Page 7 of The Chef and the Countess

Chapter 2

“Beefsteak, table three!” Liam Hallahan yelled to the servers to pick up the meals from the prep table. He placed another platter of food next to it. “And table four!” The waitresses grabbed the plates and disappeared through the swinging door into the restaurant. Behind him, a young lad ladled stew into crockery bowls while another sliced Irish soda bread and placed it in baskets with pots of whipped butter.

Liam tousled the lad’s hair when he finished cutting the bread. “Well done, Tommy boy. Is everything else done?”

“Aye, sir. The potatoes and carrots are peeled and sliced for tomorrow’s stew and the chicken meal on the luncheon menu. Everything is in the larder and the icebox, just as you told us.”

Since taking over the ownership of The Crowing Cock four years ago, Liam had made many changes, including closing the brothel upstairs six months ago. He had wanted to close it as soon as he signed the title transfer, but the transition from a dodgy, run-down pub into a respectable restaurant serving well-cooked simple meals for the masses had taken longer than Liam had anticipated. “It’s one o’clock. Time for you lot to hie off to school.”

The three boys ran to the back room they shared, gathered their books and coats, waved at Liam, and disappeared through the rear entrance. Why did he take in street urchins? Well, he knew why. Walter Henning, the previous owner of this place, had taken in Liam at age fourteen. Walter had changed his life for the better, taking in a near-starving boy who lived in a dark alley, giving him an education and a warm bed. Walter had saved his life. Liam never forgot that. There was another more important reason he took in these particular homeless boys, but Liam wasn’t ready to make that public yet.

“Lamb stew, tables eight and ten!” Liam yelled.

Enya placed bowls of stew and baskets of bread on her tray. “That’s it for the lunch crowd. The place is thinning out.”

“Good. Once you see the tables cleared, help yourselves to whatever is left.” Liam wiped his hands on a tea towel. Cooking, not to mention running this restaurant, was exhausting but also satisfying. It had become more of a success than he could have ever hoped—so much so that he would have to hire more workers soon. But until then, he would make do.

A commotion from the front of the restaurant caught his attention. Voices were raised in high-dudgeon and coming closer. The swinging door hit the wall with a bang, and a well-dressed man pushed a woman into the kitchen. The lady nearly tripped crossing the threshold.

“I am Viscount Shinwell and I’m here to settle my gaming debt.”

Shinwell. Liam couldn’t stand the man. He always made leering comments to Liam’s female employees and acted like an all-round arse while playing cards. “The time to settle debts is when the pub is in operation,” Liam growled. “Come back at seven.”

“I am settling the bill now.” Shinwell pointed at the lady. “My cousin will work off the debt. In any way you see fit. She’s a tasty dish, if nothing else.” Shinwell gave Liam a knowing, smirking look.

Liam swung his annoyed gaze to the woman. The lady cousin was petite—at least compared to Liam’s towering height—with large, expressive blue eyes and golden-brown hair. She was attractive, very much so. And right now, she was giving Shinwell a look that could kill.

“What you are proposing is illegal,” Liam growled. “Leave my place of business and take your cousin with you or I’ll fetch the constable.”

“I think not,” Shinwell replied smugly.

“How dare you?” the cousin sputtered angrily to Shinwell. Then she looked at Liam. “I had no idea he was bringing me here for this. It is unconscionable.” The last word was slurred. Was this woman drunk? She appeared to be in a bad way, which activated something within him. Although he wasn’t sure what exactly.

Another man, probably the coachman, entered and dropped a carpet bag at the lady’s feet.

“She has trunks. I will send them along later,” Shinwell added, grinning.

Shinwell turned to leave, but Liam grabbed his arm. “The hell with this. Take your wretched family business out of here. I want no part of it.”

Shinwell shook off Liam’s grip. “I consider my debt paid.”

“The hell it is!” Liam yelled.

Shinwell sprinted from the restaurant with his coachman right behind him. Liam did not dare chase him, as it would have caused a scene and spooked the remaining customers. Instead, he ran through the rear door, into the alley, and onto the walkway just in time to see the carriage heading down the street.

“Damn it! The fecker.” He would deal with Shinwell later.

Infuriated, Liam stomped into the kitchen and found the woman leaning against the wall. Her expression showed complete shock, with an underlying appearance of weariness. Her eyes were glassy. The lady did not look well.

“Enya,” he said to his head waitress, who stood in the kitchen with his other workers, looking stunned by the turn of events, “Take over. I won’t be long.” Liam turned toward the woman. “Come to my office.” He held out his arm to indicate she was to go first. The lady stumbled, so Liam took her arm to steady her.

Once in his office, he pointed to the chair and closed the door. He sat at his desk, facing her.

“Holy crow, I cannot believe he would do such a thing,” the lady murmured.

“Well, he did. Shinwell is your cousin. We’ve established that much. Let’s start with your name.”

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