An interesting face with well-shaped, tidy eyebrows and dark hair falling over his brow, a nose that had clearly never been broken, and that mouth! Lips dusted with cocoa over a strong chin without a hint of stubble.Naturally!He probably had a team of servants who took care of every aspect of his body.
At the thought of his body, she swallowed at the same time as he did. Then his eyes snapped open.
“Good God!” He licked his lips, drawing his tongue over the cocoa powder until they were clean. “That was ... utterly fabulous. It had spirit to spare. It was ... what was it exactly?”
“A secret recipe, but basically melted chocolate, cream, and a hint of—”
“Orange?” he guessed.
“Orange liqueur.”
He raised his eyebrows. “It’s perfect.”
“Perhaps it will do for Lady Madeleine?” she suggested.
“Do you already sell them in your shop?” he asked.
“Quite a few, my lord.”
“Unfortunately, it will not do. It must be original, created for her.”
She sighed. “Perhaps something similar in texture and shape, creamy, soft, with a different flavor than orange?” Amity needed some hint of an idea to work from. Otherwise, she could go in too many directions. “No one else makes these soft chocolate balls in London.”
“Yes, I very much like the feel in my mouth. And the way it is firm but soft. It’s rich, decadent even. I want another one, but I know with one too many, I might feel ill.”
“True. As with most sweets, one should know the fine line over which if you step, you go from tasting something delicious to sickly unpleasant. You could have another of any of these, however, without risk.”
He smiled again. “I shall choose another of these with spirit,” and he picked up one more cocoa-dusted ball.
Soon, she had a short list of some fruits and nuts which Lady Madeleine liked. They chatted about native blackberries and elderberries, both of them preferring these fruits as wine rather than coated in chocolate. Yet Amity failed to convince him chocolate-drenched wild currants were delicious.
“The tart little berry is a sharp surprise on the tongue when surrounded by sweetness. So, they’re best with a highly sweetened chocolate and not plain chocolate.”
“Tart little berries,” he repeated. “You make it sound intriguing, and I hope you will offer me a sample in the future.”
“As soon as I have some, my lord, then my berries will be yours.”
What had she just said?It sounded terribly coquettish, and she was positive her cheeks were flaming.
“I have taken up so much of your time. I should be leaving.”
Had she scared him off with her ridiculous words?Apparently not, for even though the duke had said he was leaving, he hadn’t moved toward the curtained doorway.
Amity did, in fact, have a lot of chocolates to make for the shop and for other customers. She should get started, but she could hardly ask a duke to move along.
Instead, she smiled at him. “That’s quite all right, my lord. Rare Confectionery appreciates your patronage. And after your party, we shall have many new customers. We are in your debt.”
***
HENRY CONSIDERED THEyoung woman who stood before him in the cocoa-stained apron. He liked her tremendously so far. She had an easy manner and a lopsided smile when it appeared, as it had a moment earlier. He also liked it when she spoke of tarts and berries, but that was merely him being a devil. And childish, to boot.
“On the contrary,” he said. “If all goes well, I shall be eternally grateful.”Because she would have helped him to obtain Lady Madeleine, the prize of London.
“My wife and I will have your chocolates at our wedding celebration.”Would it be appropriate to invite Miss Rare-Foure to that as well?He didn’t know if she would be willing to serve chocolates to his guests or if she would be an honored guest herself.
Regardless, he should be thinking of Madeleine on his wedding day, not this wonderfully gifted chocolatier.
“I shall make presents of them to my wife for the rest of our lives,” he added.Christ, that sounded like a long time.
