The woman looked up from her work. She wore a purple day dress with an apron tied over it. “A pleasure to meet you, Miss Lusk. I’m Mrs. Henry, Mr. Ward’s cook.”

Kit had brought his own cook? That clever man. She smiled at Mrs. Henry. “Thank you for coming. I’m grateful you’re here to help. You undoubtedly know more about food than I do.”

“Well, that’s kind of you to say, but I’ve never worked in a fancy restaurant. My cooking’s for a family, not High Society.”

“I haven’t worked in a fancy restaurant, either, so we’ll muddle through together as best we can. How long have you been in Mr. Ward’s employ?”

Mrs. Henry put down her knife and wiped her hands on a towel. “Let’s see. Four years now this past May. Mr. Ward hired me from his parents’ house, and I was there six.”

“You’ve known him a long time, then.”

“I have, indeed. A rascal, that one. Like a Labrador. He’s got a lot of energy but he’s loyal, you know?”

Alice’s lips twitched. “I do know. Thank you for coming today. I never would have been able to do this alone.”

“Oh, I’d do anything for Mr. Ward. Besides, this is a nice change of pace. I normally just cook for him and the other staff. And my children, of course.” She pointed to the other two occupants of the kitchen. “Over there is my fourteen-year-old daughter, Opal.” She pointed to a young girl peeling potatoes. “And that is my seventeen-year-old boy, Sam.” At the sink stood a young man rinsing lettuce.

“You brought your family,” Alice said. “I’m honored. Thank you, Opal and Sam.” They smiled at her and nodded.

“They know their way around a kitchen,” Mrs. Henry said. “They’ve been helping me out since they could walk. You just tell us what to do. Mr. Ward said you were quite accomplished.”

Kit, always the charmer. “Well, I won’t distract you from dicing the onions. Will you mince some, as well, please?”

“I will, miss.”

The three of them got to work. Mrs. Henry hadn’t lied—Opal and Sam were extremely competent assistants. Sam deboned chicken and made stock, while Opal washed and chopped vegetables. Alice and Mrs. Henry tackled some of the more complicated sauces and compotes. Kit poked his head in once or twice, checking in on everyone, and he brought them all a lunch of meats, cheeses and bread from a German restaurant down the block.

Alice could hardly look him in the eye. She kept recalling what happened in the tiny office yesterday, how he’d licked between her legs . . . sucking and kissing her . . . and her stomach flipped. Who would have dreamed such a thing existed between lovers? And that both of them would enjoy it as much as they had?