Page 6 of Her Daring Earl
“Good,” she said, softening somewhat before looking around. “Would you like a moment alone?”
“I would,” he said, straightening his spine, recalling his resolve. He was here for a purpose. To scratch the itch that had been bothering him for far too long. Since he had been away at Levi’s. Had it truly been that long? He rubbed the back of his neck, which had begun to heat up as he tried to ignore just what – that was,who– had caused it.
“Come,” she said, tilting her head toward the back of the room as she held out a hand. “We’ll go to a private room.”
He took her hand, following her, nodding to other gentlemen along the way who greeted him with knowing smiles, causing his shoulders to tighten. Since when had he cared so much about people knowing his business?
Since you began to care about what Eliza might think, said a little voice in his head – one that he tried to push away.
Madeline led them into one of the small back rooms, which Fitz imagined had been a bedroom at one point in time. It was draped in even more red velvet than the outside room, the bed sitting prominently in the middle.
She paused, staring at him for a moment with hesitation in her eyes. That was odd. “Drink?” she asked.
“Sure,” he said, wiping his brow as sweat had begun to drip down. A drink would be most welcome. Should he not be looking forward to this? It certainly shouldn’t be a chore.
She stood at the sideboard, her back to him, her long red dress nearly blending in with the wall in front of her.
“Whisky?” she said, her voice oddly detached.
“Whatever you have.”
She turned around and when she passed him the glass, Fitz noticed that her hand was slightly shaking.
“Are you well?” he asked, narrowing his eyes for a better look at her, but she wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“Fine.”
“Are you certain?” he asked, and she nodded tersely.
He lifted the glass to his lips, about to take a sip when she whirled around, shocking him by lashing out, knocking the glass away so that the liquid sprayed all over the room.
“Madeline?” he gaped in astonishment as his hand remained outstretched in front of him, as though he was still about to bring the drink to his lips. “What in the?—”
“You cannot drink that,” she said with a shuddering breath. “It would kill you.”
CHAPTER 3
Fitz continued to gawk in shock at the woman standing in front of him.
“It’s whiskey,” he said, finally regaining his composure as she stood in front of him, her chest heaving. “It might kill me eventually, but not today.”
“No, it’s not that.” She shook her head. “It’s poisoned.”
“You poured it!” he couldn’t help but exclaim, standing as he suddenly felt the need to take control of this situation.
“I know,” she said, taking another shuddering breath as a tear leaked out of her eye and she quickly wiped it away, smearing the face paint beneath it. “I should never have been so tempted.”
Fitz took a step forward, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I suggest you tell me the full story of what is happening.”
“Very well,” Madeline said, rocking back and forth from her heels to her toes. “I do not tell many people this, but I have a child. A daughter.”
Fitz started in surprise. He had known her for some time and had never heard this before. “I see.”
“I don’t know who the father is. Don’t worry, I had her long before I met you. I raised her myself and have no family. I pay a woman to watch her while I am working, and it’s a struggle.”
“I can understand that,” he said, sympathetic to her plight but still not understanding what that had to do with this strange situation.
