“Did any of the gents snag your attention? Were any of them worth a second look?”

Matthew. But how would she explain him to her mum? “The gentlemen were all quite nice, polite, respectful.” They wouldn’t dare be otherwise in fear of losing their boon.

“Handsome, I’ll bet.”

“Most, yes. But I’m more interested in how he treats me than how he looks.”

“Did any of them make you laugh?”

She shook her head. “Not that I recall, no.” Although Matthew had on occasion.

A dreamy expression came over her mum’s face, followed by a faraway look, the past passing before her eyes. “My husband made me laugh. Oh, we had some good times, we did.”

“And my father? Did he make you laugh?”

As though awoken from a pleasant dream, she gave a little jerk and snapped her attention back to Fancy. “Of course, love. I wouldn’t have been with him otherwise. Now, tell me more about these fellas you danced with.”

“There’s not much more to say. I had a fine time visiting with the gents, but none made my heart sing.” She scooted to the edge of her seat. “Mum, what if the man capable of making my heart sing isn’t a lord?”

Her mum’s face went through a series of contortions as though she were striving not to let her disappointment show. “You have to follow your heart, naturally, but wouldn’t it be nice if it led you to a dukedom?”

She had a feeling her mum didn’t really realize what she was asking. Like so many, she’d placed the aristocracy as a whole upon a pedestal. “There aren’t that many dukes, and Gillie already claimed one.” Did she have to sound like a petulant child? “It’s just . . . there’s a gent who comes into the shop, and he’s rather nice. I find myself thinking about him quite a bit. To be honest, Mum, the men I met last night all seem to run together. Not a one really stood out.”

“You might meet someone at the next ball who does.”

“I suppose. I haven’t really given it much time, have I?”

Her mum studied her for a full minute before saying, “Tell me about the gent who comes into your shop.”

What could she say that wouldn’t give away she’d actually done things with him without a chaperone, had kissed him, had given him permission to do something he shouldn’t have? “He likes penny dreadfuls. He’s teaching my reading classes on the nights I can’t be there. I’ve seen him give coins to children. And he’s shown a great deal of patience with Dickens. When he’s about, I feel as though my entire body is smiling. And he’s made me laugh a couple of times.” And wiped my tears.