Lucky's Lady (The Caversham Chronicles Book 4) by Sandy Raven

charming, she was certain he'd cultivated the skill specifically to get his way with women. And with her feelings rattled as they were, she didn't understand why she'd invited him to her home for lunch. She almost wished she hadn't asked him, though now that she had, she certainly couldn't renege on her offer.
    He feigned a shocked look. "Me? Manipulate a woman to gain a meal?" He shook his head. His collar-length wavy hair, roguishly out of fashion as it was, moved freely in the breeze as he made his lips curve in a wry smile. "Guilty as charged, my lady."
    "Just like a man to turn puppy-dog eyes to a woman in order to get what you want." She led the way past the stable, where she noted the absence of the buggy. "Victor must still be with Mr. Watkins. Which is fine, for we can walk and get home almost as quickly. Though we never say that to Victor, who believes it is his main service to us to present Mr. Watkins and me as Indian Point's original 'People of Quality'." She grinned at her companion inviting him to share in her amusement.
    Once onto the street, she prayed Constable Potts was nowhere nearby. The last thing she needed was to have him see her walking with a man––even if he was a client. The constable still hadn't quite gotten over her last, most vehement, refusal of his offer of an affair. Truly, the man repulsed her, even though he was charged with protecting their little village. She'd warned him just last week that if he continued in his pursuit of her, she would tell her husband and he would see to it that he was replaced. The threat seemed to work, but it had only been a few days. She was sure the man was just biding his time again, thinking to catch her unawares and press his illicit suit again.
    Captain Gualtiero lagged behind a few feet. She'd prefer he walk with her and not behind her so they could carry on their conversation. Mary-Michael turned and looked back at him. "Are you coming, Captain?"
    He showed her an infectious, boyish grin. "I'm right behind you," he called out.
        
    T he view from Lucky's position, watching Mrs. Watkins' bottom as she walked, only verified that this Mary-with-two-first-names was quite fetching indeed, with her trouser-encased bottom swaying unintentionally as she moved. As she worked her way through the bustle of the dockside foot traffic he watched as again and again, she greeted one person, only to have another call out to her from across the road and she'd respond with a wave or a hello.
    Once they passed the densely congested dock area for a more residential one, he fell into step with her.
    "Most of the residents here in Indian Point have either worked for my husband or had family members who worked for him," she said. "He's been an important part of the community for many years. You wouldn't know it by the looks of it, but our small village is home to two shipyards, both doing well." Pride for her home lit her whole face as she spoke of it. "I'd like to think we're doing something right over here in our little corner of the Chesapeake."
    She slowed her pace as she passed a dry goods store. "Most of the residents are born here, live the entire lives here, and eventually grow old here. Either working in the shipyards, or in the businesses supporting our shipyards, it's really all there is to do here. We train for this our entire lives when we are young, then we apprentice and eventually teach the younger ones if we ever master our trade. Most of the girls I knew as a child have remained here in the village, or nearby."
    Soon, they turned into the front garden of a quaint little wood-planked, two story house. Freshly painted a pale yellow, the house had pristine white shutters with matching trim and a wide porch that wrapped around the corner on one side. A low whitewashed picket fence completely enclosed the yard. A wooden rocker and a chaise furnished one corner of the porch with a small table between them. The garden itself, though minute in comparison to