“Maybe you shall taste the gianduja in Italy someday,” she mused, wearing her own faraway look as if she were already strolling through Turin.
At once, he thought how nice it would be to have her by his side if he did so. A second later, she broke the spell of an impossible daydream by pointing to the chocolate she’d given him.
He ate it and sipped his coffee. “I adore it.”
They grinned at each other, and he wished they could go on drinking coffee and eating chocolates all day.
“We haven’t cured cholera, nor have we hitherto solved the problem of the downfall of Rare Confectionery. Yet I feel as if we have created something wonderful,” he said.
She laughed. “I shall begin to tell our customers to set aside their teapots and enjoy our chocolates with a good cup of coffee instead.”
“And I shall speak with my broker about buying more shares of coffee farms. But now, back to your concerns.”
Amity nodded. “You must understand while we do advertise, much of our custom depends on the good word of people such as yourself. For example, if Lord and Lady Peabody had been unhappy with the confections I brought to their party and mentioned it to others, our orders would drop. And if the guests at the party hadn’t enjoyed them, they would probably have told someone about the poor experience. Instead, we had four people after the Peabody’s party come in and purchase goodly quantities. Five, if you count Lady Madeleine even though she was not there to buy.”
“Just to sample,” he said lightly.
“Please understand, my lord, I am happy to let people try our confections,” she gestured to the ones spread out on his low table. “Because most go on to buy something.”
“Except Lady Madeleine.”
Amity lifted a delicate shoulder in a shrug. “Even if she had sampled and left, that would have been fine.”
Henry felt a little ashamed on Lady Madeleine’s behalf although he knew he should rightly take her side and tell Amity to better curb her sister’s tongue. “I take it the lady said something.”
“I do not wish to cause problems and see no reason to tell tales. I shall only say she acted every bit the earl’s daughter that she is, and in doing so, my sister felt we were being slighted.”
He nodded. “I will speak with her, and if I have to, I’ll confess I have a surprise that involves your store. Hopefully, that will be enough to placate her.”
“Why don’t you give her the rest of these, too? She very much enjoyed what she had. And none of these have any—”
“Orange?”
“Precisely,” she said.
“I will be seeing her later,” Henry told her, realizing he wasn’t looking forward to it. Compared to how much he laughed and enjoyed conversing with Amity, the contrast would probably not be in Madeleine’s favor. “And I will do my best.”
The chocolatier breathed a sigh of relief, making him smile again. Then she stood, which didn’t make him quite so happy.
He rose quickly to his feet.
She curtsied and said, “Thank you, my lord.”
He didn’t want to embarrass her by pointing out it was incorrect to style him as “my lord” instead of “Your Grace.” A part of him knew he ought to tell her, but there was no harm in the small error.
“I will let you get back to your day,” she finished as she drew on her gloves.
“On the contrary, Miss Rare-Foure, you have made my day. I assure you.” He almost bit his tongue at his own gushing tone. Waverly would be appalled. Amity blushed becomingly.
“And I thank you also, my lord, for introducing me to good coffee, and to our new collaboration.”
“I may have to keep a steady supply of chocolates at the ready to eat with my coffee,” he quipped as she moved toward the door.
Her maid rose and came to stand behind her mistress, and there was nothing left to say. He couldn’t even tell her he would return to her shop since they’d decided upon the lavender and vanilla chocolate.
Unless...
“I will come by this week to discuss how many chocolates for my party. I want everything to be perfect for the proposal.”
Miss Rare-Foure became all business. “Very good, my lord. I do want this to be perfect for your party. If I am not at the shop when you arrive, either my mother or my sisters are well able to take your order.”
That startled him. He thought she would want to see him again, but perhaps he was being arrogant.
“I hope you will be there,” Henry confessed.
She curtsied again, which nearly made him chuckle except she looked so somber. And beautiful. Then she was gone.
DESPITE BEING AWASH in jealousy over the duke’s parting words about wanting everything to be perfect for his proposal, Amity felt like whooping with joy when she and Delia were inside their carriage.
“I am certain he will help,” she declared and slumped back against the seat.
“Of course he will,” Delia said, settling beside her. “He’s half in love with you already.”
“What?” Amity sat up again.
“Simply because I sit a few yards away doesn’t mean I can’t see and hear plainly.”
“You’re supposed to try not to,” Amity reminded her. “But tell me what you thought you saw.”
“And heard,” Delia added. “His Grace has a nice manner about him, but do you think he’s that way with everyone? He’s a duke. He is used to telling people what to do and having them do it quickly. I guarantee he doesn’t usually apologize — not that I know what he was apologizing for, nor do I want to.”
That was just as well because she had no intention of telling Delia about the kiss.
“Anyway, I think you’re wrong,” Amity protested. “I can’t imagine him behaving any differently with anyone else. I have never seen him act in an arrogant manner. When he was with me in the shop, he was very ‘normal.’”
“He was with you in the shop. I think you’re making my case like a barrister,” Delia said. “And what about at the party you and Miss Charlotte went to? Didn’t he act the part of a true peer of the realm when among the other hoity-toities?”
Amity recalled how he had been a little more distant at the Peabodys’ home and how he left abruptly without looking aback at any of the guests, including her. “I suppose.”
Delia was enjoying the discussion. “My dear girl, can you imagine the duke pouring someone’s coffee like he’s a servant? And stirring in their sugar and milk?” Her maid started to chuckle. “It was priceless. He even wiped the chocolate off your lip like your own personal napkin.” She went off into guffaws of laughter.
“You did notice a lot,” Amity said, leaning back. “Next time, I need to make sure you have more than one penny-dreadful to keep your attention.”
“You and the duke were far more interesting.”
“Delia!” Amity cried, but they both laughed anyway.
Whether the duke liked her more than was proper signified nothing for he had reminded her he wanted his proposal to Lady Madeleine to go as planned. The carriage rolled to a stop outside Rare Confectionery.
“I’ll tell you something, Delia, His Grace had a brilliant idea about pairing coffee and chocolate. I wonder if Rare Confectionery should start selling cups of coffee. No, we don’t have the space, nor the skill, but perhaps we could sell bags of ground beans or even — Dear God in Heaven!” she interrupted herself, looking out the window. “What is going on?”