makes in a month.”
“That can’t possibly be true!” Kitty exclaimed in disbelief, her eyes darting towards Katherine’s.
Katherine gave her a sad smile. “I’m afraid it is.”
Kitty shrugged her shoulders. “That shouldn’t affect me because I already have plenty of ballgowns.”
Katherine leaned forward in her chair. “If you marry Mr. Kendall, Society will never accept you, and you will not be welcome in their townhouses and ballrooms. You would become an outcast and will have no need for ballgowns.”
“But what of my friends?” Kitty asked.
With a sad smile, Miss Blackmore replied, “They will turn their backs on you.”
“Why?”
“The ton will never accept a solicitor in their ranks, or the wife of one,” Katherine explained. “Even if you are the daughter of a marquess.”
Kitty slouched in her seat. “But I thought love would conquer all,” she murmured in a defeated tone. “Isn’t that what you are always telling us?”
Lord Berkshire huffed as he leaned his shoulder against the wall, but he wisely didn’t say anything.
Katherine moved to sit next to Kitty on the settee. “I do credit you for your feelings, and I am pleased that you opened your heart up to another,” she said kindly. “But you cannot escape the consequences of your actions.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Kitty asked.
“If you choose to marry Mr. Kendall, then everything you know will be taken from you,” she said. “You will have to learn to dress yourself, style your own hair, prepare your own food, and live within your means.”
Frowning, Kitty muttered, “I don’t understand why you are trying to talk me out of marrying William.”
“Because I am not entirely convinced that you love Mr. Kendall, at least not so much that you would throw your future away,” she said.
Kitty pursed her lips before saying, “I do love him.”
“Then why did you encourage Mr. Caney?” Miss Blackmore prodded.
Bringing her gaze to her lap, Kitty shared, “I wanted to develop affection for Mr. Caney, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t turn my heart towards him.”
“There is no shame in that,” she encouraged.
Kitty’s wide eyes watched her. “So, what do I do now?”
“Only you know your heart,” she said. “Are you willing to give up all that you have for Mr. Kendall?”
Kitty started nibbling on her lower lip. “I don’t know, not anymore.”
Katherine turned her attention towards Lord Berkshire. “Is there anything that you would like to say to your sister?” she asked, giving him a look that implied he should behave.
Lord Berkshire straightened from the wall and came to sit down on the settee. “I’m sorry I lost my temper, Kitty,” he started. “I reacted poorly when you confessed your feelings for Mr. Kendall, and I had no right to yell at you.”
“Thank you for that,” Kitty said.
His brows furrowed together as he remarked, “But you must understand that if you marry Mr. Kendall, then you won’t have the life that you deserve.”
Kitty shifted on the settee to face him. “I’m beginning to understand that now,” she replied in a soft voice.
“You are all I have, and I can’t risk losing you.”
Kitty smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You won’t.”
“Good,” he said, returning her smile, “because I am rather fond of you.”
A silence descended over the room, and Katherine rose from her chair. “I shall leave you both to it, then. I am sure there is plenty you two would like to discuss.”
Lord Berkshire rose. “Allow me to escort you to the door, Miss Blackmore,” he offered.
“That isn’t necessary—”
He spoke over her. “I know, but I want to.” His tone brooked no argument.
“As you wish,” she replied.
Lord Berkshire extended his arm towards her, and they exited the study. As they proceeded to walk down the narrow hall towards the entry hall, he glanced over his shoulder. “I would like to thank you for what you did back there.”
“It was no trouble at all, my lord.”
“But it meant a great deal to me,” he said, “and you saved Kitty from making a terrible mistake.”
“She is a clever girl,” she replied, “and given time, I believe she would have seen the errors of her ways.”
“I am not entirely sure that is true, especially since we are rather pigheaded in this family,” he joked.
Lord Berkshire’s steps faltered as they approached the main door, and he turned to face her. In a low, hushed voice, he asked, “What do we do now about Kitty?”
She smiled. “You said ‘we’,” she teased.
“I suppose I did,” he responded, returning her smile.
“Well, if you are not opposed, I