“But I’m not simply walking out and leaving you without toffee.”
“You’re not?”
“I spent all day with Edward yesterday. He has got the hang of it, I promise you. I even told him about another flavor I wanted to test, and he made it perfectly.”
“A new flavor?” Charlotte asked with trepidation. It didn’t seem a good time for experimenting.
“Yes, our new toffee is based on the Everton brand. We’re going to add some ginger essence.”
“Ginger,” Charlotte repeated, startled at how many times she’d been musing about that spice recently. But everyone knew the famous Everton was popular. “And Edward is going to launch this new toffee without you here?”
Beatrice grinned. “I told you, he made it perfectly. I even gave himThe Frugal Cookto keep in the back, which has the recipe right in it. Where is he, by the way? I brought him something.”
“I just sent him out to do an extra delivery. The Langham didn’t have enough chocolates to get through the week, which makes little sense since the order has been the same since—”
“I can’t stay,” Beatrice interrupted, indicating there was no point in Charlotte’s next tactic, to drop to her knees and begin pleading.
“But I don’t have Amity either, nor Mother.”
“Mother should be home soon. How long can they possibly stay at the seaside?” Beatrice asked.
Charlotte had no idea, but then, she felt as if she had little control over anything anymore.Was there a point in telling her sister about the expansion of their shop if she wasn’t even going to be there?Charlotte didn’t think she could stomach it if Bea said something unkind about the notion, especially as it was now too late.
“When Amity’s little one comes along, things will get back to some semblance of normalcy,” Beatrice said.
They looked at one another, neither one of them believing that.
Then her sister came closer, passed through the space between the counters, and wrapped her arms around Charlotte. It was an unexpected but comforting gesture.
“I’ll get back as soon as I can,” her sister promised. “And then things will return to how they were with my being insufferably peevish and barking at you from the back.”
Charlotte tried to smile but failed.
“And we’ll have Edward so everything will be less work.”
Yesterday had been more work along with a loss of income, but she didn’t say that.
“Are you going to see Amity before you leave?”
Beatrice nodded. “Yes. I’m going there now.”
“Please tell her I’ll send Edward tomorrow as soon as he’s helped me open. He’ll take supplies with him. Not only must they make more, they must label everything. And tell her—”
“Oh, my,” Beatrice said. “I don’t think her thoughts are so focused on chocolate-making.”
“I know they’re not, but she’s still our chocolatier. I’ll remind Edward to have her write down what everything issupposedto be. But I was going to add she must watch him and make certain he doesn’t change the recipe.”
“I’ll remind her, but she seems as apt to start singing a silly nursery lullaby as to pay attention.” Beatrice tilted her head and fixed her with her serious gaze, a brighter blue than Jeffcoat’s but reminding her of him anyway. “You may have to start making the chocolates, too. You were good at it, I recall.”
“When would I do that?” Charlotte asked dully, feeling like Cinderella in Perrault’s fairy tale, but with no godmother in sight.
“You are in charge,” Beatrice reminded her. “Better than any of us, you know the financial state of Rare Confectionery. Perhaps until Amity’s child arrives, you should hire someone to work the counter, freeing you to make chocolates, unless Edward turns out to be as good at that as he is at toffee-making.”
“I’ve tasted only his burnt batches,” Charlotte muttered.
“Oh, that reminds me,” Bea said. “Here’s what I bought for our apprentice. A little expensive, but I’m sure he’ll be careful with it.” She drew a thermometer out of her satchel.
“He already understands what to look for while cooking the toffee,” she assured Charlotte, “and I showed him the cold water trick to test it, but this will help him.” Beatrice handed the instrument to Charlotte, who stared at the mercury-filled glass tube.
