“How do mean, like she’s family?”

Richard did not trust himself to speak. Instead he hauled his sister back into her room. Iris followed, although she did not look convinced that she was doing the right thing.

“We’re going to be very close, I know,” Fleur said to Iris, her smile sickeningly sweet. “You have no idea how close.”

Iris eyed her with well-deserved apprehension. “Perhaps I should come anoth—”

“Oh, no,” Fleur cut in. “You should stay.”

“Close the door,” Richard ordered.

Iris did so, and he tightened his grip on Fleur, trying to pull her farther into the room.

“Let go of me,” Fleur hissed, trying to shake him off.

“Will you be reasonable?”

“I have never been unreasonable,” she shot back.

That was open to debate, but he released her arm. He despised the madman she was turning him into.

But then Fleur whipped around to face Iris, her eyes glittering dangerously. “Did Richard tell you about me?”

Iris did not reply immediately. She swallowed, the motion shuddering down her delicate throat, and her eyes flicked to Richard’s before she finally said, “Some.”

“Just some?” Fleur looked over at Richard, one brow curved in a sardonic arch. “You omitted all the good parts, didn’t you?”

“Fleur . . .” he said warningly.

But Fleur had already returned her attention to Iris. “By any chance, did my brother happen to tell you that I’m pregnant?”

Richard felt his heart drop. He shot a desperate look at Iris. She’d gone positively bloodless. He wanted to go to her, to hold her and protect her, but he knew the only thing she needed protection from was him.

“I’ll be showing soon,” Fleur said, her voice a mockery of decorum. She smoothed her dress down over her body, pressing the pale pink fabric against her belly. “Won’t that be a lark?”

“For the love of God, Fleur,” Richard spat, “have you no tact?”

“None,” Fleur said unrepentantly. “I’m a fallen woman now.”

“Don’t say that,” Richard bit off.

“Why not? It’s true.” Fleur turned to Iris. “You wouldn’t have married him if you’d known about his wretched ruined sister, now would you?”

Iris was shaking her head, little movements back and forth as if she could not recognize her own thoughts. “Did you know this?” she asked him. She held up a hand, almost as if to ward him off. “No, of course you did.”

Richard stepped forward, trying to meet her eyes. “Iris, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“I’m sure we can come up with a solution,” Iris said, her voice taking on a strange, almost frantic tinge. She looked at Fleur, she looked at the wardrobe, she looked anywhere but at her husband. “It’s not a good situation, to be sure, but you’re not the first young lady to find herself like this, and—”

“Iris,” Richard said quietly.