My Lady Chef novel Chapter 23

Pierce's POV:

Her hair was golden blonde but it sometimes shifts from light gold to a richer darker tone when the light shines upon her. She was fair-skinned with a figure that can only be called voluptuous; her eyes were like vibrant blue-green gemstones that shift colors every few seconds and her lips were lush and pink like a fresh rose.

Like the duke, she was dressed in a simple dusk rose gown with a floral pattern on the edges. Her hair was braided halfway, the rest of it was laid to rest on her left shoulder. Her accessory was only a pair of earrings and a single strand of pearls.

The ensemble would have looked far too simple for a duchess but her choices only made her look even more beautiful. When she took her seat beside the duke; she smiled at us immediately and the effect was so warm....so sweet that I almost did not hear my lord call my name.

I blushed as I heard him the second time and bowed to the duchess before sitting down feeling embarrassed.

"I am very pleased to meet you, gentlemen. My husband has told me that you two are the brains behind his prosperous business. Please continue to help his Grace on his future endeavors." her dulcet voice made that idiot Hubert stammer out a thank you and he looked starstruck by the praise and yet he cannot stop grinning.

But it sounded like she meant them; her voice had a sincere quality that most noble ladies lack. It was a voice that can pick you up from misery and encourage you to do your best for her.

Before I can offer a word in, the first course has been served. The duke's head butler seems to have employed a competent chef which was a relief because my employer does not have the best capabilities in hiring a chef. Ironic as he loves all types of food and sweets and yet he cannot hire a good cook.

That was probably his only weakness...

I remembered the last meal we shared months ago, The meat stew was fatty and the vegetables tasted bitter, even the soup was too sour and had too much pepper. The saving grace was the coffee and the sweet pastries that were served were from the city's finest bakery.

I am a bit of a food snob ever since I can afford good quality food. I am curious to sample the talents of this new chef.

"The first dish for the dinner course is a Rich Smoked Tomato Soup with Croutons and Cream." Milford's voice made me look at the bowl of soup which does not look like any tomato soup I have ever seen.

The aroma smells different and the presentation with the drizzle of cream on top and these small bread bits made me lift my soup spoon to mixed the cream into the soup which turned the red color of the soup into a red-orange gradient. Tomato soups are known to be nourishing but they are also very

sour which is why they are eaten with bread or a big piece of toast.

"Hmm?" I blinked in confusion at the smoky-sweet flavor that enveloped my tongue followed by the usual lush sour richness of the tomato. It smells like fragrant smoked wood but that is impossible. The taste of the flavors and the cream's ability to mellow out the sharp sourness of the tomato made me concentrate on the soup.