His Wicked Revenge

Chapter 1

England, 1825.

"Iris! Where have you been and where is your sister?" Lady Penelope Blackwood questioned, with a horrified expression on her face she stared at her daughter's attire "Just what in the world are you wearing?"

Mr. George Blackwood who had his head buried in the newspapers replied in a sing song voice imitating his eldest daughter "Mother, it's known as the riding attire and aren't my leather boots gorgeous?"

Iris snickered at her father's sense of humor which Lady Penelope found utterly annoying.

"Papa, you are funny!" Ruby, his younger daughter spoke as she entered the dining hall. With her bright yellow skirts gliding across the floor, she strode across the room towards her father who patted the seat next to him.

"Ruby dear, I can tell from your flushed face that you had a terrific morning! What did the both of you do?" Taking off his reading glasses George asked curiously, his newspaper long forgotten.

"Papa, Sister took me to horse riding. I even stood on the horse while holding on to sister tightly..." Ruby started to narrate her experiences which evoked excitement from her father and displeasure from her mother.

"Iris, the next time you must not forget to bring this old man with you!" he said to which Iris nodded her head "Papa, let's go for horse riding tomorrow."

Their silly conversation acted as the final trigger for Lady Penelope, with a stern condescending tone she chastised her fun loving husband "George! It's no wonder why Iris turned out to be like a man! It's because you spoil her too much!"

"Who would teach a daughter horse riding, archery and business? Which man would marry a woman who can beat him in everything? It's a mistake leaving her in your capable hands." Pacing around the room, Penelope started to ramble while biting her nails, a trait which Iris inherited from her mother.

"Dear Wife..." Rubbing his nose, George pacified his furious wife "Don't tire out yourself..."

"How could I not? I fear for my daughter's future unlike her father!"

As the couple started to fight, Ruby glanced at the culprit, her elder sister Iris who was silently munching on the blueberry muffins without any care in the world.

Iris was long habituated with her father's infinite praises and her mother's never ending criticism. She was all what her father wanted and all that her mother wished not. She was thankful for her father's support and she never hated her mother, after all she was a total disappointment as a lady. It was a wonder that her mother didn't lock her up and force the lessons of etiquette upon her.

As if feeling a gaze on her, Iris lifted her head only to find her sister staring at her with her obsidian eyes.

Come here... Iris motioned with her hand to which Ruby immediately complied.

Both of the sisters had the same midnight black hair of their mother but that was all to their similarities. Ruby had light grey eyes of her mother whereas she had the emerald eyes of her father. Ruby is the splitting image of her lovely mother whereas she inherited the sharp features of her father, giving her the vibe of a cold beauty.

Amelia Ruby Blackwood, aged fifteen and younger to her by five odd years, is the youngest of the Blackwood family. Ruby, is and always will be the darling of the family. Though naughty in her own way, she was all that what society called a perfect lady. Needless to say, her mother and Mrs. Brown, the decorum tutor are more than satisfied with Ruby, who was the complete opposite of her. Iris never felt envy towards Ruby, she only felt immense pride, love and a sense of responsibility towards the delicate lady which her sister was.

"Sister, what is occupying your thoughts?" Ruby spoke, her melodious voice breaking Iris from her trance.

"Nothing! I was just thinking how pretty you are!" Iris spoke truly, the bright yellow dress complimented the pink blush on her sister's delicate but fair cheeks.

"You truly love to jest, sister!" with an adorable pout, Ruby started to dig in her breakfast and Iris had to admit that when Ruby turned twenty, she would be a stunning beauty who could make all the men go down on their knees with a single pout of her lips.

"Have I ever lied to you, dear Ruby?" came Iris's muffled voice as the tenth muffin went down her throat. Ruby brushed off Iris's words with a low grunt, apparently not believing her words.

Iris reached for the sweet bun only to have her tanned hand blocked by a hand covered with Lacey gloves. There was no need to think who it was for it was only her mother who had a penchant for things made of Lace.

"Iris, even your appetite exceeds that of a man! Ladies are expected to be picky with food, they do not drain the entire table like you do!" she spoke sternly, to which Iris rolled her eyes "Mother, to be precise I'm not a lady by the standards of the society. But, by all the rules of the anatomy, I'm a perfect lady and a voluptuous one at that!"

"Language! Do not speak such words before Ruby and by all means do not taint her with your stubborn ideals!" Lady Penelope chastised.

"Oh Mother! I'm sorry to say that I am tainted beyond repair. You can stop fussing now, the wrinkles do not suit your lovely face." Ruby spoke making Iris chortle out loudly and even George let a laugh slip at Ruby's sharp words. Ruby was fiercely protective of her, which amused Iris endlessly.

Lady Penelope sighed in frustration, by all means she did not want another hard to groom daughter. Her eldest daughter is a handful and she didn't wish for another headache. All she wished for is a good marriage and a good life for her daughters. She knew how hard her husband worked to improve the ranks of their family, now he was a viscount and the station of their family is rather excellent in the affluent circles of the society.

Recently Penelope received an invitation from the Palace in which Iris was expected to attend the ball.

Iris is now twenty years old, a perfect age for marriage and for settling down with kids. It was the perfect age for making a debut. There are six months for the ball and Penelope was going to make sure to train her eldest daughter for the ball in the best way possible.