“What would you wish to discuss?” she asked, dreading his next question.
His eyes remained steady, yet she could hear a faint quiver in his voice. “Would you care to go on a carriage ride with me tomorrow through Hyde Park?”
“I’m afraid not, Lord Jersey.”
“May I ask why?” he asked, not bothering to hide his crestfallen expression.
In a gentle voice, she explained, “I apologize if I have given you any indication that I wish to be courted at this time.”
“You are an excellent matchmaker,” he commented, “but you aren’t willing to find a match for yourself. Why is that?”
“Because I find great joy in arranging matches for others, Lord Jersey,” she replied. “Now if you will excuse me…” Her voice trailed off as she started to brush past him.
She had barely taken two steps when she saw Lord Berkshire approaching her from across the hall with a young, petite, blonde woman on his arm.
Botheration, she thought. What does he want now?
Lord Berkshire stopped in front of her and bowed. “Miss Blackmore,” he greeted her in a somewhat friendly voice. “What a pleasure to see you this evening.”
She curtsied, knowing she had no choice but to acknowledge him. She couldn’t very well be rude and give him the cut direct. “Lord Berkshire,” she replied, hoping her voice came off cordial enough.
“I apologize for the intrusion, but my sister was hoping for an introduction.” He turned towards his companion. “Allow me the privilege of introducing you to my sister, Lady Kitty.”
“A pleasure,” Katherine said with a tip of her head.
Lady Kitty beamed a brilliant smile. “It is a true honor to meet you,” she gushed. “A true, true honor.”
Katherine found herself returning her infectious smile. “And why is that, Lady Kitty?”
“Because you secured a match for my good friend, Eliza, at the beginning of the Season,” Lady Kitty explained. “And Eliza said that she would never, ever, get married.”
“That is true. She was quite certain about that,” Katherine recalled. “But once Eliza met Mr. Darby, things progressed rather quickly.”
“Did you always want to be a matchmaker?”
“No,” she replied honestly. “When I was younger, I wanted to be a pirate.”
Lady Kitty giggled. “A pirate?”
“Yes, but things have a way of working themselves out,” Miss Blackmore replied. “I believe it is much safer to be a matchmaker than a pirate, especially since being a matchmaker isn’t punishable by death.”
“That is true, but…”
A gentleman’s voice cut Lady Kitty off. “Miss Blackmore,” Mr. Caney interjected, “I apologize for interrupting, but will you be favoring us with a musical performance on the pianoforte later this evening?”
“I will, Mr. Caney,” she replied before turning towards Kitty. “Have you had a chance to meet Lady Kitty yet?”
Mr. Caney shifted his gaze towards Lady Kitty, his eyes sparking with interest. “I have not had the pleasure, but I am enchanted.”
Lady Kitty’s eyes widened for a moment before her cheeks turned an alarming shade of red. She lowered her gaze to the floor, not bothering to return his greeting.
“Would either of you ladies care for something to drink?” Mr. Caney asked.
Katherine smiled at him. “No, thank you.”
“Lady Kitty?” Mr. Caney asked as he looked expectantly at her.
In response, Kitty shook her head vigorously, refusing to meet his gaze.
A slight frown came to Mr. Caney’s lips as he remarked, “If you will excuse me, I need to go speak to Lady Fitzroy.”
After Mr. Caney walked away, Lady Kitty brought her gaze back up. “I knew it was a mistake to come to this soirée,” she murmured, bringing her hands up to cover her reddened cheeks. “I need a moment alone.”
Lord Berkshire turned to face his sister, and the concern was evident in his features. “I shall come with you.”
“Please, just give me a moment alone.” Lady Kitty’s voice was firm, but her eyes told a different story. “I will be back shortly.”
“As you wish.” Lord Berkshire’s eyes lingered on his sister’s retreating figure as she walked towards the rear of the townhouse. “My sister is dreadfully shy when she speaks to gentlemen.”
“I can see that.”
“It pains me to see her that way,” he admitted, turning back to face her.
“Has she always been shy around gentlemen?”
Lord Berkshire nodded. “Ever since she was little. I wrongly assumed that she would grow out of it, but it only seems to have gotten worse through the years.”
“She is a beautiful young woman,” Katherine commented. “I have no doubt that the right gentleman will see past her shyness and accept her for who she truly is.”
Worry lined his