Page 54 of Rachel’s Pudding Pantry

Chapter 23

A PUDDING PICNIC

The sun was warm on their backs as Rachel and Maisy knelt at the strawberry patch in the farmhouse garden. They were busy picking the now ripe, juicy sweet berries. The smell and taste of them was like candyfloss on their fingers. Maisy was eating as many as went into the punnet, Rachel noticed with a smile, taking in her little girl’s red-stained lips.

As a respite from the building noise and the hot early-July weather – yes, the builders were back, just on a slightly later track, phew! – Rachel had promised Maisy a picnic after school, down by the stream that ran through their farmland. There was an amazing pool you could paddle in across into Tom’s land, and he’d said in the past that he didn’t mind them going there.

Back in the farm’s kitchen, the picnic basket was soon loaded up with ham sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs from their hens, tomatoes from Jim’s greenhouse (he’d dropped off a bag, after telling Rachel during the taxi trip home the other night that he had lots ripening up), and, of course, an assortment of cakes and puddings. Jill’s latest trials were mini meringues that she thought might go well for the launch day and lemon drizzle cupcakes. Rachel, who knew she’d need to step up to the mark to assist with the Pudding Pantry supplies, had made some chocolate-honeycomb traybakes. All would go equally well with their loaded punnets of strawberries and raspberries.

They set off in the Land Rover, bumping across the fields, to park up in the low meadow, with its comforting smell of warm hay that was drying in the sun. A verge that had been left untouched was filled with deep-blue, wild cornflowers and a splash of red poppies that swayed between the pale-gold shafts of grass in a gentle breeze.

Maisy skipped down from the vehicle with Moss leaping eagerly behind her. Jill set out a tartan rug beside the stream. Moss was soon entertaining himself sniffing around the field and then playing chase-the-ball in the water, splashing them as he bounded in and out, much to Maisy’s delight. With her swimming costume on and her school clothes discarded, she was soon in the water too. The stream was shallow at this time of year, with just a few slippery stones to beware of. Every now and then there was a flash of a silvery brown minnow in the waters. Rachel dipped her bare toes in and leaned back on the soft grass of the riverbank, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her face – until Moss took to shaking off icy cold droplets right next to her, that was.

‘Aw, Mo-oss!’

Jill couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Right, picnic time,’ she announced. ‘Come on out of the water, Maisy. I’ve got a cosy towel here ready for you.’

Maisy was a little shivery as she came out the stream – the waters from the hills were cool and fresh even in summer – but she was soon wrapped up in a big fluffy beach towel.

‘Look, Grandma. Look over the other side, where it’s all green and shady. I think there might be a secret fairy glen there, like in my story.’

‘Hmm, yes, maybe you’re right.’

It did in fact look rather mystical. A small tree had uprooted on the opposite bank, and in the space between its bare and twisted roots were ferns and patches of moss, and clusters of stones that caught the light from the stream.

‘You can make wishes at fairy glens,’ said Maisy authoritatively.

‘Oh, I see. They must be special places then,’ said Rachel.

‘Of course they are. You can’t always see the fairies, but they’re there.’

Who was to argue with the imagination of a five-year-old, spurred on by a world of magical storybooks?

Maisy sat down on the rug, her bare toes peeping out from the big towel that was wrapped around her. ‘Ooh, can I have cake?’ The little girl was as quick as a whip and was about to plunge her hand into the Tupperware box of lemon cupcakes.

‘A sandwich first, and then you can,’ said Rachel.

Maisy took the sandwich somewhat grudgingly, but was soon tucking in happily, hungry after her day at school and splash in the stream. Moss lay beside her on the rug, watching patiently, waiting for any crumbs to drop.

This was so nice, the three of them together, spending a little time out on a summer’s afternoon in the sun. Time to take a pause, to breathe in the fresh Northumberland air, and enjoy the here and now. It was a rare treat with the farm always busy and their business plans in motion. The food was good, and life seemed good too just now, Rachel realised with a sense of calm relief, like the future was finally looking up for them.

Rachel batted away a wasp, and then enjoyed one of Jill’s moist and zingy lemon cupcakes along with a refreshing glass of lemonade.

‘Only a week to go until we open, Mum. It’s crept up quickly.’

‘I know, it’s hard to believe it’s really happening. I’ve got so much baking to do in the next few days. No point starting too soon though, as it needs to be nice and fresh.’

‘I’ll help with some of the cooking too, of course … for the launch party and the opening. I can do a couple of my white chocolate cheesecakes and my carrot cake is usually pretty acceptable. I could make a big one for the launch event, if you like.’

‘Oh yes, thank you. I’ll stick with making my traditional puds, and all the mini items for the party. Oh, and I must make a pavlova for opening day too.’

‘By the way, Eve’s working on a sign for us to go at the farm’s front gate and also one for above the barn door. We thought a deep-grey wooden plaque with looped white writing might work well. What do you think?’

‘That sounds like just the ticket.’

‘She’s coming around tomorrow too, to help me paint the teashop furniture white. We’re hoping for a nice dry day to get it all done outside.’ Eve was almost as excited as they were about the Pantry’s opening, and despite being busy herself, she wanted to help out where she could.

‘Mu-um,’ Maisy piped up, ‘Moss is back in the river, can I go play with him?’