The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

Iris left Eloise’s bedchamber, seeking solitude to write the letter she had promised herself she would send to Zayne.

Only now did she think to ask how his home had fared in the storm.

"My home must be soaked," Iris whispered as she thought of her childhood home. "I should take a visit," she considered. "But what if the neighbours are still angry?"

Before she could sink further into her worries, Hannah appeared, carrying a coat for Eloise.

"Lady Hawthorne is still deciding on what to wear during her outing. She will soon need a trunk taken to her chamber, and while you do so, it might be best to send some water," Iris suggested.

"I will bring it all to her now. Oh, I might be wrong, but there may be a guest coming to the door for you. I overheard the guards speaking on my way here," Hannah shared.

"For me? I’m not expecting anyone. Thank you for informing me," Iris replied, forcing a polite smile as she sent Hannah along.

Hannah curtsied and continued on her way, leaving Iris alone with her thoughts once more.

Iris thought about who could have come.

Perhaps the court had come again to deliver the news she had been bracing herself for. That her father had passed.

She was hesitant to move, paralysed by the fear of hearing words that would shatter her fragile calm.

Taking a deep breath, Iris calmed herself. She would face whoever had come, even if it meant facing grief.

As she turned towards the stairs, she was startled by the sight of Zayne dishevelled and breathless.

Iris placed her hand against her chest, trying to calm the sudden rush of her heartbeat. "You frightened me. Why are you here right now? Was your home damaged? Are the maids well?"

Zayne did not answer at once. Instead, he rushed forward and embraced her.

"I would have come sooner, but a river spilt over the road and made it difficult for me to get by. I was wondering if you made it home in time from the prison," Zayne said, releasing her only to study her face.

"I made it home just in time. I was surprised by how fast the weather changed. We haven’t had rain like that in seven years. My family would have lost our home then if not for the neighbours coming together," Iris rambled.

She stepped closer, her hand instinctively reaching to smooth Zayne’s messy hair. "I thought there was damage to your home with the way you ran."

"The woman I am courting is here. I would be awful if I didn’t come to see that you were well," Zayne said, standing still as she fussed over him.

"That is true, but you could have written to me. I was about to write and send a letter to you. Well, if it would have been safe to send someone out with it," Iris admitted, her cheeks warming at the thought.

Zayne caught her hand, halting her movements. "What were you going to write? Tell it to me now instead."

Iris lowered her gaze, her courage faltering, before lifting her eyes again. "I was hoping to write it since it would have been far easier. I was thinking about us and this courtship."

"You shouldn’t do it in the rain. The rain makes many people depressed. It has happened to me before," Zayne said as he feared she might end things.

"I love the rain. Well, when it doesn’t cause harm to anyone’s homes. It might be childish, but after I have sat to watch it fall, if it is light, I would go outside and stand in it. I’ve done it since I was a little girl," Iris confessed.

She tapped her mouth, realising she had strayed. "Oh, look at me going off course. It wasn’t a depressing matter that the rain brought on. In truth, I wanted to speak of us becoming engaged now."

The words slipped out, and regret followed swiftly. Iris’s heart sank as she saw that Zayne’s expression didn’t seem happy. "Why, why, why? You don’t want to? It was just a silly thought, but I thought you would have liked it. I’m sorry," she whispered.

Zayne let out a soft chuckle, easing her panic. "You’ve misread my shock, Iris. You can’t share this news and not expect me to be surprised, kicking myself that I didn’t move sooner so it wouldn’t come to this. I was thinking of ways to propose when the time came."

"Most men simply take a lady’s hand and ask for her hand in marriage. I didn’t think you needed to be grand," Iris said.

"Because you have been thinking as of late that you don’t deserve it. I would like to think that in our time alone, you have realised that I am not like other men. You are deserving of a proper proposal, but yes, I would love to be engaged now," Zayne said, his smile wide.

Zayne cleared his throat. "What brought on this decision?"

"Well, I kind of envy what Eloise has with Damien and want to experience it. So, why should I prolong experiencing it with you? It seems that we are going to be with each other, so we can learn more about each other through the engagement," Iris explained.

"You just learned that I like to play in the rain at times, and I learned that when there is a bad event, you will come running to me," Iris said, gripping his shirt and pulling him close. "I want to keep finding out the little things about you."

Zayne restrained himself. "Though there is not a ring on your finger, am I allowed to kiss you? Your brother isn’t near, is he?"

"He is busy helping to put the estate back in good order. Come with me," Iris said, tugging Zayne further up the stairs.

She glanced around, ensuring no maids were nearby, before leading him to the first door she saw. It was a small library, which Iris preferred to a chamber.

She pulled Zayne inside and shut the door.

"I am meant to be careful, so I don’t ruin your good name," Zayne said, his eyes darting away from hers.

"I will be leaving with Eloise and Jane to stay at Countess Tompkins’ home. You will not be able to visit as often as you do here, so this is the only time we will have together until I return. I also don’t know when that will be," Iris explained.

Zayne muttered a curse, one not fit for a lady’s ears, before pulling Iris against him. His lips hovered over her own for a moment, then pressed to hers in a kiss

He had been holding back, honouring promises made to Reece, but all was forgotten now.

Iris clutched at his shirt. The secrecy of their union excited her.

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