forehead. “If you are not opposed,” he said, “I would like to revisit our previous conversation.”
“I would prefer not to,” she replied, clasping her hands in front of her. “My position has not changed.”
“But mine has.”
Katherine found herself curious about his change of heart. “In what way?” she asked.
Lord Berkshire grew solemn, his voice growing more earnest. “My sister specifically requested that we seek out your services as a matchmaker.”
“When was this?”
“On the coach ride over here,” he replied. “She has it in her head that you can help her overcome her shyness when speaking to gentlemen.”
Katherine shook her head. “I’m sorry, but—”
“I will pay double your usual fee,” he asserted, speaking over her.
She met his gaze, challenging him. “It is not about the money, Lord Berkshire.”
“Then what is it about?”
“Frankly, I find you to be insufferable, and I have no desire to spend additional time with you,” she stated plainly.
“I feel the same way about you, Miss Blackmore,” he responded with equal bluntness. “But this isn’t about me. This is about my sister, and I would do anything to ensure that she is happy.”
“My answer is still no.”
“Will you not at least consider helping her?” he asked, his piercing gaze holding a hint of a plea.
“I do understand your plight—”
He interjected, “But you aren’t willing to help me?”
She huffed, growing increasingly irritated by his presence. “Are you always this irritating?”
“It would appear that you bring out this side of me,” he said, taking a step closer to her. “If you agree to help my sister, I will pay you three times your normal fee.”
“Three times?” she questioned. “That is rather a hefty fee, considering our usual fee is set at £1,000.”
“I can afford it.”
“I never questioned your ability to do so,” she remarked. “If I agree to help your sister, the payment is due when she agrees to a courtship with a gentleman. Not when she marries.”
Lord Berkshire puckered his brow. “What if she never agrees to a courtship?”
“Then we don’t get paid,” Katherine replied. “But I have a few more conditions.”
“Which are?”
Her gaze grew determined. “You will not question any of my methods.”
“May I ask what those are?”
“In addition to securing matches for our clients, we also make them go through a series of lessons which help them become more noticeable. I believe these lessons will greatly benefit your sister.”
He nodded. “I am amenable to that.”
“And you will let your sister fall in love with a gentleman of her choosing. Not yours,” she clarified, “and that is not negotiable.”
Lord Berkshire clenched his jaw. “Are those all of your terms?”
“At this time,” she replied, “but I have the right to change them as I see fit.”
He stared at her, his expression registering a kind of shocked disbelief. “If I agree to your terms, you can’t change them as you see fit.”
“But I can, and I will,” Katherine reiterated. “Those are my terms.”
Lord Berkshire muttered something under his breath before saying, “Then I have no choice but to accept your conditions.”
“You don’t seem very pleased, Lord Berkshire.”
His blue eyes watched her for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was firm. “You will discover that I am rarely pleased, Miss Blackmore, especially when the odds are stacked so clearly in someone else’s favor.”
“That is a shame.”
“Is it?”
“Yes, I must admit that I pity you.”
He scoffed. “I don’t need your pity.”
“You may not ask for it, but I am giving it to you freely.”
“Well, take it back.”
“No.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “I am already regretting my decision to hire you.”
She smirked, finding enjoyment in unnerving Lord Berkshire. “That is a shame, then.”
“Are you always this impertinent?”
“Yes, I am,” she replied, taking a step back. “Please ensure that your sister arrives at my townhouse by ten o’clock tomorrow.”
“Isn’t that a little early for a lady of your station?”
“Do refrain from asking stupid questions, Lord Berkshire,” she remarked. “I shall see your sister tomorrow, and do not feel the need to escort her into the townhouse. Not only do I think it would be best if we did not spend time together, but I do hope that you will avoid making a nuisance of yourself.”
“I truly hope you are as good at matchmaking as everyone claims,” he muttered.
With a smug smile on her lips, she replied, “I am better.”
“We shall see,” he said, bowing stiffly.
3
Edward sat at the head of the table as he attempted to read the morning newspaper, but his interest was waning. Frankly, he was losing interest in all his mundane