My Lady Chef novel Chapter 25

Ely's POV:

Surprisingly, my husband owns a lot of food-based shops.

Two cafes. Three bakeries, a sweets shop, and a restaurant in the shopping district aside from a few jewelry stores and clothing shops in the 2nd district.

But I noticed that they are geared to attract the elite or the middle-class merchants that can afford it.

"Pierce. Has my husband thought of opening a business that can attract the masses?" I asked him.

My husband's secretary has somehow softened his stiff attitude towards me ever since we had them over for lunch yesterday. He still maintains a bit of professional distance but whenever I ask him stuff, he gladly answers them with a smile.

"Well....he had plans to open two cafes in the third shopping district where a lot of the middle and peasant classes are always doing their purchases. He says that there may be a future in catering to the two other classes," he explained to me. "Does Milady think the same?"

"My husband is very progressive but I believe that there will come a time when the distance between the nobles and working classes will lessen. There is a lot of potential if we offer something affordable to the common folks."

"I believe so as well." He gave me a warm nod. "The problem is...the funds and opportunities are at the hands of the privileged which is why I am happy how the duke uses his capital earned from his shops to provide jobs to the working class. Did you know that his lordship bought the shipyard and started a profitable shipment trade just to give jobs to the lower and middle classes who were struggling at the lower ring?"

He must be referring to the slums or lower ring which was located on the outskirts of the city.

"That is pretty generous..." I clapped my hands together.

"Yes. He is indeed a rarity amongst the lords." he nodded." because of him, the crime and poverty of the slums have lessened in the past few years."

Wow. So my lord husband is a shrewd business person and a philanthropist.

"Then...the shopkeepers and staff at his businesses. Are they all middle class as well?"

Pierce nodded as the carriage stopped in front of a more silent area. I looked out and saw that this was the first district where there were bigger, more elegant shops, and the people frequenting them were all dressed extravagantly.

"This is our last stop milady. In the first district, only the higher nobles and royalties frequent these establishments. The duke owns the popular sweets shop "La Petit Creme" and the cake cafe "Memories" although not many people are aware of this. He also has investments in about 5 of the 15 small cafes that are popular with the nobles."

I get why my husband does not scoff at the piddling cost of my suggestion to reward the knights monthly. With his numerous businesses, he can very well afford it.

As I got out, Linda was silently by my side as Pierce gave me a tour of the popular establishments first which was

the sweets shop.