Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

A ll eyes turned toward Fitz as he entered the House of Lords. They followed him as he walked to his seat in the small room and shifted the heavy weight of his crimson robe over his shoulders. His gaze flickered over to the empty throne sitting at the front of the room as the warmth of the wood paneling, tapestries, and stained-glass windows depicting heraldic symbols and historical scenes washed over him.

He could admit that he had missed it, had missed this – but at the moment, he missed his wife more.

He couldn't help but wonder how she had reacted when she had found out that he had left. Would she have assumed that he had left her ? That was so far from the case and yet if that was what she needed to believe to keep her safe, then so be it.

Whoever was after him should make their attempt sooner rather than later so this would all come out into the open. He was sick of hiding, sick of the constant worry about those who cared most for him.

He was going to put an end to this. He could practically hear Eliza telling him to do this smartly.

"Lord Fitzroy."

Fitz nearly groaned aloud at Lord Mandrake standing next to him, awaiting his attention.

"Mandrake." He nodded in greeting, not wanting to bother with any further pleasantries.

"I have not heard any response from you regarding my request."

"Your request?"

"I would like permission to court your sister once she returns to London."

Fitz ran a hand through his hair. "Mandrake, I said no."

"Why not?"

"Pardon me?"

"A man deserves to know why his advances are to be rejected, does he not? Your sister could do much worse than a man like me."

"Because… because…" Because Mandrake was a bore. Because he seemed to care far more about his political leanings than he ever could a woman. Leanings that were not at all related to Fitz's.

"I understand that we do not share many viewpoints," Mandrake continued as though reading his thoughts. "But what we do share is the fact that we both want the very best for your sister, and I confess that I am developing feelings of… well, love toward her."

"Love," Fitz repeated, blinking. "You barely know her."

"I know her enough that I respect and admire her more than any other woman. I have met many in my time and never has my heart beaten quite so surely for another."

Fitz had to sit with that for a moment before he could respond. How could Mandrake confess to love his sister when Fitz hardly even knew what he felt for his own wife? Although, from what Mandrake had said, perhaps… just perhaps… he might have some of those feelings himself. Which was why Mandrake couldn't possibly know if he loved Dot or not.

He couldn't help but realize that perhaps he was being far too stubborn in preventing his sister from receiving the advances of a man she just might actually like. Although if Lord Mandrake was interested… could others who might be a better fit also be forthcoming?

He straightened in his seat when he realized that Mandrake was still standing beside him, awaiting his response.

"I'll tell you what, Mandrake," he said. "If, upon my sister's return to London, she seems interested in spending time with you, then I will allow it. I will warn you, however, that she has not been particularly interested in the courtship of any man in the past."

"You will allow her to decide?"

"I will."

He was not a monster – nor a hypocrite.

"Very good. Thank you, Lord Fitzroy."

With that, Mandrake strode away, heels clicking as he went.

"What was that about?" Fitz turned to find Lord Brighton on the other side of him. Apparently, he had heard the last bit of it.

"Mandrake wants to court Dot."

"You are going to allow it?" Brighton asked with surprise.

"I suppose," Fitz said with a shrug as he began to arrange his belongings, but Brighton was not done with him.

"I hear congratulations are in order," Brighton said, and Fitz noted that a few ears were turned their way. He hadn't read any of the scandal sheets nor heard any of the gossip lately, but he could only imagine that his marriage would have been one of great interest.

"Thank you," he said gruffly, finding that, strangely, he had no wish to speak of Eliza with any of these men, as though he wanted to protect what they had from anyone outside of their lives. "Lady Fitzroy and I are very happy."

Which, he realized, was the truth. He was happy with Eliza, and leaving her had been more difficult than he ever could have imagined.

Brighton had an odd look about him, which Fitz assumed was due to disappointment that Eliza was no longer eligible.

"Cheer up, Brighton," he said, unable to help the jauntiness of his smile. "There are many other lovely young ladies out there. I'm sure one of them will see past your flaws."

He laughed at his jest, but Brighton was not entirely amused.

"Are you happy enough that you are no longer considering this bill of yours?"

"Not at all," Fitz said, shaking his head, knowing that Brighton was a strong supporter. "She is a staunch supporter of mine and the changes I am trying to make."

"Very good," Brighton said, before continuing to his seat as the proceedings of the day began.

Fitz breathed a sigh of relief that Eliza was his and hadn't entertained the idea of any other suitor – the thought of her being married to Brighton or any other man was nearly too much for him to bear.

He shook his head as he considered how much he wanted Eliza to be his and his alone. By all laws and rights, she was.

And yet it meant nothing if she didn't choose him with her heart and her soul.

Now that he had left her, he wondered if he would ever have the chance to make that come true.

"Come for a drink with us, Fitzroy?" Brighton called to him after the proceedings of the day had finally concluded.

Fitz hesitated. He had wanted to check in with his detective to discuss their next plans. He was hoping that they could draw out the person threatening his life by having him be alone somewhere that would be rather tempting, while the detective and his men would lie in wait.

That, however, would take some time to put into place.

"Sure," he said. "Why not?"

It wasn't as though he currently had a wife to go home to, although he found that his desire to stay out late had waned and instead, he simply desired a drink with old friends before returning home to his dreams where he could picture Eliza.

It wasn't long until five or six gentlemen were sitting around a table at White's, Fitz with his usual whiskey in front of him.

"Cheers to Fitz's return," Brighton said, raising his glass up.

Fitz nodded and sipped his drink, the familiar burn racing down his throat into his stomach.

It wasn't as comforting as he remembered, for this was not where he wanted to be. This was not who he wanted to be with.

But it was where he had to be, he reminded himself. To protect those he loved.

Which, he realized in a shocking revelation, included his wife.

He had to get this sorted and return to her.

As soon as possible.

It was his last thought as his stomach began to gurgle and his forehead started to sweat. The voices of his friends became distant as the room began to tilt on its side before the world around him faded entirely.

And then everything went black.

Eliza was exhausted by the time the carriage pulled up at the gates of Greystone.

It had been a longer journey than she had remembered, made even longer by the fact that she was alone.

This was the first time she had ever traveled alone, a freedom she appreciated as a married woman.

It was ironic that when she could finally travel without a chaperone, all she wanted was to be with her husband.

She prayed that he was well, but despite her desperation to see him with her own eyes, she knew better than to go to London herself. Doing so would only put him in more danger.

The duke would help. He had to.

"Eliza!" Siena ran down the front stairs to meet her. "What are you doing here?"

"It's a long story," she replied, accepting Siena's embrace. "One that I'd like to tell Levi as well. Fitz is in trouble."

"In trouble?" Siena repeated, clearly concerned. "Of course. Come in, we shall get you settled."

"There's no time for that," Eliza said, realizing when Levi walked out of the drawing room without a jacket or cravat that she had interrupted Siena and Levi's time together after dinner but there would be plenty of other nights for that.

"Lady Eliza—that is, Lady Fitzroy," Levi said, rubbing a hand over his brow as though he was waking himself up from slumber. "Has Fitz done something to wrong you?"

"No," she said swiftly. "Well, not purposefully."

"I am not certain I like the sounds of that."

"He left Appleton to face his threat."

"He did?" Levi said, his one eyebrow rising above his eyepatch. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"I can only guess as he didn't explain his plans to me," she said somewhat helplessly. "All I know for certain is that he left for London. The rest is all supposition."

"No matter his intention, if he is alone in London, he is in danger," Levi said gravely, confirming her suspicions. "You have come to see if I could help, have you?"

"That's exactly it," she said, nearly sagging into the wall with relief that he understood. "I know you don't want to leave Siena, but if I stayed here with her, could you possibly go to London and ensure that Fitz is well? I hope he at least contacted the detective, but I cannot know for certain."

"Of course," he said. "I shall go shortly."

He crossed over to Siena, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in closely. Eliza had to blink back tears once more at the affection they showed one another, hoping that she would soon be able to demonstrate to Fitz the depths of her own emotion.

For Henrietta had been right.

She loved him.

Despite all of her intentions to remove her emotions from their physical joining, she couldn't help that she had fallen in love with the way he had cared for her when she wasn't well, how he dedicated himself to his work despite his longing for leisure, and the charming, affable way he approached life.

She could hardly wait to see him again to tell him so.

She just had to believe that there would be the opportunity to do so.