Page 86 of A Cinderella to Redeem the Earl

‘I think it is the people I will miss, rather than the place.’

I will miss you.

The words hovered on her tongue, but they had always avoided speaking of feelings.

She smiled brightly. ‘I am a country girl at heart. London is exciting, to be sure, but, no, I will not miss living here.’

‘I’m glad.’

The fervency in his voice was genuine, and she was grateful that he cared that much.

‘Will you miss England?’ she asked.

He grimaced. ‘I have spent so little time in England, missing it would not be logical. I may have some regrets, I suppose.’ He sounded slightly wistful, then laughed. ‘I think I will miss France more.’

He didn’t say anything about her being one of those regrets. Hurt stabbed at her heart. But she knew he did not care for her the way she had come to care for him, so she would do well to keep such feelings at bay. What was the point of longing for something that was out of reach? Nothing could change the choices she had made in the past and she needed to accept that, enjoy what moments she had with him and when he was gone move on with life. As hard as that would be.

Oddy jumped up and scented the air.

‘It seems we are almost home,’ Damien said drily. ‘He always knows.’

‘Clever boy,’ she said. ‘What will you do with him when you leave?’

‘I haven’t decided.’

‘I will take him, if you wish.’ It would be something. A reminder of their time together.

‘Would you? I would certainly feel better knowing he was with someone I trusted to look after him.’ There was a note of longing in his voice.

And he trusted her. Even if it was only in the matter of his dog. Well, that was something, wasn’t it? They would still have a connection. Perhaps he might even return to see how the dog was doing, some time in the future.

‘Wonderful. Thank you. I can always rely on you, can’t I?’ He pulled her close and kissed her, hard, as if it was the last kiss they would ever know.

When they broke apart, she gazed up at him. And for one brief moment she was sure she saw regret in his gaze.

He looked away, as if he saw more in her face that he wanted to see. ‘Now, what do you want done with this greenery?’

Jolted back to earth, she looked around. ‘Perhaps the servants can find a cool place to keep it, until we decorate the ballroom. So the leaves don’t drop?’

‘Did you hear that, Sam?’ he said to the coachman.

‘Yes, My Lord. I will speak to the gardener about it.’

‘Good.’

While she and Damian entered the town house through the front door, the dog seemed perfectly happy to go with the coachmen. When she said this to Damian he laughed. ‘He knows he will get a bone or some other treat the moment he arrives.’

‘Ah, like a man, the way to a dog’s heart is through his stomach.’

‘Is that why you became a cook?’ He was teasing as he so often did, he knew she was not in the market for a husband.

She smiled brightly. ‘How did you guess?’

He helped her out of her coat and handed it to the waiting footman.

‘Well, if I am to have an opera dress made, I need to get in touch with Madame Celeste right away.’

He looked a bit disappointed.