Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

E liza couldn't shake the feeling that Fitz hadn't told her the entire truth about his plans for the future.

She had been so set against any interactions with him that she had never considered him as a potential husband. But now that she understood he hadn't been ignoring her but had, in fact, thought the opposite about her, she wondered why they wouldn't make a suitable pairing.

They got along well, they both shared a sense of adventure, and they were certainly compatible when it came to intimacy.

She would have to explore it further, but she wasn't the type of woman to trap a man into marriage. She could admit she was hurt by his outright rejection of the idea, but she would marry him only if he expressed any interest in it.

She was unsure what this was going to mean for the little experiment of theirs, but there were a few things that she would still like to try if he was up for it. She would have to make it clear that she had no expectations.

By the time she came downstairs to the breakfast room the following morning, the visitors were already having one more set of meetings before departing, according to Lady Fitzroy as they sat down to breakfast.

"I do hope the gentlemen leave shortly," Lady Fitzroy said, biting her bottom lip as she cast a look toward the door.

"Why?" Eliza's mother asked. "They seem polite enough, and I wouldn't mind Eliza spending more time with Lord Brighton."

"Mother, I have no interest in Lord Brighton," Eliza said, rolling her eyes as she lifted her teacup to her lips.

Before her mother could respond to that, Lady Fitzroy began speaking once more. "Because the girls are due home today."

"Are they?" Eliza said brightly, even as she wondered in the back of her mind if she would still have the opportunity to spend any time with Fitz.

"They are. They sent word just yesterday, but I didn't want to disturb Fitz with the news," she said. "I do know that he had no wish to have them here with three unwed men at the house."

"It would only be for the day," Eliza said, waving a hand in the air, certain that Fitz was just being dramatic, as usual. "I'm sure all would be fine."

"Be that as it may, I thought it best to keep it to myself," she said with a sigh. "Ah, here they are."

Eliza turned to see just who ‘they' were, discovering it was the gentlemen, who were now dressed for travel.

"We have come to say farewell," Lord Brighton said with a smile, even though dark circles hung beneath his eyes in stark contrast to his pale skin. He had suffered from the self-affliction of too much drink. "Thank you for your hospitality." He stepped into the room toward Eliza, lifting her hand once more, this time his lips touching the bare skin of her hand. She shivered at the touch, but not because she was affected – more because his rough lips caused aversion within her.

Curious, for Fitz's had only caused fire.

She looked up, catching Fitz's eyes upon them. He was not happy. Not at all.

"Fitz!" A cry came from beyond the room, and Fitz's expression rapidly changed, from first a huge grin of happiness to a look of chagrin as his eyes flicked to the three gentlemen standing with him.

"I had no idea you would be home so soon," he said, leaving the men standing at the side of the breakfast room as he went to greet his sisters, Eliza quickly following suit. "It is good to see you."

"And you," Dot said, squeezing him as Henrietta spotted Eliza. "Eliza, what are you doing here?" she said, running toward her. Everyone made pleasantries, introducing those who did not know one another, and Eliza watched with interest as Lord Mandrake stared at Dot with perverse longing in his gaze.

Dot looked away, but a blush stole up her cheeks.

"Well, best get you men on the road before my sisters become overly chatty," Fitz said, trying to usher them away, but Lord Mandrake stopped, placing his hand on Dot's arm.

"Lady Dot, we never had that conversation," he began, but Fitz was there in moments.

"I already said no," he stated flatly. "Come, Mandrake, time to go."

"Fitz," Dot said, tilting her head, obviously not pleased with his reaction. "One conversation will not cause harm."

"Fine," he said tersely. "A conversation. Where I can see you."

Dot rolled her eyes at him before allowing Lord Mandrake to lead her beyond the room. Henrietta and Eliza exchanged a glance of interest before watching the two of them chat away. Eliza had no idea how two people who barely spoke would have so much to say, but Lord Mandrake must be more interesting than she would have thought.

She could practically feel Fitz bristling beside her, but soon enough, Mandrake said his farewells and the gentlemen were thundering down the drive.

"You know, for a household that is supposed to be in hiding, you certainly have a lot of comings and goings," Eliza couldn't help but remark once the men were away.

"Too many, likely," Fitz said from behind her. "But the country's business cannot pause because of one little threat to one of its members. And my sisters cannot hide forever."

"Is there any word from the detective in London?" Sloane asked with a yawn.

"He did write to update me, but he hasn't found anything yet," Fitz said with a sigh. "I still think I should have stayed and tried to draw the person out."

"We should be safe," his mother said, placing a hand on his arm. "Now, ladies, it is a beautiful day. Why do we not spend it outside? We can have tea out there this afternoon and play a few games."

"A lovely idea," Lady Willoughby said, and Eliza exchanged a smile with Henrietta, who came over and squeezed her arm as they walked out of the room and upstairs to change.

"I am so glad you are here!" Henrietta said. "I apologize we were away. Had we known that you were coming, we never would have left."

"Of course!" Eliza said. "We should have written far sooner. How was Lady Noonan's?"

"As Mother told us it would be – boring!" she said with a laugh, as they headed up to their rooms to find their clothing for the outdoors.

As for Fitz? Well, she would have to worry about him later.

For there was nothing to do now but enjoy herself.

Fitz was becoming rather annoyed with his sisters.

Every time he tried to find a moment alone with Eliza, there they were, at her side. Even after they all retired for the night, he tried to go to her room, but when he was about to knock on her door, he saw the note attached to the doorknob warning him that Henrietta had decided to stay with her for the night.

He nearly pounded on the door in frustration.

She had become like a drug. He was addicted.

He barely saw her the next day besides at meal times, and it took everything within him not to spend the entire dinner staring at her, for he was well aware that his sisters would catch on to him if he did so.

Perhaps it was for the best. He had already compromised one young woman and look how that had nearly ended. He had almost been duped into a lifetime with a liar. Not that he could ever see Eliza doing such a thing, but he could not allow for any scandal to enter into his life.

He was more captivated by Eliza than he ever had been by any other woman. It was disconcerting, but he told himself it was only because the secrecy of all this had created an unmatched lust within him.

He couldn't help but ruminate on her words about marriage. Could he see himself married – and to her? He had a hard time picturing it. He was supposed to be finding a woman who would bring him respectability so that all would take him seriously. When the gentlemen had arrived from London, he had to fight with all of his powers of persuasion to get them even to consider backing his proposal.

Of course, Mandrake's accompaniment hadn't helped. The man had only traveled all of this way to try to put a hold on his plans, but Fitz would not be deterred.

Finally, two nights after they had come together, he was able to sneak into Eliza's bedroom without anyone spoiling his intentions.

"Fitz!" she said brightly, sitting up in bed. "I was wondering if I would ever see you again."

He loved her teasing laugh and he had to stop himself from bounding over to her.

"My sisters have monopolized you."

"So, you are interested in spending more time with me?" she said, raising her brows. "I thought perhaps it was all just talk the other night."

"Not talk," he said, shaking his head. "I meant what I said." He paused. "Although, I will not put you in any jeopardy again. I think it's time that we take a step backward."

"What does that mean?" she asked, closing her book and placing it on the nightstand beside her as the light in her eyes dimmed.

"That means," he said, curling his lips up as that mischievousness he had been trying to shed made itself known once more, "that we need to go back to lessons four and five. The ones we missed."

She bit her lip, obviously as affected as he was. "But I so enjoyed lesson six."

"It was enjoyable, yes," he said, nodding as though he was deep in thought. "But order is important, do you not agree?"

"No," she said laughing. "Do you not know me? That being said, I am a willing student, so I will obey my instructor."

"Obey you will," he said with a growl before practically diving on top of her, his lips landing on hers.

It seemed so much more proper this time, to be in a bed, and yet, proper was not exactly a term to describe anything related to Eliza. For she did not lie there and wait for him to take all of the initiative. She was just as eager as he was, wriggling beneath his grasp, responsive to his every touch, undressing him with the same urgency he did her.

When they were both naked to one another, he had to stop and compose himself, for he was worried that he was about to come right there in front of her before they had even touched one another.

"Fitz," she moaned as she ran her hands over him, her touch igniting his skin as though he had been burned, bucking her hips up into him. "Can we just?—"

"No," he said, but he knew what she wanted even if she didn't herself. He ran his hands over those silky thighs that he couldn't get enough of before kneeling before her, lowering his face to her center.

She gasped as his tongue flicked against her, finding the bundle of nerves he knew would send her spiraling. She ground into him as he used his tongue, teeth, lips, and fingers to keep her on edge, never quite knowing what to expect from him.

"Fitz," she gasped again, his name coming on the edge of one of her pants.

"Yes?"

"I like lesson four."

He grinned wolfishly. "We're just getting started," he said before continuing his efforts. She had wanted to experience pleasure? Well, she would never experience anything like this ever again. He would be unmatched. Of that, he would make sure.