AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sporting her usual attire of brightly coloured kaftan – today’s a medley of orange, yellow and scarlet – and matching bandana, Denise waved at them, hoisting her over-large straw bag onto her shoulder and trotting on her kitten heels to meet them, a wide smile lighting up her handsome features.
‘Thanks, Henri. See you back here in an hour?’ said Millie.
‘No problem. Make sure you get everything you need, though. We won’t have time to make a return trip.’
‘Okay.’ She gave Henri a quick peck on the cheek and climbed out of the rust bucket, formerly known as a Fiat 500. ‘Hi Denise. Thanks ever so much for coming.’
In response, Ella’s best friend collected Millie into her arms and gave her an affectionate squeeze. A tantalising whiff of gardenias floated to Millie’s nostrils causing her to smile and her gratitude to burgeon further.
‘Millie, my darling, what’s this I hear about you offering to put on a wedding feast with only twenty-four hours’ notice? Are you crazy, girl? Do you have sunstroke, or perhaps you’ve been partaking in a little too much of the local rum? Or could it be something else that’s causing you to lose your senses?’ A twinkle of mischief appeared in Denise’s eyes.
‘Millie isn’t crazy, Dennie,’ said Ella as she led them into Castries market to do battle with the stall holders. ‘She has a heart of gold. Now, were you able to source absolutely everything on the list I gave you over the phone last night?’
Millie and Ella had collaborated with Imogen and Alex to decide on the new menu that would, as far as possible, incorporate their favourite dishes and flavours. After Champagne and canapés on arrival, the wedding guests would be seated at their tables in the courtyard and served a starter of carrot and sweet potato soup, followed by poached red snapper marinated in a lime-and-chilli dressing – both Alex’s choice. Apparently, his gran had made the best carrot and coriander soup in the whole of Lancashire.
Imogen had chosen the main course and they would be preparing jerk chicken breast with sides of butternut squash mashed with mango, brown sugar, and a squeeze of lime and either a medley of fresh Caribbean vegetables – peas, ochre and a hint of mint – or an apple, pomegranate seed and coriander salad. Of course, the dessert had to be chocolate-inspired and Imogen had requested a dark chocolate torte with Caribbean rum-infused ice cream. There would also be a huge bowl of tropical fruit salad – guava, kiwi, passion fruit, pineapple.
‘You know me, Ella,’ chuckled Denise. ‘I’ve been here since seven a.m. tracking down the freshest produce St Lucia has to offer! All the fruit, vegetables and salad items have been packed into crates and Marlin has agreed to deliver everything to the villa this afternoon along with the chicken breasts and the red snapper. The home-made bread and cheeses are ready for us to collect, but I thought you and Millie would like to select your own herbs and spices so you get the best that’s on offer today. I just know that Imogen and Alex are going to have the most wonderful Caribbean wedding breakfast. Come on, let’s get shopping!’
A surprise coil of anxiety snaked into Millie’s chest. Denise had such confidence in her abilities, which was flattering but nerve-racking at the same time. She really didn’t want anything to go wrong, not because it would reflect on her culinary competency, but because of the effect any inadvertent ‘Millie Mishaps’ would have on Ella and Claudia. She took a deep breath and lifted her chin – she was determined not to let that happen.
‘Wow! I love these anthuriums. They’re a lovely heart-shape and a perfect red colour – ideal for a wedding! Why don’t we buy a few to display around the pool?’ said Ella.
Millie glanced at the plants Ella was fingering. To her, the flowers had always looked a bit indecent with the protruding fleshy spike and she wasn’t sure they would be the best choice for a wedding – or maybe they were. She felt her lips twitch as she met Denise’s eyes and couldn’t prevent a giggle from erupting. Denise joined her with a deep raucous belly laugh.
‘Oh, my God!’ chastised Ella, shaking her head at their playground antics. ‘Get a grip you two!’
‘Perhaps we should go with these Barbados lilies instead?’ compromised Millie. ‘The pink ones are gorgeous, and they smell amazing – and look, they’re called True Romance. It’s definitely got to be a sign!’
Ella had already moved on to the next table, nodding a friendly greeting to the stallholder.
‘I think this lemon mint will make a delicious addition to a lemon and lime sorbet, just in case anyone doesn’t fancy the dark chocolate torte or fruit salad.’
Despite the early hour, the market was bustling with people – locals and tourists alike. The aromas were intoxicating, and Millie raised her nose to inhale the sharp exotic fragrances, closing her eyes to savour the sensation and to store the memory away in the crevices of her mind so she could take it out and relive the experience when she got back home.
From that morning onwards, the smell of nutmeg would forever be associated with her stay on St Lucia. Every time she grated it into one of her patisserie recipes, she would be transported back to the sun-filled days she had spent at the Paradise Cookery School and at the Botanical Gardens where she had seen it growing in its indigenous environment.
Of course, those memories would be inextricably linked with Zach, because he had been by her side on that day trip, but she was okay about that. His presence at Claudia’s villa had enhanced her all-too-brief sojourn in the tropical paradise and she was grateful for his friendship even if ithadended so abruptly with the arrival of Clio.
‘Okay, have we got everything we need?’ asked Denise, her plump arms laden with brown paper carrier bags crammed to bursting with fresh produce.
‘Is that a coconut? Since when did we have coconuts on our shopping list?’ laughed Ella, teasing her oldest friend.
‘I couldn’t resist it. Hey, Angus, would you give us a hand to carry our purchases to the car, please?’ Denise called to one of the stallholders who was relaxing behind his display of intricately carved masks, his feet resting on a wooden crate, a cigarette protruding from his lips. He didn’t look overjoyed to be asked to leave the comfort of his deckchair.
After a brief struggle to squeeze shut the boot of Henri’s Fiat, Millie, Ella and Denise jumped in for the return journey to Soufrière. The temperature had climbed steadily whilst they had been sauntering around the market stalls and the little car was like an oven.
‘It’ll be okay once we get out of Castries and onto the open road,’ Henri promised. ‘Did you get everything on your lists?’
‘We did. Now all we have to do is peel, slice, chop, whip and cook up a storm!’ Ella erupted into one of her signature belly laughs. ‘My favourite pastime.’
‘Mine too,’ added Millie.
‘Well, I do love the cooking,’ smiled Denise, her brown eyes sparkling with pleasure at being a part of the culinary gang that day. ‘But the tasting part has to be in the top spot of the hit parade for me.’
‘Are you looking forward to your trip to Martinique tomorrow, Henri?’ asked Millie, keen to divert attention from the wedding for a few moments.
‘I am. I’ve waited months to speak to Jacques Barnier about what the authorities are doing to prevent young people from becoming involved in the drugs trade. I’m planning a full feature article forThe Soufrière Tribune, but I’m also going to send the piece to a contact of mine onLe Mondewhich will hopefully mean that whatever promises Monsieur Barnier makes can’t be simply brushed under the carpet once we’ve published.’
