By nightfall, Reece returned to his parents’ home with vegetables he had bought along the way. He had sent off the Hawthorne carriage long before he reached the house, not wanting the neighbours to see him with it.

Reece quietly opened the door and stepped inside, hoping he could prepare dinner without his mother knowing he was already home. Unfortunately, Agatha was waiting for him by the door.

Agatha rose from her chair, a candle flickering in her hand. "You did not find her? You have been gone for hours."

"The town is quite large, Mother. You mustn’t expect that I would find her so easily. I must stop the search for now and return in the morning when there is light. For now, let me make you some dinner," Reece said, patting Agatha’s arm as he walked by her. "You must rest."

"Rest? How can I rest when my daughter could be dead somewhere, or taken hostage by a man abusing her? She has been gone for too many days now, and no one has seen her. I tell you, it is that one Eloise who has my daughter," Agatha said, her voice sharp with certainty.

"Eloise doesn’t know where Iris is," Reece replied, immediately regretting what he had shared. "Mother," he sighed.

"You went to see her after all. Do you see what has become of her? After turning this family to shambles, she now lives a good life with her husband. What did she tell you?" Agatha demanded, placing her hands on her hips. "Tell me right away."

"She said she doesn’t know where Iris is. Eloise and her husband only returned from out of town today. She cannot know where Iris is, and she wouldn’t lie to me," Reece assured her.

Agatha shook her head. She knew Eloise would lie just as she had always lied. "Eloise is not the same young lady you once knew. She has changed."

"I agree that she has changed. Becoming Lady Hawthorne would force her to change a bit, and it is a good change. You must stop acting as though she is in the wrong. I love my father and wish he were present, but he placed himself there," Reece said, walking away before an argument started.

"Your father tried to do what was best for this family-"

Reece turned to face Agatha, his voice rising with anger. "Killing a relative you and your children loved was not doing what was right for the family. Taking a father away from his daughter was not right. It was a poor decision which shall forever affect this family."

"It will affect you, me, and Iris for the rest of my life. How would you feel if Iris killed me to get my money, all because she was in debt?" Reece asked, certain his mother would be furious.

"Iris wouldn’t need to come to that, since I am setting her up for success. Once she marries the man I have selected for her, and you marry his niece, then this family will be well, and we won’t need to harm each other for money. You must listen to me," Agatha ordered, her tone commanding. "I know best."

"No, Mother. If you knew any better, Iris would be home right now, and some man she doesn’t know wouldn’t be coming for her hand. What of all the years you spoke of never giving Iris away to some man who didn’t deserve her?" Reece inquired, his voice trembling with frustration.

"Our situation has changed. Your father and I spent years spoiling Iris, so now it is time that she takes care of us. If not for your father’s arrest spoiling our name, Iris would have been able to marry a gentleman of her age with reasonable wealth," Agatha said, regretting that it wasn’t so.

"We all have to do our part to ensure that this home stands tall. Before your father is released and damages our name further, I suggest you and Iris do your parts. You are to wed just like Iris. I don’t want to hear any more of you running out of town," Agatha declared.

Reece tried to keep himself calm, his hand tightening around the basket of vegetables. "Mother, all I want to do is make you a warm meal and go to bed."

"You must consider taking the young lady’s hand before another man seizes the opportunity. She won’t always be there for you to wed. Think of her home and her wealth that is just waiting for you to command it," Agatha tried to reason.

"Mother, I cannot accept this proposal that you have come up with. Nor can I allow you to send off Iris with someone she doesn’t know. She isn’t suited to raise another man’s children. Iris still has a chance at a good future," Reece said, unwilling to let Iris suffer.

"I shall decide what becomes of my daughter," Agatha argued.

"No," Reece shook his head. "With my father out of the home, I have now become the head. I have every right to be the one to decide whom Iris marries and to deal with the finances of this home. I didn’t wish to speak of it to you, but you have forced my hand."

"Reece!" Agatha gasped, her voice trembling. "You would do this to me? You would ruin the best chance I have offered this family?"

"Mother, you are only thinking of yourself. You cannot sacrifice Iris to change what your husband did. This is a time when a young lady needs her mother most, yet Iris cannot turn to you for support. I have to be the one to help her, and I have no issue doing so," Reece said, accepting the responsibility.

Agatha stared at Reece in shock. Her lips parted, and her eyes were wide open because he would not listen to her. Even worse, he would try to take control from her. "You would do this to me?"

"I am stepping up for my little sister. I have to make up for the time I was not at her side. When that gentleman tries to ask about Iris again, tell him that the deal is off. Neither Iris nor I will marry into the family," Reece said, his decision final.

"Why? Why won’t you do it to save the family? Why are you so adamant about continuing to work when you could marry into a family with money? Have I not taught you to be sensible?" Agatha asked, her voice breaking with disbelief.

Reece clenched his fist as he decided to take a weight off his shoulders. "I am married, Mother. I am married with a child on the way. I cannot marry any woman you have placed for me as I have already found my wife."

A look of horror flashed across Agatha’s face. "What? You have done what?"