Out of sorts? He’d seemed a bit curt at the opera, peppering her with questions and commenting snidely about the Duke of Lockwood. But she had been so distracted by the idea of his female companion that she hadn’t given it much thought. “Well, he’s Kit, so no doubt he’ll bounce back soon.”

“Yes, he is rather like a rubber ball, our Kit. No doubt it’s our troubles in hiring a chef that has him twisted in knots. You know how much the success of the supper club means to him.” He took a long drink and rested his empty glass on the table. “I should allow you to return to your meal. Take care, Miss Lusk.”

Her head was spinning with all the information Mr. Clarke had relayed in such a short amount of time. As he started to stand, she said, “Wait.” Pausing, she struggled to put her thoughts into words. “Your problems, the ones with the recipes. You said you cannot find a chef who can execute them?”

“Indeed. That is why I am here to speak with Franconi. I had hoped to hire one of his assistants for a night or two to prepare these dishes. We’d like to host a preview of what we plan to offer as a way to generate excitement for the club.”

“Chef will never allow that.” Angelo was currently giving his assistant instructions on how to properly trim a large cut of beef. “He’s very protective of his staff.”

Mr. Clarke sighed loudly. “Then I haven’t a clue as to what to do. We’ve approached three top chefs in the city and they’ve all refused, saying Franconi’s techniques are too complicated.”

“That’s rot. Even the greenest chef should be able to follow the instructions I wrote down.”

He lifted his hands and shrugged. “I don’t really understand food. That is more Kit’s area of expertise—and yours, I suppose.”

“Perhaps I could help.”

“Oh?”

“I might be able to find time.”

“How? I understand you are heavily chaperoned here in the city.”

Had Kit or Angelo shared that information? “I am. It would require some creative maneuvering.” Perhaps Daddy could help? Alice hadn’t asked him for anything recently, and he was aware at how grating Mama could be at times. It was one of the reasons he hardly spent any time at home anymore.

Yes, she would call him tomorrow. All she needed was for Mama to be preoccupied for two or three days.

“It appears that you are crafting a plan, Miss Lusk.”

“Perhaps. May I ring you and let you know?”

“That would be wonderful.” Reaching into his coat pocket, he withdrew a card and presented it. “I look forward to hearing from you.”

After Preston left, Angelo slid into the chair across from her. “Well? What did you decide?”

“You heard?”