With a sigh, she put it back. ‘Bets says she’s up to something. Made him some offer. Whatever it is, isn’t making him happy. He’s been grumpy since he came back, but he seems much worse suddenly. He’s always been difficult to read. Unlike his brother, Jack. All charm and smiles.’ She shook her head, her face lighting up with a fond smile. ‘But like an eel. Slithers off the minute there’s work to be done, but with more charm in his little finger than you can shake a stick at. Bets is far too good for him.’ Ella was less and less liking the sound of Jack. Bets had definitely lost a touch of her bounce in recent weeks. Jack sounded totally selfish to her, not that she could say that to his mother.
‘I find it’s best if you stick to the noughts and fives,’ advised Audrey with one of her lightning changes of tack, ‘then people know they’ve won something straight away. And arrange everything in number order, otherwise it’s a nightmare trying to find the right bottles.’
Ella nodded. She hadn’t realised she’d have to do this bit when she was volunteered.
‘So I have to stick raffle tickets on every bottle?’
‘That’s right, dear. One on the bottle and the other ticket in the barrel.’
Ella looked at the collection of bottles on the table. She was going to have her work cut out. Before she could wonder out loud how long it might take her, Audrey had bobbed up and was off with a cheery wave. ‘Cakes need to be delivered to the tent by eight-thirty, so that the judges can start their deliberations first thing. Stalls open at ten prompt. You’re on till twelve and then someone will take over. Think that’s everything. Look at the time. I still need to get to the hairdressers, pick up the new rat and make sure that Peter’s got the trestle tables out of the village hall. It’s all go. Happy baking.’
Watching Audrey’s retreating figure, Ella sighed, reeling slightly. It was as if a tornado had just swept through.
She exchanged a look with Tess, who shook her head, kneaded her blanket with her paws, walked around three times and then with a mournful sigh, dropped into the bed, turning her back on Ella. ‘I’m on my own, then,’ said Ella.
She started combining the cake ingredients she’d previously measured out and then couldn’t remember how much baking powder she’d put in, so added a tiny bit extra to the flour just in case. She had no idea that baking could be so therapeutic, although her arm was killing her and her mind kept straying to Devon. Whether he went back to Marina or not, she still wanted to explain about Patrick. She didn’t want him to assume that she’d forgiven Patrick.
Audrey had looked so worried about him. It didn’t seem right he owed so much money, not with the way property prices were in London. Something nagged at her, like a missing piece of puzzle.
Now the cake was in the oven, she wondered how she was going to decorate it.
She’d seen the odd episode ofBake Off. That nagging buzz at the back of her head surged forward again. Filmed in a tent in the grounds of some gorgeous house. Did they pay the house-owners to rent the grounds?
She needed to focus on the task at hand. Baking. Presentation. Making it look as good on the outside as on the inside. Not that she was particularly confident about the inside. But the outside, she could definitely do something about.
As she tidied the kitchen, wiping up the flour, washing the mixing bowl, under the watchful eye of Tess, she flitted from one idea to another. She could cut the cake into an intricate shape and ice it. Trim one edge into a straight line and tip the cake on its side so that the flat front faced forwards. That would be different, but then what would she put on the front? There were so many possibilities. Tess yawned with a loud groan.
‘What do you think Tess? Fancy shape? Fancy icing? Or am I overthinking it?’
Tess stood up slowly, shook herself and came to stand in front of Ella, her amber eyes blinking up at her with a serious expression as if she were carefully considering the options. With a sudden gurgle of laughter, Ella crouched down to give the dog a hug. ‘You don’t care, do you?’ Under her arms, Tess wriggled to get closer, almost knocking Ella off her feet. A surge of love bloomed in Ella’s chest.
‘Daft dog,’ she whispered, feeling the prickle of tears in her eyes. There was nothing quite like this quiet, unconditional companionship. It was a shame friendship with people couldn’t be like this. Although, Ella smiled to herself, it was rather convenient when one half of a pair couldn’t talk back. She sighed and looked at her watch. While the cake was baking she just had time to make a phone call. The idea that had been nagging at her had bubbled away for the last hour.
‘Britta, it’s Ella.’ She held the phone in one hand, the other stroking Tess’s silky ears. The crazy dog had snuggled in so close, her head nestled on Ella’s thigh and her breath was leaving damp patches on Ella’s jeans.
‘Ella, babes. How you doing? You and Patrick sorted things out yet?’
Ella refused to even discuss that yet. This call was going to be difficult and she would rather have avoided it but she needed to check something.
‘Yes, we have.’
‘Thank God for that. So when are you coming back to London?’
Ella chickened out. ‘Britta, remember when you and Bryce did that video installation.’
‘Lord, yes. What a palaver.’
‘How much did you have to pay for the studio?’
‘Daylight robbery. Only £900 a day.’
‘And what did that include?’
‘Ella, babes. What are you planning? Should I be getting excited? Is this a new direction?’
Ella wanted to groan out loud. Instead she looked down at Tess and rolled her eyes. The dog lifted her head and nuzzled in closer if that were possible, almost sitting on Ella. A definite show of support on the canine front.
‘Yeah,’ she lied quickly. It was probably easier. ‘So what did that pay for?’
