Page 4 of Her Daring Earl
But he had dropped his arms and left her, already walking away without another word.
“What in the world?” she muttered, knowing she should leave this be. She was here tonight to find a man who would teach her all that she had longed to know but never experienced. She should focus on her own goals.
She was unable to help her curiosity, however, as she followed Fitz across the dance floor in time to see him stop in front of Dot, whose hand was caught in that of a tall, thin man – Lord Mandrake if she was not mistaken.
“Mandrake!” Fitz practically bellowed, causing Eliza to jump. He was not usually a man with a temper, at least as far as she knew – and she knew him better than she would like.
“Get your hands off my sister!”
CHAPTER 2
“Fitz.” Mandrake turned around with a slow, brittle smile growing on his slender lips. “Just the man I want to see.”
“It’sLord Fitzroy,” Fitz ground out from between his clenched teeth. “Only my friends call me Fitz.”
Mandrake’s smile didn’t falter, which only further enraged Fitz. It was so phony, he hoped that Dot could see right through it as well.
“Hopefully in time then.”
Fitz stared at him, aware that his initial outburst had caused many eyes to turn his way.
“Fitz,” Dot said from between clenched teeth, “is there a problem?”
“You will not dance with this man.”
“Lord Mandrake has not even asked me to dance yet.”
“I was about to,” Mandrake said more smoothly than Fitz would have liked. “In fact, I would like to ask for more than that.”
“Mandrake—”
“I would like permission to call upon your sister. Tomorrow, if that would be all right with you, Lady Dot.”
“I—” Dot looked from him and back to Fitz, who was about to step between them. “I think perhaps we should have this conversation somewhere else. Not with all of these eyes upon us.”
Why did his sister have to be so damn level-headed?
“Fine,” Fitz said in a low voice. “You can come to my townhouse tomorrow. But to talk to me. Not to Dot. Understood?”
“Very well,” Lord Mandrake said. “I look forward to seeing you again, Lady Dot.”
“Goodnight.”
Mandrake began to walk away but Fitz sensed motion behind him, and he turned around to find that Eliza was still standing there, her eyes wide as she had apparently witnessed the entire exchange. Damn it.
“Lady Eliza,” Mandrake said, stopping in front of her and lifting her hand to his lips, placing a kiss upon it. Her eyes grew, the blue of them becoming even more vivid. Fitz’s ire flared, although this time, he couldn’t do anything about it. He had no say over Eliza. But her brother did. He looked around, trying to find Baxter, hoping he could come and put a stop to this, but Baxter was nowhere in sight. Typical.
“Move along, Mandrake,” Fitz droned loudly instead, causing both Eliza and his sister to gape at him. Damn it again.
Mandrake smirked at him knowingly before finally doing as Fitz requested, leaving him alone.
Only, he wasn’t alone. Not only were three of his sisters with him – he belatedly noticed Hen and Sloane standing there – but Eliza didn’t appear to be going anywhere.
“What?” he huffed as he met their stares. “I can’t stand that man.”
“Whyever not?” Dot asked.
Fitz gaped at her. “Seriously? He is only trying to become close to you to annoy me!”
