Page 102 of A Cinderella to Redeem the Earl

But there was no time to enquire. The butler was announcing the first of their guests.

And if an evening’s success was to be judged by how many people could fit in a ballroom and the various antechambers, the ball was definitely the event of the Season.

There was just enough space left for people to dance and that was only by dint of footmen judiciously moving people back from encroaching on the dance floor from time to time.

All evening she had tried to find Mr Long to let him know about her lack of success with Damian, but so far she hadn’t seen him or his fiancée. Either that or she hadn’t recognised them.

She should have asked him about his costume. There were a great many Romeos and Juliets, a quantity of Macbeths, not to mention Titanias and Oberons, with the odd donkey-headed Bottom thrown in.

There were even two other couples dressed as Antony and Cleopatra, but neither of the men looked anywhere near as gorgeous as Damian, who stood head and shoulders above the crowd.

She had danced a good few dances, too, none with Damian though, sadly. He had been busy charming their guests.

As he should, of course.

‘He is magnificent, is he not?’ Pip said, handing her the glass of champagne he had offered to fetch.

He must have seen her staring at Damian like some sort of lovesick fool. ‘As always.’ She hoped she sounded light-hearted, not miserable.

‘And yet you are not as happy as I have seen you.’

Clearly she was not much of an actress. She took a deep breath. ‘I suppose I am a little sorry we will soon go our separate ways.’

Pip glanced across at where Damian was in the middle of a group of ladies and gentlemen, regaling them with some story or other. They seemed to hang on his every word.

‘I do not think he is so glad about it either.’

‘Really? He seems perfectly happy to me.’

‘Yes. He wears his mask well.’ He gave her a look. ‘A quiet cottage by the sea will be welcome after all this excitement?’ He sounded doubtful.

‘Indeed.’ Strangely the cottage was a good deal less appealing than it had been as an impossible dream. Perhaps she had become too accustomed to all the excitement around Damian. Or perhaps it was the thought of living there without the man himself.

She tried to shake off her sadness. ‘I am looking forward to it immensely.’

‘It is a bargainincroyable, according to my agent. You must finalise the purchase before another snaps it up.’

‘First thing tomorrow.’ she said, realising that he had noticed she had been procrastinating.

She sipped calmly at her champagne. He was right, it was an incredible bargain. To keep the agent waiting was unfair.

She smiled at him. ‘I think you better dance with Lady Simpson, she has been staring at you for the past five minutes.’

He grinned. ‘Ah, yes. We have an assignation later. She does not like me to speak with other ladies.’

‘You are going to miss your lady friends when you depart.’

‘There are always new friends to be made,’ he said with a wink and headed for the lady in question.

She took a deep breath. It was time to go back into the fray. Once last round of being charming and then she would leave, she did not want to be around for the unmasking. There was really no point—with or without her mask she was not herself.

Finally, there was Mr Long. Alone. His fiancée must be elsewhere.

She eased her way through the crowd to Romeo’s side. ‘Have you made your arrangements with Lord Dart?’ she asked.

‘Mrs Clark, I scarce knew it was you,’ he said.

‘Good. But did you?’