Page 119 of The Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery

In a way, Louise is relieved her mother knows. The secret was a heavy burden – she can only imagine how Jack must feel.

‘So you understand his predicament, then? Jack can hardly set up a carpentry business when everyone thinks he’s an architect. At least, not without exposing his father’s lie, anyway. Jack’s too kind to do that.’

‘Yes, he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place,’ Elizabeth says. ‘It’s such a sad situation. Richard should be proud of Jack regardless of what he does for a living. I won’t pretend I wasn’t disappointed when you chose publishing for a career instead of joining the bakery, but I was still incredibly proud. Every time you had a new book out, I ordered it from the bookshop in Skipplewell and the library.’

‘Oh, Mum.’ Louise puts her head on her mother’s shoulder. ‘Anyway, you got what you wanted, me running the bakery.’

‘But that wasn’t what I wanted.’

‘Yes, you did. As soon as I came home, you were angling for me to take over the bakery.’

‘That wasn’t what I wanted,’ her mother repeats. ‘It still isn’t.’

‘It isn’t?’ Louise is confused.

Elizabeth sighs. ‘What I wanted was for you to come and work alongside me. For us to run the business together. Like I did with my mother. I wasn’t really ready to retire. I just couldn’t find anyone good to replace Mrs. Danes and I couldn’t manage the place single-handed, so the only option was to close. You know, I interviewed one woman who turned out to be a vegan. Can you imagine?’ She shakes her head. ‘All our recipes would have had to be changed. Your gran would have turned in her grave if I made her ginger cake with margarine.’

Louise laughs, wondering if they’d interviewed the same person. ‘You really wanted us to work together?’

‘Of course I did! I’ve still got a few good years left in me, you know.’

‘Why didn’t you say?’

Her mother sighs. ‘I don’t know. Maybe I was afraid that you’d say you didn’t want to work with me.’

Louise puts her arms round her, pulling her in for a hug. ‘You’re very welcome to put in a few shifts,’ she says.

Her mother pulls back, rummaging in her pocket for a tissue. ‘Am I? Am I really?’

‘I can’t sack Anna. She’s been great. But if I’m going to do a bit of freelance editing work, having another pair of hands would be very useful.’

‘That’s settled, then.’ Elizabeth blows her nose loudly. ‘It’ll be exciting. I’ve never worked in a bookshop before.’

‘It’ll be just like working in the bakery,’ Louise says. ‘There might be a whopping great sign over the door saying “Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery”, but we don’t sell many books. Customers come here to feed their stomachs, not their souls.’

‘Oh, Louise. I really am sad for you.’

‘I know.’

‘If I could wave my magic wand and make your books sell, and find a way for Jack to stay in Applethwaite without humiliating his father, I would.’

‘You don’t have a magic wand, I’m afraid.’

‘Magic wooden spoon, then.’

Louise laughs. ‘We don’t need a magic spoon. We need ideas.’

‘Don’t look at me,’ Elizabeth shrugs. ‘I’m not an ideas person. But we both know someone who is.’

Thirty-Nine

Louise is in the Crime Scene, looking at the books on the shelves. The books that still aren’t selling, despite Maddie upping her efforts on social media.

Thank goodness she bought them from the wholesalers, on sale or return.

Running a bookshop was a nice dream, but ultimately, this place is a bakery. People love the book nooks that Maddie and Jack created, but they don’t go in there to look at the books, only because the main part of the bakery is full and there’s nowhere else to sit, or because they want a bit of peace and quiet.

And Louise can’t see that changing any time soon.