The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

In the Wilkins home, Agatha stormed inside. After an unsuccessful search for Iris, Agatha was forced to return home to face Clive with the truth.

Iris was missing, and after not being granted entry to the Hawthorne estate, Agatha didn’t know where else to go. She was certain Iris went to see Eloise, and the Hawthorne guards were hiding it, but no one had seen Iris to confirm she went to the estate. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Agatha took a deep breath. She now had to put Clive back in a state of panic, all because Iris didn’t know how to behave.

Agatha walked toward her bedchamber. The sound of laughter puzzled her since Clive should be alone. She pushed open the bedchamber door and, to her surprise, Iris sat in the room with Clive as though nothing had occurred.

"Mother, there you are," Iris greeted Agatha. "We were waiting for you so dinner could start."

"I know I sent you to get a drink, but did you need to be gone for so long?" Clive questioned, confused by Agatha’s late return. "Fortunately, Iris and I had a chance to speak. We are better now."

Agatha stared at the pair. She wondered if she was seeing an illusion.

"Mother, are you well?" Iris asked, standing up from her father’s bed. "I helped to start dinner, if you do not mind. I came to speak to my father in your absence. I apologised for my outburst and all that I said. We are well now, right father?"

Clive reached for Iris’s hand. He was better now that Iris didn’t think he was a monster. "We are. I’m sorry to have worried you, Agatha. You should wash your hands to get ready for dinner. I will set the table."

"I will help you," Iris said, moving to join Clive.

Agatha grabbed Iris’s hand before she could step out the door. "Do not act as though you did not run from home," Agatha whispered. "You were not in your room when I went to speak to you."

Iris stared into Agatha’s eyes with an unwavering gaze. "I went for a walk to clear my mind. You would have said no if I asked you. I apologise for leaving without permission, but I needed a moment to think over all that I said. I was wrong and apologised to my father."

"Did you? Do you take me for a fool, Iris? I searched nearby for you and even went far, yet no one spoke of seeing you. I know you went to see Eloise," Agatha said, her grip on Iris’s hand becoming tighter. "What did you do?"

"Ow!" Iris whined loudly, in hopes of getting her father’s attention. "You are hurting me. I went for a walk and came back to see my father. Of course, no one saw me since I wanted to be alone. I was here while you were out."

"Agatha!" Clive’s concerned voice was heard behind Agatha. "Why are you hurting her?" She asked, yanking Agatha’s hand from Iris’s arm.

Agatha released Iris. "She went out without our permission."

Clive went to Iris’s side and inspected her arm. "That doesn’t call for you to grab her with so much force. Scold her if you must, but we are not to harm her. She returned safe and sound, so we are to leave it in the past. You must," he pleaded.

Clive finally had Iris back at his side and didn’t want to spoil it.

Agatha didn’t believe Iris’s story, but until she had evidence, she had to go along with it. "I apologise for hurting you, Iris. You made me worried. It is not safe for a young lady to be out alone without an escort. You must promise me never to do it again."

"I won’t do it again," Iris promised.

Iris turned to Clive with teary eyes. "I want to be excused for a moment. It hurts."

Clive’s heart ached upon seeing Iris in pain. He was tempted to go after her to help with her hand, but first, he needed to confront Agatha. "You were wrong!"

"She left home, and I am quite certain she went to see Eloise. You mustn’t believe her little trick," Agatha said, hoping Clive would see beyond the act. "We must question her further about where she went."

"No. Iris and I spoke. We are better than we were before, and now, my chest feels lighter. You will only stir up trouble if you question her now. If Iris had gone to see Eloise, she would not have returned. Lord Hawthorne is known to not allow outsiders in his home," Clive said, not believing Agatha’s tale.

"He would if Eloise asked him to allow Iris inside. When did she come to speak to you?"

"Agatha," Clive grabbed Agatha’s shoulders. "If Iris were against me, she would not have come to apologise and laughed with me. You know how Iris is. Once she is upset with you, she won’t speak to you. You must drop this."

"Iris is used to fooling you. I believe she went to see Eloise, and if she did, you might be in danger," said Agatha.

"Iris is wise. She knows that if she were to turn against me, she would have lower chances of getting married this season. You were the one who said Eloise used Iris and tossed her to the side, so why do you now believe they are meeting in secret?" Clive asked.

"I went everywhere in search of Iris, but did not see her. The men at the Hawthorne gates did not answer me about seeing Iris. I do not for one second believe she went for a walk near our home. We must question her before she turns the tide against us," Agath said and moved to follow Iris.

Clive grabbed Agatha’s arm to stop her from following Iris. "Agatha, I said you are to leave her be. I am going to trust my daughter just as she trusts me. To question her now would truly turn her against me."

Agatha wanted to scream that Iris had good reason not to trust Clive, but it would only take him back to mopping around like a pathetic bastard.

Clive was being played like an instrument by Iris, and he could not see it because he was excited to be back in her good graces.

"You have hurt her with how you held her. You both have reasons to apologise to each other and try to move forward. I am happy again, just as you want," Clive said, followed by a kiss on Agatha’s lips. "And tomorrow, the court will reward us with the home. We must think only of the future and celebrate."

"If she betrays us, I want you to remember this moment. I will take a look at dinner," Agatha said, wanting to be alone. She was tired after running around in search of Iris.