Page 36 of Give Him a Chance

Chapter Seven

May 13, 1841

It is verydifficult, indeed, Lucy thought darkly as she approached Lady Romeril’s townhouse with her family,not to lose my temper. But that was the problem with her family. They were infuriating!

“So when are you going to get rid of him?” hissed her mother as they walked arm in arm, Lucy’s father, brother, and…well, adopted criminal, walking ahead of them. “I mean, he can’t stay with us forever!”

The trouble was, Lucy had not given much thought to the future.

That the future definitely contained Mr. Bernard Dixon, she was most sure. Precisely how or why, that was the part that was giving her trouble.

Which was infuriating. The man was a criminal! Someone who had grown up in a clearly cold family, though she did not know why, and had fallen down on his luck, though she did not know how, and then had committed a crime, though she did not know what.

It was simple.

Lucy sighed. “I don’t know, Mama. I… I don’t have a plan.”

When she glanced at her mother, it was to see the Countess of Lindow’s eyes glitter. “Oh, yes?”

“Mama!”

“Well, with Evelyn happily married to that nice viscount—”

“Mama!” hissed Lucy, hoping to goodness Dixon ahead of them could not hear their conversation. “You do not need to worry about marrying me off!”

“No, I suppose your brother can always take care of one spinsterly old maid.” Her mother smirked, her teasing air always most vibrant when she had a topic to truly enjoy. “It’s a good thing your sister was married off with so little trouble. I really thought I’d be stuck with all three of you unwed.”

“My point is, you don’t have to marry me off at all, and even if you were going to marry me off, it wouldn’t be to Dix—I mean,Mr.Dixon is not…” Lucy swallowed. “What a thing to think.”

Yes, especially after you have thought of the man far too often these last few days, a treacherous part of Lucy’s mind thought.Especially when all you seem to be able to do is think about him.

It was most unfair. When one had a criminal lying about the place, one presumed that he would not be that distracting. But he was worse than distracting.

He was all-consuming.

Lucy tried not to look at the sway of his hips, the obvious strength in his thighs, the way the trousers Dixon had borrowed from her brother fitted rather more snugly around the buttocks…

“You can’t keep him forever, you know.” Her mother’s voice broke into her thoughts as they turned a corner onto Lady Romeril’s street. The weather had been so fine of late that the earl had bristled at the idea of making a horse ride in such heat, so they had walked. “I mean, the man must have family, mustn’t he?”

Lucy swallowed.

Yes, he must, and it was a topic she greatly wished to inquire more about, but she had no idea how.

Was he married? Dixon wore no ring, but that was no signifier, as neither did her father. Neither did two of her uncles, now that she came to think of it. It was only her Uncle Frederick, the Viscount Pernrith, who wore such a thing.

He had never mentioned a wife. Dixon, that was. Uncle Frederick could not stop talking about Aunt Edie.

Surely, if he—Dixon—if he were married, he would have mentioned a wife? Would have wished to return to her, would have written to her. And how that would complicate things, if he were well and truly her ward!

Perhaps he had not written her because she—this enigmatic Mrs. Dixon—could not read and write.

Embarrassment and shame burned through Lucy as they approached Lady Romeril’s townhouse, already agog with guests slowly making their way up the steps. It was mortifying to recall the assumption she had made, even if it had been in good faith.

She would never look at the man again in the same way.

“And he will cost something to feed, after all,” said her mother, still blathering on.

“Mr. Dixon is not an animal,” Lucy said tartly. “He is a person.”