Saving Lord Berkshire: A Regency Romance (Proper Regency Matchmakers Book 1) Read online

  Cooper turned towards her with an expectant look on his face. “What did you say that compelled her to go through with the wedding?”

  “I merely reminded Lucy that she loved Lord Hampton,” Katherine replied, “which she did. She loves him very much, but she was just frightened.”

  Hannah nodded. “It was evident to everyone that Lord Hampton and Lucy love each other.”

  “True. They couldn’t seem to stop smiling at their luncheon,” Amelia remarked.

  “I am just glad that we didn’t ruin our perfect record,” Hannah commented.

  Amelia started walking towards the stairs on the far side of the entry hall. “I am much more interested in a long soak.”

  “As am I, but I think I will take a nap first,” Hannah said, trailing after her sister. “I woke up entirely too early this morning to travel to the wedding.”

  Katherine spoke up. “I suppose I will just work without you two then.”

  “Why don’t you take a break?” Hannah suggested as she stepped up onto the first stair. “You always work too hard.”

  “If I don’t, then who will?” Katherine questioned.

  Hannah lowered her voice. “It is not as if we have to work, Kate,” she said softly.

  “Regardless, what else would we do with our time?”

  “Shopping?” Hannah suggested. “I do love shopping.”

  Amelia stopped on the stairs and placed her hand on the iron railing. “I hate shopping. I much prefer having the dressmaker come here for a fitting.”

  Katherine started walking towards the rear of the townhouse where their study was located. “I will be in the study if either of you decide to come look through files with me.”

  “Why don’t you look through the files and tell us who our next client is?” Amelia suggested as she resumed walking up the stairs.

  Hannah continued to trail after Amelia. “Or at least pick out a few candidates for us to consider over dinner?”

  “I could do that,” Katherine agreed.

  As she stepped into the study, Katherine stopped and took a deep breath, taking in the familiar scent. This had been her father’s study and sometimes she could still imagine him sitting at his desk, hunched over his ledgers. She had left the study exactly how it was when her father was alive. It had rich green papered walls with ornate woodwork running the length of it. A long mahogany desk sat back near a large bay window, overlooking the gardens.

  She went around the desk, sat down on the chair, and reached for a pile of files, positioning them in front of her. All these files represented people who wanted them to find matches for a loved one. They had successfully matched a handful of men and women, and their business had grown to be quite lucrative over time.

  She had just opened the first file when Cooper stepped into the room and announced, “Lord Berkshire is here to call upon you, miss.” He walked over to the desk and extended the calling card. “Are you available for callers?”

  She fingered the card in her hand as she took a moment to consider her response. “I suppose I am.”

  “I shall send him in, then,” Cooper said, spinning on his heel.

  Katherine rose and took a moment to adjust the blue sash tied around the waist of her white gown.

  A moment later, a tall, broad-shouldered gentleman strode into the room. He had a square jaw, dark eyebrows, and a strong, commanding presence. He was dressed in a finely tailored blue coat and white linens, and his boots were polished to a mirrorlike shine. His short brown hair was brushed forward, and his long sideburns were neatly trimmed.

  Lord Berkshire stopped in the center of the room and bowed stiffly. “Miss Katherine Blackmore, I presume,” his deep, baritone voice said as his sharp, piercing gaze swept over her.

  “You presumed correctly, my lord,” she replied.

  He nodded his approval. “I have come to discuss a business matter with you.”

  She pointed towards the chair in front of the desk. “Would you care to have a seat, Lord Berkshire?”

  “I would,” he replied, stepping closer to the chair.

  Lord Berkshire waited until she was situated before he lowered himself down onto the chair, keeping his back rigid.

  They stared at each other until the silence threatened to become awkward. She spoke up. “Perhaps you should start with why you are here.”

  “I am here to retain your…” he hesitated, “services.” His words seemed to drip with disapproval.

  “Services?” she repeated back slowly.

  His gaze never wavered as he said, “Yes, your matchmaking services. I have it on good authority that you are an excellent matchmaker.”

  “I see,” she replied. “Am I to presume you are looking to secure a match for yourself?”

  Lord Berkshire scoffed as he adjusted his blue riding jacket. “No, I am not lacking in that regard, nor am I interested in matrimony at the moment.”

  Katherine leaned back in her chair, waiting for him to elaborate.

  “I am hoping you can arrange a match for my younger sister, Lady Kitty,” he explained.

  She reached for a piece of paper from the edge of the desk and placed it in front of her.

  “May I ask how old your sister is?” she asked as she retrieved the quill.

  “She is nineteen years old and is in her second Season,” he shared. “Kitty is painfully shy around gentlemen, and at social functions, she tends to remain apart from everyone else.”

  “There is nothing wrong with being shy,” Katherine commented as she began taking notes.

  “It is when I spent a small fortune on her first Season, and it was a complete disaster,” Lord Berkshire declared. “I want to secure her a match before the end of the Season.”

  “May I ask what the rush is?” Katherine asked. “Your sister is still young and has many Seasons ahead of her.”

  His mouth became stern as he confessed, “There are some extenuating circumstances.”

  “Such as?”

  “I am not at liberty to say.”

  Katherine was surprised by his dismissive response. “By chance, does your sister know that you are here?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

  “No, she does not,” he answered. “But that shouldn’t matter, should it?”

  “But it does,” she replied, frowning. She placed the quill next to the inkpot. “We have no desire to force suitors upon someone who is unwilling and uncooperative. It would just be a waste of time for everyone involved.”

  “Why should you object?” Lord Berkshire asked haughtily. “You would still be paid regardless.”

  Katherine took a moment to consider the man sitting in front of her. He was arrogant, bold, and quite infuriating. He was not a man that she would want to do business with. Frankly, he was not a man that she would want to associate with.

  Coming to a firm decision, she said, “I’m sorry, Lord Berkshire, but I do not think us working together would be a good idea.”

  His brows lifted. “I beg your pardon?” he asked in such a way that it was clear that he was used to getting his way.

  “We strive to find our clients love matches…”

  “Love matches?” he huffed, cutting her off. “Surely you jest?”

  She rose slowly from her chair. “We do not seek marriages of convenience for our clients, but we are committed to ensuring they have found their match.”

  Lord Berkshire rose awkwardly. “Love matches do not exist in our circles,” he said. “Surely you have been told that. At best, you can hope for mutual toleration when it comes to choosing a spouse.”

  “That is a sad way to live, Lord Berkshire.”

  “No, it is a realistic way to live,” he countered.

  “Be that as it may,” she pressed, “we have successfully brought many couples together who have had mutual affection for each other.”

  “My sister just needs to find a suitable match,” he argued, “and quickly.”

  Katherine clasped her hands in front of her. “I wish you luck in your endeavors, but we shall not be a part of it.”

  “You would refuse a paying client?” he asked in disbelief.

  “I would.”

  His eyes narrowed, but she was not intimidated and solidly stood her ground.

  “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by your response,” he remarked.

  She tensed at the curtness in his tone. “And why would you say that?” she asked cautiously.

  “You are a spinster who has a skewed sense of reality,” he replied. “You speak only of love, which I daresay you don’t know the first thing about, and clearly you know nothing about the complexity of business dealings.”

  Rather than take offense, she squared her shoulders and forced a smile to her lips. “I daresay that I am only twenty-five, I am well acquainted with love, and my business dealings are none of your concern,” she countered. “Furthermore, I find it interesting that you have come into my home and choose to insult me.”

  “I assure you that was not my intention.”

  “Then what was?”

  His eyes flashed with indignance and anger. “I think it would be best if I departed.”

  “I agree, Lord Berkshire.”

  He gave her a curt nod before he turned and departed from the room.

  Katherine lowered herself onto her chair and let out a sigh. Good heavens, what an insufferable man! She was glad that she’d turned him down because she didn’t want anything to do with Lord Berkshire. Nothing good would come out of associating with that man. She was sure of it.

  2

  Two days later, Edward Simpson, the Marquess of Berkshire, was still reeling from his encounter with the presumptuous Miss Blackmore. How dare she speak to him in such a bold, direct manner! She should have curbed her sharp ton
gue around him, being mindful of her place. It was little wonder that she was unwed. No man would want to tie himself to a woman like her, no matter how beautiful she was.

  And Miss Blackmore was undeniably beautiful. For the briefest of moments, she had beguiled him with her beautiful face, creamy skin, and eyes that spoke of extreme intellect and wit. But that all changed when she opened her mouth.

  Frankly, he had been surprised by her age. He’d anticipated meeting a woman much older than she, especially since Miss Blackmore’s reputation amongst the ton was beyond reproach. But she was only twenty-five. How had she managed to establish herself as a matchmaker at such a young age?

  “Blasted woman,” he muttered as he opened his ledger. Why couldn’t he just banish her from his thoughts and be done with it? She wasn’t worthy of his time or notice. She meant nothing to him.

  His butler’s voice broke through his musings. “Did you hear me, milord?” Garvey asked.

  “I did not,” he replied, bringing his gaze up.

  Garvey’s expression remained stoic. “I assumed as much,” he remarked. “I wanted to inform you that your coach is ready and waiting out front.”

  “Thank you,” Edward responded, rising from his chair. “Is my sister ready?”

  “Yes, she is waiting for you in the drawing room.”

  Reaching behind him, Edward retrieved his black jacket from the back of the chair and shrugged it on.

  “Will there be anything else, sir?” his butler asked.

  “That will be all.”

  Garvey tipped his head and departed from the room without saying another word.

  Edward exited his study and headed towards the drawing room. As he stepped inside, he saw his sister, Kitty, was sitting on an upholstered settee with a book in her hand.

  “Are you ready to depart?” he asked.

  In response, Kitty held up her finger before she turned the page in her book. Then another. And another.

  Edward leaned his shoulder against the door frame, knowing that nothing he said would hurry his sister along. When she was reading, she refused to quit until she reached the end of the chapter.

  Finally, after a long moment, Kitty closed the book and lowered it to her lap. “What a fantastic book this is turning out to be,” she remarked.

  “May I ask what you are reading?”

  Her eyes twinkled as she shared, “It is called ‘Pride and Prejudice’, and it is written by ‘A Lady’.”

  Edward straightened from the door frame. “That sounds like rubbish. I’m unsure how I feel about you reading a book written by a lady. It just sounds like it would be full of fantastical nonsense and whatnot.”

  Kitty cast him an annoyed look. “Don’t be so archaic, brother,” she drawled. “Would it be permissible for me to skip attending Lady Fitzroy’s soirée this evening so I may finish my book?”

  “I think not.”

  His sister pouted. “I don’t know why you insist I attend these soirees,” she remarked. “It is not as if I have any fun.”

  “Then you need to make a greater attempt to enjoy yourself.”

  Before Kitty rose from the settee, she placed the book into the reticule tied around her right wrist. “Hardly any gentlemen speak to me, and when they do, I get tongue-tied around them. Frankly, it is embarrassing.”

  “You just need to practice more mingling amongst the ton,” he encouraged.

  “I don’t know why I bother,” she replied. “The only man that I am able to speak freely around is your solicitor, Mr. Kendall.”

  Edward clenched his jaw. “I am well aware of that fact, and I find it quite disconcerting.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Mr. Kendall is beneath your notice.”

  Kitty’s jaw set determinedly. “That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t speak to the man when he comes to call.”

  “That is precisely what it means,” he stated.

  “It would be unfathomably rude of me to ignore Mr. Kendall, especially since he has been nothing but kind to me.”

  Edward frowned as he gestured towards the door. “Shall we?” he asked, growing tired of having the same argument with his sister. “The coach awaits.”

  “I don’t know why you insist on us taking a coach. Lady Fitzroy’s townhouse is only a block away,” Kitty muttered.

  “Because it is not proper for us to walk to a soirée,” he reminded her.

  Kitty stopped next to him and glanced over with a quizzical look. “Aren’t you ever tired of being proper?”

  “No.”

  “That is a shame, brother,” she said, brushing past him.

  Edward followed his sister through the entry hall until she stopped to retrieve her pink shawl from Garvey.

  “Thank you,” she murmured softly as the butler moved to open the door.

  As they stepped down the stairs, Edward offered his arm to his sister, and he couldn’t help but notice that her back was rigid. He assisted her into the coach before he moved to sit across from her.

  “Out with it,” he demanded.

  Kitty pressed her lips together. “I’m tired of going to these afternoon teas, evening parties, soirées, and balls. It is not a reflection of who I am.”

  “How else do you expect to find a husband?”

  In a hesitant voice, she replied, “I am not entirely sure that I want a husband.”

  Edward leaned back against the bench, astonished by his sister’s remarks. “What woman wouldn’t wish to secure a husband? A husband brings security.”

  “I daresay you never listen to me,” Kitty admonished. “As I have said on multiple occasions, I don’t want a life in Society.”

  He humphed. “I don’t know what to say to that,” he responded, his tone scolding. “You were born into this life.”

  “That doesn’t mean I belong.”

  “Of course you belong,” he asserted, his voice rising. “You are the daughter of a marquess.”

  Kitty shifted her gaze towards the window. “But I’m not happy.”

  Her sad words softened his heart. “You just need to find a suitor, and all will be made right again. I’m sure of it.”

  “It is not that simple.”

  Edward nodded. “It is,” he insisted. “A suitor will make you happy.”

  Kitty nibbled her bottom lip. “What if…” Her voice stopped.

  “ ‘What if’ what?” he prodded.

  “What if we spoke to a matchmaker?” she asked softly.

  He reared back slightly. “You would consider that?”

  Kitty lowered her gaze to her lap. “I know I sound rather silly and contradictory, but, if I do marry, I want it to be for love. Like in the books that I read.”

  “Love is such a trivial detail,” he attempted.

  “No, it is the most important,” she said. “I had a friend from boarding school that hired Miss Blackmore to secure her a match.”

  “I take it that Miss Blackmore was successful?”

  Kitty nodded. “She was, and my friend seems blissfully happy with her choice.”

  “I am not opposed to speaking to a matchmaker, but perhaps we should speak to someone other than Miss Blackmore,” he suggested.

  Kitty looked at him with a baffled expression. “But Miss Blackmore is the finest matchmaker amongst the ton. Why wouldn’t we speak to her first?”

  “I heard she can be rather difficult to work with,” he tried, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

  “From whom?” Kitty asked. “My friend said that she was a delight to work with, and they became fast friends.”

  “It matters not since I have heard Miss Blackmore is not taking on any more clients at this time,” he lied.

  “Oh,” Kitty murmured. “Then I suppose a matchmaker was just wishful thinking on my part.”

  “There are other matchmakers in London,” he tried.

  Kitty turned her gaze back towards the window. “Not like Miss Blackmore. I just thought,” she hesitated, “she might even be able to help me overcome my shyness.”

  Edward heard the sadness in her voice, causing his heart to break. “If it means that much to you, I can try to arrange a meeting between you and Miss Blackmore.”

  “Have you met Miss Blackmore then?” she asked eagerly.

  He winced. “I have,” he replied, keeping his words vague.

  “What is she like?” Kitty inquired.

  Thankfully, before he could respond, the coach jerked to a stop in front of Lady Fitzroy’s townhouse. The coach door was opened, and he exited first. He reached back to assist his sister out of the coach and then offered her his arm.