Page 25 of Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay

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 leftoff 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 laughedpolitely. 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, thecheaper 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.

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