Saving Lord Berkshire - Laura Beers Page 0,18
around. “But be cautious of this Mr. Kendall.”
“I will.”
Miss Blackmore gave him a timid smile, one that he found oddly charming. “Perhaps the next time we meet, we won’t be at each other’s throats.”
He bowed. “I shall be looking forward to that time.”
“As will I.”
Edward watched as Miss Blackmore departed, and he had the sudden urge to run after her. To apologize to her. Which would be madness, wouldn’t it? He had dismissed her because she had insulted him, multiple times. No, they were better off without Miss Blackmore in their lives.
Martin stepped back into the room with a smirk on his lips. “You dismissed the lovely, highly sought-after Miss Blackmore?”
“I did.”
“I daresay that was a mistake,” Martin argued.
Edward shook his head. “No, it was a mistake to have hired her in the first place.”
“How do you think Kitty will take the news?”
He grimaced with the realization that he was not looking forward to that conversation. “I have no doubt that she will be furious.”
Martin chuckled. “Have you changed your mind about the drink, then?”
“Yes,” Edward replied with a sigh. “I believe I have.”
5
Edward had just poured himself a glass of port when his sister stormed into the room with a thunderous look on her face.
“You dismissed Miss Blackmore!” she exclaimed, tossing her hands up in the air. “How could you do such a thing?”
“Because I don’t believe that Miss Blackmore was an effective matchmaker for you,” he replied frankly.
“And when did you decide this?”
“It was evident when she stormed into my study earlier and insulted me.”
Placing her hands on her hips, Kitty glared at him. “Did Miss Blackmore tell you that I was able to converse with Mr. Caney?”
“She did, but—”
Kitty cut him off. “I actually had a conversation with a gentleman.”
With his glass of port in his hand, Edward walked over to the settee and sat down. “I daresay that doesn’t count since Mr. Caney’s eyes were closed.”
“So?”
“You will never attend a ball or soirée where gentlemen will appease you by closing their eyes,” he mocked.
“That may be true, but Miss Blackmore and her sisters have only begun helping me,” she argued, “and I have made spectacular progress in a short time.”
He took a sip of his drink. “You will be fine without Miss Blackmore and her sisters. I’m sure of it.”
Kitty scoffed. “You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“You only care about yourself.”
He placed his glass down onto the table. “I daresay that is not true.”
“It is,” she contended, “and I should warn you that the whole staff is gossiping about it.”
“I care not what the household staff says.”
Kitty walked further into the room. “You should,” she replied. “They are all discussing how Miss Blackmore insulted you, and you dismissed her for it.”
“She did say some rather unfortunate things—”
“Which I’m beginning to suspect are true,” Kitty said, speaking over him.
Edward let out a deep sigh. “I know you are upset, but you will one day see that Miss Blackmore was not a good influence on you. She is a spinster who clearly hasn’t learned her place in Society.”
Kitty’s mouth fell open. “Is that what you think of her?”
“It is.”
“Then you are a fool, brother,” she stated flatly. “She is so much more than that. Everyone loves Miss Blackmore.” She hesitated before adding, “Well, everyone but you!”
“I must admit that I don’t see the allure of Miss Blackmore.”
Kitty walked over to the settee and dropped down in an unladylike fashion. “I’m never going to be able to converse with gentlemen.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is.”
“Miss Blackmore was kind and gracious to me,” Kitty shared as she turned to face him. “She listened to me and made me feel important.”
“You are important,” he stated.
Kitty glanced over at his desk with a saddened expression. “I’m not sure you truly believe that. You don’t make me a priority. You’re always in your study, reviewing your ledgers, and I hardly see you.”
“We eat almost every meal together,” he defended. “In fact, we just finished eating dinner together a short time ago.”
“Yet, we never speak with each other.”
“We are speaking now,” he attempted.
Kitty frowned. “Only because you dismissed Miss Blackmore, and I learned of it from my lady’s maid,” she remarked. “What I am referring to is that we never speak about anything important.”
He reached for his glass of port. “What would you wish to talk about?”
She paused. “Mother.”
Edward took a long sip before he returned the glass to the table. “Why would you wish to talk about something so depressing?”
“I don’t think talking about Mother is