Page 106 of A Cinderella to Redeem the Earl

Seated on Susan’s bed in the tiny attic chamber in a tenement in the Seven Dials, Pamela stared blindly at the newspaper she had in her hand. A week had passed since the ball and she still felt numb from the realisation that Damian had intended to reveal her true identity. He and Pip had planned it all along.

She had seen the guilty looks on their faces. They had known exactly what they were doing.

Her heart squeezed painfully. Why on earth would he do that? What had she ever done to him? Surely not because he had discovered she intended to help Long.

How cruel. Even the enveloping numbness could not dull the pain.

But she could not remain here sobbing her heart out because of Damian. She was imposing on Susan and her family and that she must not do for any longer than necessary.

She made herself read the notices for cooks wanted. Naturally, all of them required references. And where was she supposed to get those?

Certainly not Damian.

She had her references from earlier positions but a gap would always be seen as a red flag to a potential employer.

‘You should open a pie shop,’ Susan said from her chair by the window, where she was mending her stockings. ‘Your pies are delicious. I would eat it every night, if you did. You would make a fortune.’

She had been cooking for the family over the fire as a way of paying her rent.

‘It costs a great deal to set up a shop,’ Pamela said. ‘Money for rent and pots and pans and food to cook.’ She had not a penny to her name. She had given everything to Mr Long. And she was glad she had stopped Damian from his cruelty.

A commotion in the street brought Susan to her feet and peering down from the tiny dormer window.

‘Oh-ho! Who is this a-parking a carriage outside?’

Pamela ran to look. ‘Oh, no. Dart. Why on earth did he think of coming here? Don’t let him in.’

Susan ran downstairs to the front door. Pamela could hear the sound of arguing voices, but not what they said.

Heavy footsteps on the stairs told her that Susan had not been successful in keeping Dart out. She froze.

Should she hide?

Why? She had no reason to hide. She had no reason to be ashamed. How dare he come chasing after her!

He knocked on the door.

‘Who is it?’ she called out.

‘You know very well who it is.’

Her heart was racing so hard she could scarcely utter another word. ‘Go away.’

‘No.’

Typical Dart.

‘What do you want?’

‘I want to explain.’

She frowned. That she had not expected. Rather she might have expected him to demand an explanation for her sudden disappearance. ‘Explain what?’

‘Pamela, may I come in?’

‘And if I say no?’

‘Then I will wait out here until you say yes.’