“You heard me. I got a job. I’m going to be the composer for the new Regal Theatre.”
“Cam, what on earth…?”
“And I rented a townhome for us. It has four bedrooms, plus two parlors and a formal dining room. A schoolroom for the girls. Wait until you see the kitchen. And servants’ quarters too.”
“Can we really afford all this?”
“And indoor plumbing, Mum!”
“You need to answer my question, Cam.”
“Yes, yes, we can. We have two hundred pounds. And I’ll be making three hundred fifty pounds per year as the house composer for the theatre, plus I’ll still be able to take private commissions.”
“Oh, Cam, our time really has come!”
“You bet it has. You should have told me about Papa years ago.”
“I know. You’re absolutely right. It was foolish of me to keep such a silly promise.”
“It’s no matter. Things are looking up. Once you get moved in, I want you to hire a maid and a governess for the girls, and a cook—”
“I’ll do the cooking, Cameron.”
“Don’t be silly.”
“I’m not. We’re not going to be spendthrifts, for goodness’ sake.”
“We have the money.”
“Well, yes, thanks to a few private commissions. But we can’t be sure things will continue to go our way.”
“It’s thanks to one of those commissions that I got this job. The duke sent a copy of my waltz to the owner of the Regal, and he liked it. He recognized my name went I went in today, and he hired me. Of course, it sticks in my craw a bit that I didn’t get the position on my own, but, well, suffice it to say that my new employer made some valid points.”
His mother smiled. “If you’re comfortable with the situation, Cam, so am I.”
“I am. If it means getting you and Trish and Kat out of here, I am. I only wish I had done it years ago.”
“I know. I should have told you the truth long ago.”
“Don’t berate yourself. I should have believed in myself more. It shouldn’t have mattered what my background was. But I’m not going to berate myself either. It’s time to move forward, Mum. We are finally moving forward!” He twirled her around again.
“Goodness, Cam, you’re making me dizzy!”
He kissed her cheek. “Go to bed, Mum. You have a big day tomorrow, packing and all. You’ll need to send a note to the estate telling them we’re vacating the land. And Arnold. You’ll have to let him go. Tell him to keep the money I paid him through next month as severance.”
“Can’t you take care of Arnold, Cam? I hate giving people bad news.”
“I can’t. I have to be back in Bath by ten tomorrow to begin my job.”
“My, you’ll have to get up with the sun. You’d better get to bed.”
“I can’t. I have to read this.” He showed her the Shakespeare play. “It’s the Regal’s first production. They’re opening on the solstice, and they need original music.”
“That’s little more than two weeks.”
“Yes, but I told Mr. Newland I could do it, and I damn well will.” He smiled. Energy pulsed through him. He might well be up all night.
“Cam…”