Page 20 of Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay

TWELVE

‘Oh, look, there’s Danskelfe Castle up ahead!

’ Jasmine sat up straighter in her seat, her eyes roving over the imposing building, a flag fluttering from one of its turrets.

It appeared to rise from the precipitous crag it had been built upon, which afforded it an ethereal quality.

On a cloudy day, Jasmine could imagine it would appear quite foreboding.

‘Wow! Imagine getting married there,’ said Florrie.

‘Don’t fancy it for you and Ed, do you?’

‘Much as I think it would be fabulous, I’m more of a low-key lass. I think Ed and me’ll stick to our plans for a small do in Micklewick Bay, that’s more our vibe.’

Ed had surprised Florrie with a proposal last Christmas Eve and, with all the work and plans they had for the bookshop, including the conversion of the upstairs flat to a tearoom, they’d decided to wait until next year to get married. That way, they’d be able to give it their full attention.

‘Hmm, maybe. I could see Stella getting hitched there, though, couldn’t you?’

‘Definitely! Mind, there’s a slight problem with that: Alex would need to propose first.’

‘True,’ said Jasmine. ‘Maybe we could get Ed to have a word with him, give him a nudge in the right direction.’

‘Maybe we should.’ They exchanged conspiratorial smiles.

‘I never thought we’d be talking about our Stells getting married.’ Florrie laughed.

‘Yeah, I know what you mean. I’d love to make her wedding cake, I’d do something elegant, understated and sophisticated, just like her.

’ The thought of being the wedding cake creator and supplier for an upmarket venue like Danskelfe Castle was mind-blowing for Jasmine and she sent a silent prayer heavenward, hoping with all her heart the meeting would go well.

‘Yikes!’ Florrie slammed on the brakes as a pheasant shot out in front of them, its colourful feathers glowing in the sunshine. ‘Daft bird appeared out of nowhere,’ she exclaimed as it raced off into the bracken, cackling angrily.

‘Hazards of the country roads, I expect.’ Jasmine’s heart was thudding after the emergency stop.

‘Aye, that and the free-roaming sheep. They have no road sense.’

Before long, the car was rattling over the former drawbridge and nosing its way into the courtyard of Danskelfe Castle – as per Lady Caro’s instructions, rather than using the public car park – parking up alongside a brace of four-wheel drives, including the new-style Land Rover Defender that had been used to transport Maggie to hospital when she’d surprised everyone by going into labour with baby Lucy.

They’d just climbed out of the car when the great oak door to the castle was thrown open and Lady Caro stepped out.

She was an image of countryside chic in a pale blue polo shirt, the collar turned up, and a pair of well-cut jeans and expensive-looking suede loafers.

She was closely followed by a trio of waggy-tailed Labradors that spilled out onto the age-worn flagstones, apparently thrilled to greet their visitors.

‘Jasmine, darling, welcome. It’s so wonderful to see you.’ Lady Caro’s cut-glass accent bounced around the ancient walls. She rested her hands on Jasmine’s shoulders and delivered a noisy kiss to each cheek, her chestnut ponytail swinging from side to side. ‘Mwah, mwah.’

‘Hi, Lady Caro, I’m so sorry we’re a bit late but?—’

‘It’s Caro, and there’s absolutely no need to apologise, darling. I’ve just finished a Zoom meeting and hadn’t noticed the time.’ She waved Jasmine’s concerns away with a manicured hand.

What a relief!

Lady Caro turned to Florrie, smiling warmly. ‘Hello there, you look awfully familiar, have we met before?’

‘We have,’ said Florrie, holding out her hand. ‘I’m Florrie Appleton, I was part of the infamous sleigh ride party with Jasmine and Maggie.’

Lady Caro gave a hoot of laughter. ‘Infamous is very much the right word!’ She ignored Florrie’s outstretched hand, instead greeting her in the same way she had Jasmine. ‘Welcome, darling, it’s lovely to see you again.’

‘Actually, the reason Florrie’s here is because my car broke down; Florrie came to the rescue and brought me – it’s never happened before, I’m going to get it booked in at the garage as soon as I get back,’ Jasmine added hastily.

She wasn’t sure if Lady Caro would be expecting her to personally deliver the wedding cakes to the castle and didn’t want her car problems to put her off or give her cause for concern.

Worry about getting it fixed later, Jazz.

Focus on Lady Caro now. Enjoy this moment and don’t forget to smile!

‘Well, I for one am jolly glad you were able to come to Jasmine’s assistance.’ Caro smiled before turning to Jasmine. ‘I’ve been very much looking forward to picking up where we left off with our chat the other day! I can’t wait to hear what you have in mind for our weddings.’

‘I’ve come prepared.’ Jasmine waved the folder in her hands and gave a smile, hoping her suggestions would live up to Lady Caro’s expectations.

‘Excellent.’ Lady Caro clasped her hands together before swinging round on her heel. ‘Right then, ladies, come this way.’

The two friends followed Lady Caro and her gaggle of dogs into the castle, Jasmine peering up at the elaborate coat of arms above the door as she stepped inside.

She heard Florrie gasp beside her. ‘Oh, wow! This is so beautiful,’ she said as they glanced around, taking in the thick stone walls and age-darkened beams.

‘Just a bit,’ said Jasmine, her presence there suddenly feeling very surreal. She was almost tempted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

They trotted along, keeping pace with Lady Caro’s long, determined strides, the sound of the Labradors’ claws clicking over the old flagstone floor.

They passed ancient suits of armour and dark oak coffers, some of which were bedecked with elegant floral arrangements in antique vases, the fragrance of the blooms filling the air along with a tang of woodsmoke and the unmistakable aroma exuded by ancient stone walls.

While gilt-framed portraits of formidable-looking Hammondely forebears and opulent tapestries adorned the walls.

‘You have a wonderful home, Lady Caro,’ said Florrie.

‘Please call me Caro, and yes, it’s not a bad old shack.

Bit draughty in the winter, and the upkeep is eye-wateringly expensive, which is why we’re always thinking up new ways to diversify and keep the old gal in the style to which she’s become accustomed – I should probably clarify that when I say “old gal” I’m referring to the castle and not my mother.

’ She gave another of her hoots of laughter, while Jasmine and Florrie laughed politely.

Word had reached Micklewick Bay that Lady Davinia was a bit of a dragon, not that they wanted to let on to her daughter that they knew.

Lady Caro came to a halt in front of a solid oak door. ‘Welcome to the engine room, ladies.’

‘Right, first things first: tea.’ Lady Caro set about making a pot as they chatted about everything from the recent spell of warm weather to the handmade bears Maggie had made for the castle’s holiday lodges.

Lady Caro’s office could only be described as impressive.

A large, mullioned window dominated one wall, offering spectacular views of Danskelfe Dale, while a partner’s desk sat at the opposite end of the room to a large stone inglenook fireplace.

As with the hallway, vast family portraits adorned the walls.

‘They’re not my personal choice for in here, particularly the one of Marmaduke, the fourth earl, and his rather penetrating gaze that seems to follow you everywhere, but we’ve got nowhere else to hang them, so they’ve had to stay put.

I had thought about sticking a blindfold on old Marms, but my father advised me against it in case it damaged the paint, and since he’s still the boss here, I have to do as I’m told.

’ Her dry sense of humour and relaxed attitude put Jasmine and Florrie instantly at ease.

‘Right then, let’s get down to business,’ Lady Caro said, once she’d made tea. ‘I’m desperately excited to hear your suggestions and ideas, so fire away, Jasmine.’

Jasmine’s heart leapt. Here goes!

She started by elaborating on their phone conversation of the previous week, using the photos of the cakes she’d brought with her, explaining the most suitable designs, her reasons for them, and the costings as she went along.

‘The more expensive cake can be more elaborate, with more tiers, more elements, the cheaper one less so, though we can still make them look special. And there’s a degree of flexibility in the designs with regard to accent colours, i.e.

the ribbon around the base, the colours of the flowers, etcetera, not to mention whether the cake’s fruit or sponge – if you’d like to go ahead, I can let you have some cake samples to taste.

’ Jasmine had hoped to be able to bring some with her today, but with everything that had been going on, she hadn’t had the time to make any.

Lady Caro sat back in her seat. ‘I love it! Your suggestions are perfect, and exactly what we’re looking for, darling. I suppose you did your training at some super-duper patisserie school?’

‘Um… no.’ Jasmine’s voice faltered and she stole a look at Florrie.

‘My mum taught me to bake and I’m self-taught as far as the decorating’s concerned.

I started off making and decorating birthday cakes for my own children, then people began asking if I’d make cakes for them. Just seemed to snowball from there.’

‘Jazz’s built up an amazing reputation in and around Micklewick Bay,’ said Florrie.

‘I heard a couple singing her praises in the bookshop on Saturday. One referred to her as the “go-to cake lady”, the other one said she’d never seen or tasted a cake as fabulous as the one Jazz had made for her friend’s little boy. We’re all very proud of her.’

Jasmine gulped, feeling heat rise in her face. ‘Thanks, Florrie.’ Though she felt uncomfortable hearing such praise, she felt a flood of love for her friend.

‘No need to be so coy, Jasmine. The ladies in the shop are right. And, in the spirit of being honest, I’ve had a few sneaky tastes of some of the cakes you’ve made for the couples having their weddings here and they’re utterly sublime.

The sponge cakes are as light as air, and the fruit cakes so rich and delicious. ’

Jasmine couldn’t help but beam. ‘I’m so pleased you liked them.’

‘Which is why I’d like to offer you a contract to be the Danskelfe Castle wedding cake supplier.

And not only that, but also to supply cupcakes and the likes for our corporate events.

’ Lady Caro beamed back at her. ‘Before you accept, I need to tell you that I heard how much you charge for your cakes and from these costings…’

Jasmine’s heart sank. Uh-oh! I should’ve known it was too good to be true. She went to speak but Lady Caro jumped in.

‘In all honesty, darling, I can’t accept these terms.’

‘Oh.’ Jasmine’s face fell and she sensed Florrie tense beside her.

‘Goodness me, don’t look so mortified, it’s good news! What I wanted to say was that you sell yourself way too short. I’ve had a look at other wedding cake designers whose cakes aren’t in your league but cost three times as much.’

‘We’ve always told Jazz she doesn’t charge enough,’ Florrie chipped in.

‘I completely agree. Which is why I think we can offer you considerably more than you’re probably expecting per cake while still making a decent profit ourselves.

Much as we’re keen to make money, we like to encourage loyalty from our suppliers and show we value them; we want to keep the best for ourselves.

With that in mind, these would be our terms… ’

Jasmine’s eyes widened in disbelief as Lady Caro went on to state the amount they’d offer her per cake.

She did a quick mental calculation; if she delivered two wedding cakes per week, which is what Lady Caro had implied, then it would mean there was a chance she could give up at least one of her jobs, and reduce the hours of the other.

In turn, that would mean she’d be at home more, and be able to fit decorating the cakes around Zak and Chloe.

She blinked, letting it all sink in. This could be the break she and the kids needed, and would mean she could top up her earnings by still making cakes locally in Micklewick Bay.

‘You don’t have to answer right now, if you’d rather not. Go home, have a think about it and let me know as soon as you’ve made a decision.’

Lady Caro’s words cut through Jasmine’s thoughts. She looked across at Florrie who was smiling happily at her.

‘I don’t need to think any more about it, Lady Car… I mean, Caro. I’ve thought loads about it since our call. Thank you so much for your amazing offer, I’d love to accept it.’

‘That’s fantastic, darling! I’m beyond delighted!’ Lady Caro clapped her hands enthusiastically. ‘I think this calls for a celebratory cup of tea, then I’ll give you a quick look around the castle, show you where the ceremonies take place.’

‘So, do you have an idea of when you’d like to get started with the wedding packages?’ Jasmine asked, before it slipped her mind.

‘Good question. Well, we’re hoping to be able to offer the smaller packages pretty soon. We put out a few feelers to test the water as regards to time and from the feedback we’ve been getting, it could be as soon as a couple of months.’

‘Wow! That’s quick,’ said Florrie, her eyebrows shooting up.

‘I know, it would seem people are rather keen.’ She turned to Jasmine. ‘In the meantime, I wonder if I could place a personal order? A birthday cake for my father.’

‘Of course, I’d love to make a cake for your dad. Do you think he’d like one in the theme of the castle, or would he prefer a more formal style?’

‘I think he’d be utterly enraptured with a castle-themed cake.’

‘Fabulous.’ Jasmine’s mind had already started whirring with ideas.

‘That’s what I think they call a successful trip.’ Florrie beamed at Jasmine as they waved Lady Caro goodbye from the car and headed out of the courtyard.

‘Oh, my days! Did that really just happen?’ Jasmine looked back at Florrie in disbelief. ‘Please tell me it wasn’t a dream and I’m going to wake up and find myself having to do more shifts at the bakery or take on more cleaning jobs.’

‘Jazz, flower, it wasn’t a dream, it was all very real. You deserve some good news like this. Now, just sit back and let it all sink in.’

Jasmine was quite happy to do just that when her mobile phone pinged, heralding the arrival of a text. Her first thought was to hope it wasn’t from school.

She fished it from her bag, tapping on the screen to see a message from her mum.

She opened it, her stomach clenching as she read.

Jasmine, how come there’s a For Sale sign on your house??? xxx