“Yes, that he was. He still is.”
“Have you seen him recently?
“About two years ago, at his wife’s funeral. He hasn’t ventured out much since then. Even before then, he wasn’t much for house parties. I wonder why he attended the one where he met you?”
“Perhaps because his wife went to Bath. I don’t know.” Iris drew a deep breath, hoping to calm her nerves. “Lucy, I never told anyone about this, not even Flora. I was always afraid it would get back to Longarry, and then he would…”
“He would what, Iris?”
“He would…beat me, or rape me, or do something else horrid.”
“Iris!” Lucy stopped walking. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”
“The girls and I persevered. I shielded them from as much of it as I could, although he wasn’t kind to them. I know it’s terrible, but I’m so glad he’s gone.”
“Of course you are. Who wouldn’t be?” Lucy led her to a small bench.
Iris sat down, her body full of…what? She wasn’t sure. She turned to her friend. “David and I, we really were in love. But we weren’t free to be together. He was so passionate, Lucy, so loving. He—” Iris smiled slyly. “He made love so sweetly. He made me feel beautiful and desirable.”
“You are, Iris. You are.”
“I never thought I was. Flora was always the beautiful one, and she caught Ashford on her own, when she was not but eighteen. But David made me feel like I was everything to him. The way he looked at me… He was wonderful.” Iris lowered her voice. “He did the most scandalous thing.”
“What?”
“Well, I was nursing Ally at the time, and he…he drank my milk from me.”
Lucy gasped.
“I know it’s wicked,” Iris continued. “He did things to me that I never imagined. It was heavenly.”
“Did you tell him about how Longarry treated you?”
“Only small bits and pieces. I didn’t tell him about the violence, but I did tell him that the earl wasn’t kind, and that I didn’t love him.”
“What did he tell you about his wife?”
“Only that she was a fine woman, a good mother to his children, but that he didn’t love her.”
“Did she love him?”
“He didn’t know. It wasn’t something they talked about.”
Lucy patted her hand.“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been both anticipating and dreading this moment since Rose took up with Lord Evan. I knew our paths would eventually cross again. Now that we’re both widowed…” She shook her head. “No, it’s been too long.”
“Perhaps not. How did you end things?”
“We went our separate ways. We decided not to continue the affair. It would have been too difficult, with my living in Scotland. Plus, he had no desire to hurt his wife, and although I didn’t mind hurting Longarry, I knew how he would react if he ever found out. So we parted as friends.”
“And you haven’t seen him since?”
“No.”
“Well, Iris, take out your best dress, because you’re going to see him tonight at dinner.”
“Good Lord,” Iris said, sighing softly. “Good Lord in heaven.”