Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

" A re you sure this is a good idea?" Dot whispered in Eliza's ear as the carriage pulled up a few businesses down from The Scarlet Rose.

"No," Eliza answered truthfully. "But at least we do have protection."

The carriage door opened to reveal a very wary detective standing on the other side. Mouse, as they called him, had profusely tried to talk them out of this plan, but when he realized that the women were going to go ahead with or without him, he had reluctantly agreed to accompany them.

"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 grumbling would 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 to see 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.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, that is exactly what I was going to do."

"If you see a threat, tell our escort," Henrietta said, pointing to the detective who had accompanied them and was now leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, not exactly blending in, in Eliza's opinion.

"Very well," Eliza grumbled, looking up to find Fitz, only to discover to her horror that while she and Henrietta had been talking, he had disappeared.

And so had the woman who had been watching him.

"He's gone!" Eliza exclaimed.

"Who is gone?" Dot asked, her eyes still on Lord Mandrake.

"Fitz!" Eliza said, annoyed as she felt that Lord Mandrake could wait. Fitz was the one currently in danger. "Where did he go?"

She stood and turned to their escort. "Mr. Mouse, we must find Fitz."

He shook his head, looking troubled as he pushed himself away from the wall. "Call me Mouse. That is not my job. I am here to protect you. This place is full of men on the watch for him. I'm sure he hasn't gotten far."

"Do you think he was taken to the private room?" Eliza asked Henrietta, who seemed to be the only reliable one among them. Sloane's eyes were hooded as she continued to gaze about the room.

"We must assume this is all part of the plan," Henrietta said, although her overly optimistic attitude was not much help at the moment.

"I am sorry, Hen, but we must assume the worst and hope for the best. We have to find this room." She looked to Dot and Sloane. "Why do the two of you not stay here and keep an eye out for him in case he returns?"

"Lady Fitzroy, I cannot allow you to separate from one another," Mouse said, looking pained.

"Not to worry, I will be with them."

Eliza turned at the familiar voice and nearly sagged in relief to find Levi standing there. "Oh, Your Grace, I am so happy to see you. Where is Fitz?"

"I am trying to determine that myself," he said in a gravelly voice. "But first, please tell me you did not bring my wife along with you."

"I did not," Eliza said, despite the momentary pang of guilt at knowing what Siena would think at being left behind. "I didn't want to put her at risk, not in her condition."

"A condition in which you find yourself as well?" he said, quirking his eyebrow.

"Fair point. But this is my husband we are talking about. I could hardly sit at home and?—"

"Allow men who do this professionally to take care of it?"

"Exactly," she beamed before remembering how dire their situation was. "But we can concern ourselves with that later. We must worry about Fitz now. Did he go to one of the back rooms?"

"Yes, but Archibald is with him."

"Who accompanied them?"

"Madeline."

Eliza narrowed her eyes. "I don't trust her."

"Lady Fitzroy, I understand, but?—"

"It is not the history," Eliza said firmly, shaking her head. "Call it women's intuition. Something is amiss. I am certain of it. I hope I am wrong, but I cannot take that chance."

Levi sighed. "Very well. Come with me."

Eliza and Henrietta followed him along the side of the dark corridor, Henrietta hiking up her dress, which threatened to fall below her bosom.

Eliza's breasts were pushed up far higher and plumper than ever before, her pregnancy helping them up.

"I believe it's the second door on the right," Levi said, pointing to a short corridor. "Archibald is hiding within the room."

"Is there another entrance?" Eliza asked, and Levi furrowed his brow.

"Not that I am aware of."

"We best check," she said, glancing furtively around. "There is a detective guarding this door. I am sure the man at the end of the hall is one of them. We should go around to the other side."

She could tell Levi wanted to argue but she was grateful that he allowed her to do as she wished while he followed along behind. They turned the corner and Eliza stopped so suddenly that Henrietta ran into the back of her.

"What is it?" Henrietta hissed.

"There she is," Eliza whispered over her shoulder as she gestured behind her so that they could hide around the corner. She peered around the wall. "The woman that I noticed earlier. She's entering another room."

Levi looked around. "It appears to be the room beside the one Fitz is in."

"Could there be a connecting door between them?"

"Why would the detectives not know about that?"

"Who gave them the layout?" she asked pointedly before rolling her eyes. Men. This was why she'd had to come.

"I think she is going to enter from the other side."

Sure enough, the woman stepped forward, knocking softly on the door, and moments later it was opened. The woman pushed through the door, entering almost silently, and every hair on Eliza's body seemed to be standing on end as she was certain that all was not well here.

It was then she noted that the door had been left open a touch.

"That's it," she said, lifting her heavy skirts in both hands. "I've had enough."

"Eliza, you could ruin the plan," Henrietta said, but her words were not about to stop Eliza.

Nothing could.

Except for the man who reached out to grab her the moment her fingers touched the doorknob.