My Lady Chef

Linda's POV:

My Lady is amazing.

At first, I chose to go with her to escape the abuse of the maids at the main house. But now I am doing pretty well for myself. I even have one of the spacious rooms near the kitchen as my own with no one to share it with.

I remember when we arrived at this dusty house. It was only the duchess' room that was clean so I was afraid of sleeping in a dirty room but then she offered her sitting couch as a makeshift bed for me and then the next day she helped me clean the house for the next few months.

A daughter of nobility never cleans or lowers herself to helping a maid like me. As a fifth daughter of a produce merchant; I have served in a few noble houses where the ladies of the houses were demanding, haughty, and would slap your face at the slightest mistake you make in their presence.

but Lady Aisenburg was warm, kindly, and friendly to me. She knows when to treat me as a servant and when to her haughty duchess demeanor and smile at me. Since she was just a few years older than me; I felt like I found someone who was in a way similar to me.

And now after that pain in the butt head butler left, she immediately ordered me to get ready as we are going to town.

"Right away milady." I bowed and went to the dresser to layout the gloves and shoes for an outing.

"Linda. Use the brown gown and leather gloves and boots. I do not want people to know I am the duchess. We will use the South gate which is near the house instead of the main entrance." she gave me a mischievous smile and put a finger on her lips. "We are going on a special errand that requires a discreet approach."

I was perplexed but I was not one to question my lady's commands. After an hour later, we were off to the capital's center where the best markets are via a hired carriage. Even dressed in a drab gown that could only belong to a head maid and her hair hidden by a straw hat; The duchess still looks pretty by any standards.

"Linda. Do you like eggs?" she asked me all of a sudden.

"I love eggs Milady but...Cook Esteban's way of making eggs is not to my...uh..preference." I answered truthfully. A month of living with the duchess taught me that answering her truthfully when we are together is a privilege. It was a nice feeling because I don't have to lie to her face.

"Preference hmm? You used a lot of difficult vocabulary for a maid." she laughed softly. "I don't mind having a smart one. Let's go dine at a nice cafe as a reward for keeping the bridal house clean and meat." It was an honor to even dine with the duchess. Since she is dressed normally; we can sit together like normal women. Plus, I heard that cafe food is better than the usual servant meals at the mansion. The carriage rocked and bumped across the cobblestones before we arrived at the district where a few cafes are open for lunch. Immediately, we paid the driver and I allowed the duchess to choose the cafe where we can eat.

Oddly enough the smell of fresh eggs being cooked led us to a smaller cafe tucked between a bookstore and a general supply store. The sigh was a bit old and the inside was a bit cozy but I saw people inside enjoying their food so we decided to order their specials.

Our dish arrived and I ate the Quiche with Mash potatoes while my lady had the Omelet with Bacon Toast.

The rich taste of butter, milk, and eggs accented with mushrooms and herbs was a nice touch along with the bacon crisp on top. The mash was still lumpy but it tasted better as it was seasoned well. "This is nice. How is the omelet?" I nearly called her milady but refrained myself as she finished a few bites.

Her expression looked surprised as a half-smile graced her face.

"The eggs are not burnt. It was cooked well and the toast is soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, the bacon is salty and chewy so it complements the bread. Not bad at all." was her opinion as she finished the rest of the plate and we left the cafe after I paid for our meals.

"Milady." I offered with a hushed voice as we walked the streets. "Do you want to buy ribbons maybe or a new book?"

"Ingredients," she said promptly.

Did I mishear her? Did she say ingredients?☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐