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“All right, Mum. What is the point?”
“I never abandoned your father, Cam. I never rejected him, even though he was below my station. Even when his brain was damaged and he couldn’t do anything other than hard labor. I stayed with him and bore his children, made a home for him, because I loved him.”
“Yes, that was noble of you.”
“This is why Lady Rose isn’t worthy of you. She wasn’t willing to give everything up for you.”
Cameron shook his head. “You don’t know the whole story.”
“I know enough. Now let’s not mention her again.”
“That’s fine with me,” Cameron said. God alone only knew how the mere mention of Rose made his heart suffer with an incurable yearning. She was no doubt betrothed to Xavier by now anyway. He had to forget her. “If I can find work in Bath next week, I’ll rent a townhouse for us. If not, we’ll go to London by rail.”
“Goodness.”
“And I can still take private commissions. I’ll make a name for myself. I’ll make you proud. You and Papa both.”
“Your papa was always proud of you, Cam. You were the light of his life. He never wanted you to know about his beating. He was afraid it would make him weak in your eyes. I told him over and over that you wouldn’t feel that way, that you would be glad to know your musical gifts came from him, but he wouldn’t be swayed. He made me promise on his deathbed that you children would never know the truth. Dear Lord, I hope I don’t burn in hell for this betrayal.”
“You did the right thing, Mum.”
“That remains to be seen. If only there were more money. Oh!” Mrs. Price gasped. “Money! I nearly forgot. I still have the hundred pounds you gave me to pay the hospital bill.”
“Didn’t they find the error?”
“The bookkeeper said he did a thorough accounting, and he couldn’t find an error.”
“Who made the payment then?”
“He didn’t know. Evidently it came in while he was on his lunch break. It was in an unmarked envelope, with a note attached saying it was to be used for Kat’s care.”
“I don’t like the sound of this.”
“It’s a bit odd, but Cam, can’t we just accept it?”
“It’s charity.”
“I don’t know that it is. Maybe it’s just our time. And Dear Lord, it’s been a long time coming.”
“Mum—”
“Don’t tell me that an extra hundred pounds won’t come in handy while you’re looking for the perfect situation for your incredible talents.”
“Of course, but—”
“Then let’s just let it go this one time. We’ve never taken this kind of help before. We don’t even know where the money came from, so we can’t return it. Let’s just say it was a gift from God this one time.”
Cameron smiled at his mother. “All right, Mum. Just this one time.” He gave her a quick hug.
Chapter Ten
Cameron’s first day in Bath was a disappointment. No one was hiring for anything, especially not an untrained composer who could play the pianoforte and the guitar. The next day, on a whim, he entered the Regal Theatre of Bath, a new playhouse that had been only recently completed. Since Bath had been linked to London by rail in 1841, the Theatre Royal, which had been built in 1805, had been bolstered. One of its most successful actors, Zachary Newland, had branched out on his own and constructed the new theatre, putting together a company and hoping draw the crowds in from London and Bristol.
Cam had read about the Regal. Though similar to the Royal in size, the Regal sported a cozier atmosphere. Newland wanted to produce quality plays and musicales within in his own company, as well as debut national productions that would eventually end up in one of London’s noted theatres. It was near the end of the working day when Cameron knocked on the door of Newland’s office.
The tall auburn-haired man opened the door. “May I be of assistance?”
Cameron cleared his throat. “Zachary Newland?”
