The Pursuit of Marriage

At 24, Cassandra Effington wants to be married. Unfortunately, the man she’s looking for doesn’t seem to exist and she’s vocally uninterested in reforming a rake. What she wants is “someone respectable but not dull. Exciting but not dangerous. Strong but not overbearing. Loyal and trustworthy but not a lapdog.”

Such paragons aren’t exactly thick on the ground. While she waits for one to show up, Cassie is redecorating the homes of the aristocracy and enjoying it mightily. Her family and friends are scandalized that she’s accepting money for her services, which smacks of low trade, but part of her appeal as a decorator is the exclusivity conferred by her hefty fees.

Viscount Berkley – Reggie to his friends – is more puzzled than concerned when his widowed mother claims sudden illness. Her doctor advises Reggie to indulge her whims, so when his mother says that she wants Reggie to completely redecorate their home in readiness for the as-yet unknown woman he will marry, he agrees. When he sees the proposed decorator – Cassie – Reggie immediately suspects his parent’s motives. Cassie intrigues him, though, so he is more than willing to work very closely with her.