His love nodded. “And two marzipan pigs,” she added. “They’re so adorable.”
Even as she was speaking, Charlotte had already gathered up a tin and filled it with the chocolate treacle toffee, and was just reaching for the pigs, when she was interrupted.
“Are you ignoring me?” the woman asked. “I was here first, but you’re serving them.”
Charlotte looked from her to the newlyweds at the other end of the counter.
“They know what they want,” she said, “so I can serve them while your tasting the toffee.”
“I’ve tasted the toffee,” she said, “and it is burnt. My Aunt Jenny makes better.” She looked at the two newlyweds. “I wouldn’t get it if I were you.”
“We’ve had it before,” the man said. “It’s delicious.”
The woman shrugged. “To each his own.” She pointed to the plate. “But that was burnt. In any case, I was here first, and I had to wait before that.”
“We can wait,” the young woman said, sounding less than enthusiastic.
“But not for long,” the man added. “My wife’s parents are waiting.”
Charlotte felt like huffing with frustration with the way one customer had taken over the situation when she had almost got the other two out the door, which now seemed imperative with this testy female maligning everything.
However, hoping to disavow the woman’s judgment, Charlotte picked up a piece of toffee and tucked it into her mouth to suck on.Scorched!She couldn’t help coughing. It had definitely cooked too long. She had no way of knowing if the chocolate-covered toffee was the same, and she wasn’t sure whether to give the young couple a taste or not.
She’d never had a moment’s doubt about their confectionery before, and yet now...What an odd predicament!
Hoping for the best, Charlotte put two pieces of the chocolate-smothered toffee onto a clean plate and handed it to the man. “Please, I insist. While you wait.” They took it gratefully and she turned her attention back to the first.
“Would you like me to put together a variety of confectionery, chocolate, marzipan, and toffee?”
“I suppose, although what I just ate makes me doubtful. Still, how bad can it all be?” The woman said that with a casual shrug as if she hadn’t just insulted all of Rare Confectionery.
Charlotte tamped back her irritation. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the couple each take a piece of toffee.
“And the tins are pretty,” the woman continued. “I would like to have my order in one of those. I’ll have one of the chocolates from each of those shelves and the chocolate toffee — it can’t be any worse — and a piece with nuts. And I’ll take those two marzipan pigs.”
“Those are the only two I have left,” Charlotte said, glancing again at the young couple who seemed to be making faces at each other.Oh dear! Was that toffee scorched, too?
“That’s not my problem, is it?” the woman remarked. “Whoever makes the marzipan should have made more. I understand this shop has been here for many years. It certainly looks old, with this dirty floor and your shabby appearance. Someone here should know how many marzipan pigs to make for a day.”
Charlotte felt her face flame. She’d never been told off like this before. Her heart was pounding in her chest. In truth, she should have made more marzipan sculptures the night before, but instead, she’d run off to Lord Jeffcoat’s with the lease.
“I’m sorry, but this couple has already reserved the pigs.”
“But I was here first,” the woman protested.
Charlotte had never been at such a loss. She’d already started filling a tin with chocolates and toffee, but now she felt like dumping the tin’s contents onto the customer’s head. Smartly dressed with a jaunty hat, a well-fitted paletot, and no-nonsense wool skirt, the woman looked, in a word, professional.So why was she acting like a shrew?
“The marzipan leaves taste the same as the pigs,” Charlotte told them. “Or the fruit shapes, with some additional flavorings.”
“I want the pigs,” she declared.
“That’s all right,” said the newlywed bride. “She may have the pigs.”
“Thank you,” Charlotte said.
“In any case, we can’t wait any longer,” the young man said. “We’ll return another time.”
Before Charlotte could rescue the sale, the door opened again. The couple slipped out as Mr. Richardson walked in.
