She was still musing about Jago’s sexuality while she made yet another batch of shortbread, wonderingat the same time if she had in fact got bored with making the same biscuit time after time, when the phone rang. Slightly hoping it wasn’t another booking – she could do with a few days off – she went to answer it.
‘Darling? Daphne here! How are you?’
‘I’m fine, Daphne. How lovely to hear from you, and how are you?’ Gilly wiped her hands on her apron.
‘In the pink, sweetie, absolutely in the pink. Now, I’ve got a plan.’
‘Sounds a bit worrying.’ Gilly really hoped that if the plan meant her B & B being taken over by a lot of unruly women, she would have time to prepare properly.
Daphne ignored Gilly’s wary response. ‘It’s William’s birthday soon.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yes, and you know something? He’s never had a party! Not ever, in all his life. So I thought I’d organise one.’
‘What took you so long? He must be in his fifties,’ said Gilly.
‘I just assumed his parents were in charge of that sort of thing but no. I have to do it now!’
‘OK, well, anything I can do to help…?’ She briefly wondered if she should offer to have the party in her house but then decided it would look pushy. If William didn’t fancy her it would be awful – for himandfor her.
‘Well, you can come, and – if it wouldn’t be too much trouble – make a cake? I’m sure I could get someone else to make one but I thought you’d make a much nicer one.’
‘Of course! I’d be happy to. What sort of cake do you think he’d like? Sponge? Fruit? Chocolate?’
‘Actually what he’d really love is one in the shape of a glider. It’s his hobby, you know.’
This was a bit of a shock. ‘I’d been thinking of a nice chocolate sponge with his name on it in white buttercream? Perhaps some candles?’
‘Yes, a glider made out of chocolate sponge would be brilliant! Thank you so much, Gilly. I knew I could rely on you.’
Gilly’s murmured appreciation of Daphne’s faith was a bit half-hearted.
‘It’s going to be a surprise party, you know,’ Daphne went on.
‘Oh!’ Gilly’s protective instincts broke through her desire to seem helpful and supportive at all times. ‘Are you sure he’d like that? I mean, not everyone has the temperament for a surprise party.’ She’d been to a couple when the person was obviously not at all happy to have their friends jump out from behind bushes when they were unprepared and not wearing their make-up. ‘William is quite … sensitive?’ That wasn’t the right word; it made him sound like a poet. ‘I mean, he’s got a quiet personality. There’s nothing of the showman about him.’
‘It’ll be fine! Don’t you worry. He’ll be delighted. You just get that cake made.’
‘You haven’t given me a date?’
‘Oh, sorry! Tuesday next week OK for you?’
‘Yes,’ said Gilly faintly.
‘And I’m arranging a minibus to pick everyone up so no one has to worry about drinking and driving.’
Although she hadn’t said as much, Gilly sensed that Daphne felt it was a bit silly to worry about drinking and driving.
‘Great!’ Maybe she could get the cake to the venue beforehand. Otherwise she’d be stuck in the back of a minibus with the cake on her knees. If it hadn’t had to be a glider she could have put the cake in the special container she’d bought from a party years ago and had used at least twice. As it was, it would be more complicated.
‘So I’ll be back with all the details soon,’ said Daphne. ‘Lovely to chat to you! Byeee!’
Although her response to Daphne’s glider cake suggestion hadn’t been one of overwhelming joy, Gilly was a little excited at the prospect. She immediately put ‘glider cakes’ into her search engine and had a look. When her children were small she used to make amazing cakes in the shapes of pirate ships, ski slopes and mice and they’d always loved them. She really liked William sodid he deserve anything less than a cake in the shape of a glider?
She considered ringing Daphne to find out roughly how many the cake was going to have to feed but decided Daphne would probably say something vague and unhelpful. No, she was going to go this alone and make William the best cake he’d ever had. Although going on what Daphne had said about him never having had a party, maybe he’d never had a cake, either? In which case it was bound to be the best one!
After ordering a couple of enormous cake tins from the internet, she made a list for the cash and carry. She added food colouring to the list of normal cake ingredients. And then she sat down and thought about her gliding experience. What had been so magical had been seeing the landscape from above, in the silence, as if one was a bird. Maybe it would be better to recreate the landscape in cake, from a bird’s-eye view, and add the glider later?
