Page 51 of A Pure Lady for the Broken Duke

“Good Morning, Betsy,” Jenny greeted Evan’s mother as she was pulling spoiled plums from the display on her stall.

“Jenny, what will it be today?” Betsy asked.

Jenny looked over the fruit. “Oh, those grapes look fine. And some of those plums. Those apples, and are the pears ready yet?”

“They are coming on but not ready until next week, I expect.”

“Too bad. My customers just love my pear tarts. But put some aside for me as soon as they are ready.”

“Happy to,” Betsy said.

“Good morning, Miss Jenny,” Evan said, as he plopped a crate of apples on the stall.

“Mr. Evan, nice to see you again. When will you be heading back to Bristol?”

Evan studied her and smiled. He appeared to notice the change in her appearance since Helena had helped her with her hair and makeup.

“I leave the week after next,” he said coming around from behind the stall and taking her hand. “I was hoping you might find some time to spend with me before I leave.”

“That might be possible, but I find I am uncommonly busy as well. In fact, I wanted to speak to you all about my new development.”

“What is it, child?” Betsy asked as she wiped her hands on her jersey.

“The Duke of Pemberton is giving a ball in a couple of weeks and he has asked me to do all of the pastries for the dinner.”

“Oh, my dear, how splendid,” Betsy said.

“Congratulations. Your dreams are coming true,” Evan said.

“And what I wanted to know was, if I might prevail upon you to deliver my daily fruit to the Pemberton kitchens before you come to market? I know it is an imposition, but it would be a great help to me.”

Betsy conferred with her husband and asked, “If Evan is still here he could run the boxes to you. When will you be needing them?”

Jenny handed Betsy her list of what she needed and on which days she would need them. Betsy studied the list. “Oh, Jenny, I believe Evan will be back in Bristol by then.”

“I can do it,” Steven, her husband, offered. “But only after we are set up here.”

“Is there no way you could deliver to me on your way to the market? I have a tolerable amount of work to do each day and will need to get started as early as possible.”

“I could stay another week,” Evan suggested.

“No, lad, you need to be back in Bristol,” his father said, then turned to Jenny, “We will work something out for you, Miss Jenny. You be such a good customer. For you… anything.”

“I would be so grateful.” Jenny said. She then asked Betsy, “Will you be able to provide all of those provisions? If not, I shall have to talk to some of the other vendors.”

Betsy checked the list again. “Aye. We should be able to do that. And will Pemberton be able to pay on delivery?”

“I will make sure they do.”

“And what else can we do for you today?” Betsy asked as she began loading the fruit Jenny had asked for on her cart.

“What berries do you have?”

“All we have left are some blackberries and Raspberries.”

“I will take all you can give me.”

As they continued to load her cart, Evan pulled Jenny aside and asked, “We live too far away for me to ask you to supper at our house, but would you consider letting me take you and your sister, Claudia, and Jeremiah on a picnic on your day off?