“I’ll be with you shortly,” she told him, quickly putting the pigs into the tin and jamming on the lid.
“Shouldn’t you have weighed each of those separately?” the woman asked.
In truth, Charlotte would have, except she charged for the pigs by the piece not the pound, and she knew how much the chocolates and the toffee weighed approximately. She’d been doing this for so long, she’d already added it all in her head.
“I know what the cost is,” she said stubbornly, and told her the price.
“How do I know that’s the cost? I ought to see it weighed.”
Charlotte sighed, removing the two pigs with the statement. “These are thruppence a piece, as the sign says, or 2 shillings per pound.” Then she put the toffee on the scale. “This chocolate-covered toffee is 1 shilling, 6 pence per pound. More expensive than the plain toffee.” Then she put the chocolates on the scale. “And this assortment of chocolates, made in the French style, are two shillings, six pence per pound.”
Again, she gave the woman a total cost.
“You said less before.”
She stared the woman down. “I was off by tuppence in your favor, and since you were buying so much, I charged half price for the tin, but that’s another tanner. Of course, the tin is reusable so it’s good value.”
The woman shrugged. “It could as easily have gone the other way.”
Charlotte took her money, and the woman still didn’t leave. “Will there be anything else?”
“No.”
They stared at one another.
“You may help this gentleman now,” she said as if giving Charlotte permission. “I want to see how you treat other customers.”
What on earth?
“He and I have private business to attend.”
“Really?” the woman dragged the word out and raised her perfectly sculpted eyebrows.
“For pity’s sake,” Charlotte exclaimed. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
After a knowing glance at Mr. Richardson and then a slow look back at Charlotte, the woman sauntered out with her tin.
“How are you, Miss Rare-Foure?” he asked, approaching the counter.
“Bewildered, Mr. Richardson. She was one of the strangest customers I’ve ever had the misfortune to wait upon. And everything seemed to be a bit off, including our confectionery.”
“Yes, about that,” he said. “My wife and I tucked into the toffee after dinner. It ... well, it had an odd flavor. The coffee chocolates were superb however. But the toffee... Anyway, I am not complaining, but I thought you might want to know.”
Her heart sunk into her shoes. “Thank you for telling me. I would give you a different batch today, but I fear we are having a bit of a problem with our apprentice.” She sighed, but then recalled why he was there.
“Meanwhile, I have an answer for you. I am pleased to say Rare Confectionery would like to take over the second floor. I will sign the lease, but we’ll need a notary public.” She was glad she could use the unfamiliar term that Lord Jeffcoat had mentioned to make sure everything was legal and authorized.
Mr. Richardson nodded. “Yes, certainly. We need two copies anyway. I’ll get this one copied at the printer’s, and for a notary public, we can go to Cheeswrights. It’s across from Billingsgate Market.”
Charlotte drew back, astounded. “I cannot possibly go all the way to the docks today.” In any case, her parents would definitely not approve of her going to the Canary Wharf by herself. “I have a business to run.”
“All right. John Venn and Sons is closer, on Aldwych Street. I’ll meet you there later. Will four o’clock work, just before they close?”
She didn’t see how she possibly get there when she would have an open shop, customers at the counter, and questionable confectionery. Nevertheless, she nodded.
“Yes, that’s fine. I’ll see you there.”
CHARLES WAS CONFLICTED, and he didn’t care for the feeling. Leaving the Inns of Court, he went home and saddled his favorite gelding. A ride through Hyde Park in the afternoon would clear his head. What he saw everywhere were husbands and wives riding together. Or, at least, he imagined he did. He didn’t know how Waverly felt about marriage — or even if the rogue had feelings — but watching Pelham experience marital bliss and now approach fatherhood, Charles felt he, too, was ready to take a wife.
