy was not a prince coming to whisk her away. In fact, there was no romance at all. This time, Iris daydreamed about meeting up with Daisy.

She saw herself being invited to some grand home, one that was even bigger than this one, where she would meet with ‘Lady Iris Pembroke’. She imagined seeing Daisy in the most beautiful lady-like dress she’d ever seen, Iris could just see her swishing gracefully in it, looking much more comfortable than Iris ever did.

Daisy would demand that everyone leave them alone, which they would of course, because she was the lady of the house, and then they could finally talk freely. Iris dreamed that they’d share stories of their much happier lives since the switch, where they would both realise for sure that they had done the right thing.

“Oh, I am so happy and in love,” the Daisy in Iris’s mind told her. “I did not think that I would love Duke Pembroke, but I do.”

Now that Iris did not have to marry him, she hoped that the rumours about Duke Pembroke were false. She would have much preferred to learn that he was a lovely man that treated her friend well.

“I am happy too,” Iris saw herself stating to Daisy. “I have friends who keep me company and a lovely young lady to work with."

“I am glad. We both have everything that we ever wanted. I have the man of my dreams, and the life of a lady, and you have the freedom to do as you choose.”

It did not matter to Iris that it had been a rocky road to get to where she was, she would still have done the switch again to avoid getting married to the Duke. She did not need a life of love anymore, maybe that would be something that never happened to her. If it didn't, Iris felt like she would probably be okay with that. Maybe.

Love had not crossed her mind for a very long time, which probably meant that it was no longer needed. Without hours to spend staring out of her window thinking about these things, it mattered so much less.

“We certainly have, everything has worked out perfectly. Thank you, Daisy.”

"No, Iris, thank you. Without you, I would have none of this. You have made my life complete and I love you dearly for that."

“I love you too, Daisy. You are the best friend a girl could ever hope for.”

Then, of course, the girls would embrace, just like they should have done on their very last day together. If things had not been so rushed and stressful, that is what they would have done. It would be the goodbye that they both needed for closure.

That was a lovely image, Iris enjoyed thinking about it. Especially the part where Daisy was satisfied with what she had now. Admittedly, Iris had spent far too long wrapped up in how she felt about the way that things had worked out, she had not given much thought to her friend’s new life.

To picture her happy and satisfied with the switch allowed Iris to cling onto her own current happiness for a little while longer. Now that she had it, she never wanted to let it go, this was the most wonderful feeling on the planet.