Almost everyone’s carrot cake had turned out well. Cathy had definitely seen an improvement in the quality of the bakes at the club over the weeks, and a massive surge in confidence too. People had started to believe that they were bakers and, rather than getting fazed or upset when they found something tricky, were far more inclined to roll up their sleeves and give it a go anyway – whether it turned out to be successful or not. As a consequence, they usually did a pretty good job. Only Colin’s looked a little worse for wear today but, Cathy had reassured him, that was only because he’d put his cream cheese frosting on before the cake had cooled and it had melted. She was sure it would taste just fine, even if it did look like a lump of goo.
As she started her usual tidy and clean, Erica and Tansy came to bid her goodbye.
‘How did you find today?’ Cathy asked. ‘There was a bit more to think about with today’s bake but everyone seemed to get on well.’
‘Good,’ Erica said. She looked at Tansy. ‘Don’t you think it was good today?’
‘Yes,’ Tansy said – it was about as close to praise as Cathy was ever going to get so she’d take it.
‘In fact,’ Erica said, ‘Tansy wants to do some baking at Matt’s house over the weekend. You get a bit bored, don’t you? It’s a bit too far to see your friends—’
‘They’re all bitches anyway,’ Tansy cut in.
Cathy’s smile held, despite the acid in Tansy’s tone.
‘I could help,’ Cathy said. ‘If you wanted some help, of course, I mean, if you wanted to get on with it then of course that’s fine. But if you like, I could show you some new things to make. You’ve got natural talent – I think you’d be able to handle far more complex bakes than we do here.’
‘I think that might be good,’ Erica said, looking at Tansy for agreement. ‘Sounds like fun. I think you’re good too – better than I am.’
Tansy nodded. ‘Alright,’ she said. ‘You could. I suppose you’d be coming to see Matt anyway.’
Cathy had been planning to see Matthias and, in fact, he’d booked a day off work to do just that, but it certainly hadn’t involved spending time with Tansy. But this seemed like a good opportunity to make those inroads she’d vowed she was going to make, and she didn’t think he’d mind. She hoped he’d see it as a good thing. She half wondered if it would have been this hard trying to get on with an actual daughter rather than just his moody niece. Anyone who had to go to such lengths to ingratiate themselves with the son or daughter of a new partner had her deepest sympathy.
‘Great!’ Cathy said. ‘I’ll talk to your uncle and we’ll fix something up!’
Before her day with Matthias, Cathy had a day at work. Ordinarily she’d look forward to spending time with Fleur, but today she was filled with a vague impatience as she stood at the stall, hands in the front pocket of her green tabard, eyes fixed on the doorway to the market hall. They’d finished their usual morning cup of tea and cake and there had been a flurry of customers which had tailed off about half an hour ago. It was almost midday. Cathy had told Fleur to go and have her lunch first and she’d follow. Fleur often argued that she didn’t need lunch and it would have been no surprise if she’d done so today. However, surprisingly, she seemed to jump at the chance.
‘I’ll go in ten minutes or so,’ Fleur said. ‘Just let it get to a respectable time – can’t have my lunch when it’s not even afternoon.’
‘Nobody will care if you’re hungry,’ Cathy said absently, eyes still on the doorway.
Fleur clicked her fingers in front of Cathy’s face. ‘Earth to Cathy!’
Cathy turned with a grin, shaken out of her daydream. ‘Sorry.’
‘No prizes for guessing what you’re thinking about.’
‘Actually I was thinking about what I was going to bake with Tansy tomorrow,’ she said.
Fleur raised her eyebrows.
‘OK,’ Cathy said, laughing, ‘I was thinking about Matthias a little bit too. But I promise there was some baking in there.’
‘Are you taking your little recipe book?’
‘I suppose I’ll have to; otherwise, most of it’s in my head and I think Tansy will find the idea of me dictating quite random measurements and staring at the bowl for ages until I decide if it looks right quite frustrating.’
‘She certainly wouldn’t be doing much of it herself. Why don’t you go and buy her a proper recipe book? She might like that.’
‘She might,’ Cathy agreed. ‘I think that’s a brilliant idea, actually. A token of friendship and all that. I might take mine anyway in case there are recipes she wants out of there, but I think I’ll get her something that’s her own for when I’m not there.’
‘Is your book finished yet?’ Fleur asked.
‘More or less. People are still coming to me with recipes, but I suppose I’ll have to have some kind of cut-off point or we’ll be going at it forever.’
‘You still don’t fancy getting a few printed for sale on the stall?’
‘I think it’s too close to Christmas now.’
‘We have two weeks.’
‘What if they don’t sell and we’ve got a load left?’ Cathy shook her head. ‘It’s a lovely idea but I think I’d rather just give copies to people.’
‘Like whatshername…?’
Cathy frowned.
‘Oh, you know, that woman who’s in charge at the church hall.’
‘Iris?’ Cathy smiled. ‘She thinks she’s in charge… actually, come to think of it, she’s probably the closest thing to a manager they’ve got. Whatever they pay her – and I’m not sure they do pay her – it’s not enough. She’s always there no matter what day it is and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t need to be.’
‘That’s dedication,’ Fleur said.
‘It is.’
‘So she’s already got a copy of your book?’
Cathy resisted the urge to frown. ‘Yes… a rough one. Why do you ask?’
‘Oh, no reason,’ Fleur said airily. ‘Do you know what…? I might have my lunch now after all. If I’m late back hang on for me – might have to run an errand or two.’
‘Oh, right…’ Cathy began, but she wasn’t even sure that Fleur heard that much because without another word she grabbed her coat and dashed off.
Cathy arrived at Matthias’s house the following day with everything she thought they might need and he wouldn’t have for an afternoon of baking. He’d seemed a touch sceptical on the phone when Cathy had explained their plans and what she’d hoped it would achieve, but he was happy that she was making an effort. He was even happier that Tansy seemed to be making an effort too.
Matthias greeted Cathy at the door with a tender kiss. They both understood that it would probably be the only one of the afternoon, unless Tansy decided to make herself scarce, though Cathy thought that was very unlikely. Even if she’d wanted to go out, she wouldn’t have wanted to make life easy for anyone, least of all Cathy.