Page 75 of Give Him a Chance

Chapter Fourteen

June 3, 1841

When Lucy, thelove of his life and the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life, initially made the suggestion, Bernard had to be careful not to throw a chair across the room.

“Absolutely not,” was the response he went with instead.

Which, as far as he was concerned, was relatively restrained.

Lucy, on the other hand, raised both of her eyebrows at him across the card game they were playing. “I would have thought you’d be all for it. Another chance to see me without any clothes on.”

It had turned out to be far more difficult to spendthatsort of time together than Bernard had hoped for. Lord Percy, clearly feeling remorseful that he had permitted his sister one entire evening alone with a man—especially if it was, in his eyes, a low-born criminal—had stuck to the pair of them like glue.

Trying not to chuckle at his lover’s attempts to circumvent her chaperone had been difficult. Bernard had been forced to falsify a sneeze on at least three occasions to cover up words that the daughter of the house should absolutely not have been saying, which had then led Lord Percy to offer him a foul-tasting cough drop, which had made Lucy giggle in turn.

But the evening had drawn in and the three of them had consumed a very good dinner, Bernard trying not to think about what he and Lucy had gotten up to in the same room just fourand twenty hours before, and they’d played cards as a trio, a difficult thing, for at least an hour.

Five minutes ago, Lord Percy had yawned, declared himself exhausted, and had gone to bed.

Four minutes ago, Lucy had made her ridiculous suggestion.

“There won’t be anyone out on the beach,” she wheedled, throwing him a smile that was highly suggestive and made parts of Bernard stiffen. “I thought it would be a pleasant thing to do.”

Absolutely not. “No.”

“But I would adore a swim, and this heat has been unbearable.”

Not happening. “No.”

“And Percy said that it was remarkably pleasant. He went last night with some chums and had a lovely time.”

When hell freezes over. “No.”

Lucy sighed, her breasts swelling with the movement in a way that made Bernard drop one of his cards. “Such a shame. When was the last time you went swimming in the ocean, Bernard?”

Do not think about it, Bernard told herself sternly, but it was too late. The images had returned, washing through his numbed brain like poison, seeping into every good thing about this moment and taking him back to—

“Bernard—Bernard, don’t go in!”

Bernard swallowed. “I don’t swim.”

Lucy blinked, evidently surprised. “You don’t?”

He had to change the topic of conversation somehow. “When are your parents due back? I know they said they might only stay a week, but—”

“Bernard Dixon, what aren’t you telling me?”

Strange. It was only now they had consummated their love, Bernard thought wistfully, that he truly wished she knew his realname. That she would call him by it. That she would know that final, last part of him.

But not yet. Not until Hovell returned and it was all confirmed that he was leaving the service of Her Majesty’s service forever.

“Bernard.”

He looked down. Lucy had taken his cards from his unresisting hands and was gazing steadily into his eyes with all the concern and interest that the Prison Reform Society usually captured from her.

Bernard swallowed. “I… I don’t swim.”

“But it’s more than that, isn’t it?” Lucy said gently, and the room became warmer as her obvious care for him filled it. “You can tell me anything, you know. I want to hear it.”