Page 74 of Her Daring Earl
“I would like to advise you once more to rethink this plan,” he said, and Eliza nodded.
“Thank you,” she said. “But I believe we will be the judge of that. While I have complete faith that your employer will do everything in his power to ensure that all goes smoothly, no one but women can truly understand the intentions of other women. I do not trust those within the establishment to act in my husband’s best interest. That is why we are here.”
As she spoke, she waved her hand to Dot, Henrietta, and Sloane, who had accompanied her. Eliza had contemplated asking Georgina but decided that her continual grumblingwould only bring them down, so instead, they had snuck out without her noticing.
The man grunted. “Are you certain your husband will be comfortable with your attire?”
“Of course. He will enjoy it,” Eliza said confidently, even though she was fairly certain that Fitz would not be pleased that she would wear such a thing out in public. But they had to blend into their surroundings. “Besides, if all goes to plan, he will not even see us. We will stay to the side of the room, observing.”
“Very well,” the detective said with a sigh before leading them through the door and into the establishment.
Eliza nearly choked as they entered. The room’s scent was not unlike that of many ballrooms, only the perfume here was cheaper than she was used to. She supposed it had to do with the fact that she hadn’t entered a ballroom for so long, and when she had, she hadn’t been carrying a child. Siena had told her that there were a wide variety of symptoms one could feel, enhanced scent being one of them.
One which Eliza was not particularly pleased to have at the moment.
“My goodness,” Dot murmured as she looked around the room. She squared her shoulders, appearing rather uncomfortable in her current garments. “I shall find us the best vantage point from which to watch the proceedings.”
Eliza nodded, following her as they walked through the gentlemen who surrounded them. She wondered if this had been an appropriate night to choose, for it seemed rather packed. Or perhaps they had all been enticed here by Fitz? He had such an effervescent personality that she was sure men and women alike were inclined to follow where he led.
Once they took a seat, her eyes were immediately drawn to Fitz, despite not even actively seeking him out.
He was standing across the room, speaking to Lord Brighton. Did he truly have ill intent? At the thought, Lord Mandrake also appeared, at the same time that Dot jolted upright beside her. Eliza followed her gaze to see that she was staring at the marquess with undisguised longing in her eyes.
Interesting.
Eliza leaned to her left to whisper in Henrietta’s ear. “Does Dot know that Fitz suspects Lord Mandrake?”
Henrietta met her eye and nodded somberly. “She does. And she’s not pleased.”
“Hmm,” Eliza murmured, wondering what she would do if she was in Dot’s position. She supposed all that could be done was to discover the truth.
Eliza’s brother was also here, and as his gaze began to swing around the room, Eliza flung out her fan in front of her to hide her face so that he wouldn’t see her. The thought of him as a murderer was ludicrous, which was another reason she had decided she had to come herself – to make sure he wasn’t falsely accused.
“There’s the detective,” Dot said, jutting her chin toward Archibald.
“And there,” Eliza said, annoyance dripping from her words, “is Madeline.”
It was not so much the woman’s previous relations with Fitz that annoyed Eliza.
It was that she had tried to kill him, and he had, apparently, forgiven her.
Added to that, Madeline hadn’t come forward with any news that she had been approached with a plan to assist in a threat against him. Was it that the attempted killer didn’t trust her anymore or had she been convinced to help him?
Fitz nonchalantly placed his drink on the table beside him. Eliza knew the plan. The detectives were watching closely tosee if anyone tampered with it, although Eliza doubted anyone would do so out in the open.
It was the second part of the plan she most hated – as did Fitz. He would enter a private room, allegedly with a woman. The previous attempts had been made on his life when he was alone, so it only made sense that was when he would be most under threat again.
After a few moments, nothing untoward occurred, although Eliza’s gaze was caught by a feminine figure meandering through the crowd, her attention on Fitz. Eliza stood, bracing herself, ready to run after the woman if she attempted anything.
“Eliza!” Henrietta yanked her down. “What are you doing?”
“That woman over there,” she pointed across the bar. “She is watching Fitz.”
“Are you going to chase after her and knock her out of the way with your body?” Henrietta asked, waving to Eliza’s stomach.
Eliza had done her very best to disguise her condition with her choice of garments, and while she was certain she had succeeded, she appeared slightly more ample and was far too tired to chase after the other woman.
But she had determination on her side.
