Amity shook her head at his puzzlement. “I’m sure I don’t know. Don’t you socialize in the same circles as your sister? Doesn’t Lady Madeleine show an interest in your family?”
His frown became deeper, and he shrugged. “My sister and her husband do not frequent the events I do. As a single man, you see, I tend to be thrown in with the matchmakers, like Lady Peabody. As for Lady Madeleine, I don’t believe she has met Penelope. We haven’t spent too much time speaking about each other’s families.” He paused, then added slowly, “She has a mother—”
Amity snickered.
“—who had a cat once,” he finished.
Amity couldn’t help it. She started to laugh and couldn’t stop. Tears came to her eyes.She has a mother!She doubled over with laughter. Fortunately, the duke joined in.
“Oh,” she held her stomach. “I’m ... sorry, my lord.” She started laughing again. “It’s only ... do you suppose she has a father, too?”
They both laughed together at the inanity of his statement. It took a few minutes for her to regain her normal composure. When she finally reached for her notebook, they were still smirking at each other.
“Gin is questionable,” she said aloud as she wrote the words, which started them chuckling again.
“Well,Ilike it,” the duke said. “For that matter, I think brandy would be delicious inside your chocolates.”
“Already have those on the shelf,” Amity said, looking over her ingredients for inspiration. “The candied pineapple was very good last night, wasn’t it? Did Lady Madeleine adore it?”
“Even if she did, you cannot use it,” he reminded her, “since she’s already had a Rare Confectionery with pineapple.”
She considered a moment. “Shall I search for another exotic fruit?”
“As long as it’s not—”
“Orange,” she finished for him. “I know. I think we should narrow this down to what fruit Lady Madeleine likes.”
“Narrow this down?” he asked. “I am a pest, and you are eager to get rid of me.”
She shook her head. “Not at all, but we are running out of time. Cherries or apricots?”
He shrugged sheepishly, and looked so inviting, so attractive as he did, she felt tingly from looking at him.
“Peaches or ... how about greengages?” she persisted.
He looked at her strangely. “I’m afraid I don’t even know what that is.”
“Truly?” She realized he was staring at her mouth as she spoke, which made her quite self-conscious of her lips, which she licked nervously. “They’re like plums except smaller.”
The duke smiled and took a step closer. “Then why not simply ask me if she likes plums?”
“All right.” Although suddenly barely breathe able to breathe, her mouth formed the words, “Peaches or plums?”
“I haven’t the foggiest,” he confessed. She couldn’t step back as the marble tabletop was behind her, pressing into her backside.
“We are going to have to guess,” she said. It was getting distinctly hot in the small space. “What isyourpreference for the perfectBrayson— candied cherry, plum, peach, or apricot? A candied apricot is quite heavenly.”
“Are those my only choices?” he asked infuriatingly, his eyes appearing darker as he gazed at her.
How many choices did he need?
Nervously, she laughed again, but he stepped even closer, causing her to stop abruptly, her laughter ending in a hiccupping sound.
Slowly, unexpectedly, his arms went around her. She stilled before relaxing into the warmth of him and letting the tingling sensations overtake her.
The curtain was open, the way her mother had insisted. Customers might be in the shop. She hadn’t been listening for the bell at all since he’d arrived.
“I like being with you,” he whispered.
