The Mysterious Housemaid

Chapter 5

"Vera was my mother. She had me during the war. She put me up for adoption. I was taken in by the Greens. The couldn't have anymore children after their son was born, and they had wanted a girl, so they took me in. My father really favoured his son, and I was reminded that I was not of their blood. My mother was hurt by this and resented my father. She would go down to the pub at night to meet with other men. When I was old enough to leave home, I left home to find my birthmother. Vera was very angry when I came to visit her. She..."
"Go on," Anna said anxiously. Bates nodded too.
"Vera said that she was glad that she gave me up. She said that my biological father had gone off with a woman and left her. She told me to leave because she needed to bake a pie."
"That's the pie that she baked when she poisoned herself!" exclaimed Anna.
"Yes. And then I heard that Mr. Bates was imprisoned later on. I gave up on trying to meet him then. Then, I heard that he was freed, but I was having problems. My brother had attacked me one night. He said that it didn't matter, since I wasn't blood. He began having issues with being attracted to females and attacking them. And my father wasn't a good example with the way that he had treated my mother. I told no one about my attack until now." the girl said with her head down. Anna hugged the girl with a very understanding compassion. Bates then hugged them both. The girl pulled out of the embrace and looked at them both.
"I've never met more kinder people in my life. Will you accept me as your daughter?" she asked through tears.
"Of course. And I wish Vera had told me. I would've looked for you." Bates said.
"Thank you." the girl said smiling now. Anna smiled back at Iris.
"So how did you come to find us?" Anna asked her.
"After my brother died, I trained to be a housemaid, so that I could find my father at Downton. And now I'm very happy to know you both." Iris said smiling.