Page 96 of Keeping Kate
“And those nasty little wafers,” he whispered.
“You are meeting friends here today?“ Walter asked. “You will be wanting to take chocolate, then. The very king o’ drinks, I say.”
Stepping into the main room, Alec looked around, and his hand, resting on Kate’s shoulder, flexed and held her in place. Three soldiers sat at a table by a front window.
Kate stopped so quickly that he bumped against her. She looked back at him, alarm in her eyes. He recognized two of the men—they had been in MacLennan’s Change-house.
“Is the private room empty now, Uncle?” Alec murmured. Walter nodded and led them to a side door, which opened on a small room with three tables, each set with a silver chocolate server. The room was empty, and a cozy fire crackled in the hearth.
“This is the smokin’ room, but you can use it for your meeting,” Walter said.
“Can you keep others out of it?” Alec asked quietly.
“Might could do that. We are busy of an afternoon, with a fair number of clerks and advocates coming here, as you will remember. We are close to the courts, you see,” Walter added to Kate. “the Justices themselves come here often. The Lord Justice Clerk and the Lord Advocate often stop here for a midday break from proceedings.”
Kate turned pale and said nothing as Alec drew out a chair for her to sit. She smoothed her skirts with shaking hands. “Lord Advocate? Here?”
“Oh aye, he is Alec’s maternal uncle. Lord Hume. You may know the name.”
“I thought your mother was a MacDonald,” she said to Alec.
“She was, but her stepbrothers are Humes. Complicated, but it gave me an assortment of uncles. Uncle George comes here often, does he?” Alec asked Walter.
“He takes his chocolate here nearly every day. Likes it Spanish-style with cinnamon and anise, or sometimes chocolate with jasmine, and biscuits with jam. If he has trials and such, he will come for the fours and have cocoa instead o’ tea.”
“The judge—comes here?” Kate asked nervously.
“Oh aye, and likes our jasmine cocoa, with vanilla beans ground in it. The wee lassies like it too.” Walter winked at Kate.
Remembering Kate’s peculiar effect on men, Alec realized his uncle had succumbed in his way. “What will you have, Kate?” Alec asked.
“We have whatever sort you like, lass,” Walter said. “With cinnamon or jasmine, anise or pepper, or the way the bairns like it, with milk and sugar and vanilla. We serve it hot, and some days, we can even serve it cooled, whenever we can obtain some of the snow that is brought down from the mountains for packing. We have medicinal chocolate too, with brown sherry and an egg froth. And chocolate soup, as well. What will you try?”
“Chocolate soup?” Alec asked. “That is new.”
“’Tis but a puddin’ over bread, chocolate thickened with eggs. Effie wants to add a Continental flavor, so she is not making mocha custard—coffee with chocolate, my dear—and also chocolate liver.”
“Chocolate—liver?” Kate asked, looking askance at both men.
“Fresh liver fried up and dipped in chocolate sauce. My wife dislikes the eating chocolates I make, but she likes the fried liver, see, because ‘tis Continental,” he said, shaking his head. “What would you like?”
“I will try hot chocolate drink with cinnamon, please,” she replied.
“I will make it for you myself. We make it in silver chocolatières, those large pots with molinillo sticks to whip a thick froth into it. You never had it so delicious as Fraser’s will make for you. And Alec?”
“Coffee, Uncle, if you will. Strong and bitter, with sugar on the side.”
“Och, the lad never did like the cacao much, though his brother loved it. Edward kept this business thriving, while this lad lets me tend to it while he mucks about with secret missions,” Walter said in a loud whisper.
“Hush, Uncle,” Alec said, glancing toward the door.
“But Mr. Fraser,” Kate said, “Scotland needs men who are willing to muck about with such things. Just as we need those who like to muck about with chocolate, to create the most wonderful delicacies imaginable.” She smiled up at Walter.
“And you enjoy tending to the business,” Alec reminded him. “You manage it much better than I could ever do.”
“Thank you, lad. And when you have time, we must go over the accounting books. Our exports of cocoa, tea, and coffee are expanding, although import costs are climbing too.”
“Flax,” Alec said. “I have been giving it some thought. We should consider investing in another commodity. Flax is a stable industry for Scotland and can grow rapidly. If we invest in flax and fabrics, we will better support Fraser’s Fancies. And we can better contribute to the welfare of Scots who need small industries in their towns.”
