Page 92 of A Cinderella to Redeem the Earl
But eventually, she had to turn her pillow over, it was so damp.
As the next few days passed, and the ball drew ever closer, Damian found himself in his study, supposedly working on his wine inventory, but pondering how Pamela was going to react to the upcoming unmasking.
He had seen her expression of anxiety when her mother had approached them in Hyde Park. And he could not help but admire the way she had straightened her shoulders and met the other woman’s gaze head on.
Pamela had backbone. And the thought of what he was about to do to her was niggling at his conscience day and night.
Especially at night, when she lay sweetly in his arms. She trusted him. And he was about to destroy that and more.
He kept telling himself that his plan would not affect her as badly as how her father’s actions had affected his family. She had no interest in remaining in society. It was her mother and stepfather who stood to lose the most.
Her mother would feel the sting of theton’s wagging tongues and would certainly not be welcome in society for a very long time, if at all.
And nor would Damian, of course.
It wasn’t that society would care that he had a mistress—what they cared about was that they had been duped by him and by her and her family.
Pamela would, of course never speak to him again. And nor did he deserve that she should.
Next Thursday would be the end of the Earl of Dart’s rule of London. The end of Rake Hell.
And he would walk away whistling.
The only fly in the ointment was Camargue’s sudden appearance in the park.
Camargue had apparently been surprised to discover someone using a title that had been thought to have gone into abeyance and had hotfooted it to London to meet the new Earl—something Damian had not been expecting, since the old fellow hadn’t left his castle for ten years or more.
Camargue been strangely pleased to think the title had found a successor and had begun talking in earnest of plans for the future for their adjacent lands.
Damian hadn’t had the heart to inform the old man he had no intention of actually going to Parliament to substantiate his claim to his father’s title and that instead he and Pip would be off to the Americas.
The butler knocked on the door and announced, ‘The Right Honourable Mr Long.’
Surprised, Damian leaned back in his chair. ‘Long,’ he said, ignoring the young man’s outstretched hand, except to notice it was trembling. ‘I was not expecting you, was I?’
‘Perhaps you should have been,’ Long said with more force than Damian would have expected.
‘How can I be of assistance?’ Damian drawled, gesturing to the seat in front of the desk.
Long sat. ‘It is about the vowels of mine you hold.’
Damian frowned. ‘Yes.’
‘I heard from one of my friends that you let him pay his debts off at a heavy discount.’ He smiled shyly. ‘I would like to do the same. I admit I got in way over my head, but I have stopped gaming now that...’ he blushed ‘...now that I am about to be married. I would like to pay off my debts at the same discount you offered my friend. I believe I can do it over the next three months, if you will allow me the time.’
This was exactly what Damian had been planning. He leaned back and shook his head slowly. ‘You clearly do not recall the terms of our agreement. The club manager refused to accept any more vowels from you and I personally loaned you the money with which to play. Are you now saying you will go back on your word to pay me back in full?’
‘Oh, but, surely the club and you are the same thing?’ His voice had risen a notch. A note of panic.
‘Not at all. You borrowed from me personally, not the Rake Hell. It is a debt of honour. I have your vowels.’
‘I have to pay the full amount?’ He sounded completely shocked.
‘Of course.’
‘I—oh. I see.’ His voice shook, but he straightened his shoulders. ‘I assume you will give me time?’
‘One is expected to redeem one’s vowels in short order,’ Damian said. ‘But I can wait a day or two. After all, we are friends, are we not?’ He smiled benignly. ‘Naturally, since it is a debt between gentleman, I won’t be charging you any interest on the delay.’
