Chapter One
Lilly Tweed, former agony aunt with the local newspaper, now purveyor of fine teas at The Tea Emporium in the small northern English town of Plumpton Mallet, jogged across the car park at the back of the market square. She was on the way to the Agony Aunt's cafe, which she part-owned with her former nemesis, now very good friend Abigail Douglas, to pick up lunch for herself and her shop manager Stacey, and she'd just seen a large coach pull in, packed to the gills with visitors wanting to spend their holiday money in this historic town. It was one of the official tour groups. The town was popular with visitors all year round, but the spring and summer months saw an increased influx, which no other town in the north of England could match. So much so that there were days when the tourists out numbered the residents by five to one.
The reason for her current and uncharacteristic physical exertion was the fact her shop was one of the main tour stops, and her young American manager was on her own. She leant against a nearby wall, grabbed her phone from her pocket and called the shop.
"Hello," she puffed out, once the girl had answered.
"Hey! Watch it, you creep. Go get your kicks somewhere else!"
Lilly would have laughed, but she didn't have the energy or the breath.
"Stacey, it's me," she gasped out.
"Lilly, is that you?"
"Yes."
"What are you doing? I thought you were a heavy breather!"
"Jogging. Hang on, let me just get my breath back."
"Jogging?" Peals of laughter reached Lilly's ears.
"I know, I know. Believe me, I wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't necessary. A leisurely cycle to work and jogging, actually make that sprinting, from one end of the town to the other are completely different disciplines."
"What's so urgent?"
"There's a tour group just turned up. They'll be in the square shortly and heading your way." Lilly could hear rustling paper as Stacey checked the calendar.
"But they're not on the schedule for today. I've been really careful to make sure all the dates are listed, so we have adequate cover."
"I know. They must have changed the itinerary and forgotten to tell us. Will you be okay for ten minutes while I nip to the cafe and get our lunch?"
"Sure, no problem. I'll find some way to entertain them. Maybe juggling?"
Lilly choked out a laugh. "Well, as long as you're not juggling cups and saucers or spinning plates, that's fine. See you in a bit."
"Sure. And maybe walk back, okay? I don't want you passing out in front of the customers. It's bad for business."
Lilly was still chuckling when she entered the cafe. Abigail popped up from behind the counter and slapped her forehead when she saw her.
"Oh no, Lilly, I forgot to get your lunch order ready."
"Don't worry. I'll wait for my turn like everyone else. You're busy, I take it?"
"I've been on my feet all day, every day, for the past week. Look at this!" she said, lifting the cuff of her linen trousers to reveal ugly swollen veins. Lilly grimaced.
"Oh, Abigail."
"I know. Varicose veins! Aren't they awful?"
"And painful I expect?"
Abigail nodded morosely. "I'll have to see the doctor, I suppose. But I can't afford to take time off if I need an operation."
"Good grief, Abigail, don't be daft. Of course you can. Your health comes first. We can switch the rotas round no problem. I think you should sit down for a minute. Fred will sort my lunch order out."
"Already doing it, Lilly," Fred called out from behind the counter.
"But we're so busy."
"I hate to break it to you, but you're about to get busier. I've just seen a tour coach in the car park."
"What?" Abigail squeaked. "I didn't think they were coming for another couple of days."
"Neither did I. So sit down and get some rest while you can. Have you got anyone you can call to cover this shift?"
"I've just given two servers and a barista a couple of days off, so they'd be back for the rush on Friday," she moaned. "I really should have run that by Stacey, but I was trying to be an understanding boss. Well, it's the last time I'll do that."
"Do you need me to help?"
"No, we'll manage. You need to help Stacey today if there's a load of tourists just arrived. But if you could help at all tomorrow and Thursday, that really would be a lifesaver."
Lilly nodded. "I can do that. I'll have a chat with Stacey and see who can cover the tea shop while I'm here."
"Thanks, Lilly. So, have you got the call yet?"
"No, not yet. But you'll be the first to know when I do."
Fred waved, indicating her take out lunch was ready, and he'd also prepared two tall iced coffees for them.
"That's great, Fred, thank you. Abigail, I'll see you later."
As predicted, when she arrived back, the tea shop was full thanks to the tour group and Stacey was busy with customers. Luckily, there was no juggling. Lilly quickly put their lunch and drinks under the counter and began to work the shop floor while Stacey brewed tea samples and dealt with the sales.
"These are new, Lilly," the tour guide said, pointing to the porcelain white teacups with gold rims and the shop logo on the side in gold.
"Yes, they are. Stacey designed them. They make great souvenirs. Look at the reverse."
Lilly turned the cup around to reveal a beautiful monochrome line drawing showing a scene of the market square and the shop.
"Wow, that's gorgeous. Your manager really is talented. You ought to do place mats and coasters with this design. I'll take one, please, Lilly. And one of those fabulous ceramic kettles shaped like a teapot. The one with the colourful beach huts. It reminds me of my childhood holidays."
After an extremely busy hour, in which Stacey and Lilly sold more tea sets, tea boxes and miscellaneous items than they could ever remember in one day, the tour group trickled out en route to the next stop on the agenda, and Stacey and Lilly finally had time for their lunch. Lilly smiled at Earl, who, realising it had all gone quiet, returned from the storeroom where he'd been hiding and resumed his spot in the window.
Lilly was half way through her pasta when the shop phone rang.
"The Tea Emporium."
"Hello, can I speak to Lilly Tweed, please?"
"Speaking. Can I help?"
"Oh, hello, Lilly. It's Laurel Flowers here."
"Laurel, how nice to hear from you. How can I help?"
Lilly beamed. This was the call she'd been waiting for. The one Abigail had asked her about earlier. Stacey caught her eye, grinning and giving two-thumbs up in response to hearing the woman's name.
"I was given your name by Lady Defoe, as you're probably aware?"
"Yes, she did mention I might hear from you. You're looking to cater for a fundraising event as part of the re-election campaign for mayor Goodwin, I believe?"
"That's almost right. The event is to raise funds for the town officially, although mayor Goodwin is also hoping to be re-elected again this year. To be honest, I'm calling to officially book you and your team. Lady Defoe has been waxing lyrical about your food and capabilities. As have some others I've spoken to. It seems pointless therefore for me to look any further when I obviously have the best business for the job in my own town. Can we arrange a meeting to talk about it in more detail?"
"Of course," Lilly said, grabbing the diary and swiftly turning the pages. "How is Friday for you?"
"Ah, no good, I'm afraid. The working week is always chock-a-block. I have Saturday at two o'clock free. Would that suit you?"
"Yes, that would work perfectly," Lilly said. If necessary, she'd re-arrange her whole diary in order to get this particular job. "Do you want me to come to your office?"
"Actually, I'd rather hoped we could meet at your cafe, if that's convenient?"
"I'll ask Abigail to reserve a table for the three of us. Is there any particular tea you'd like?"
"As a matter of fact, Lady Defoe sent me a box of your summer strawberry blend recently and it was sublime."
"Summer strawberry it is. I'll put a box aside for you as well," Lilly said, glancing at Stacey, who was busy scribbling notes.
"That's very kind, thank you. I'll send you an email with my thoughts so far, and we can discuss it further on Saturday."
"I look forward to meeting you," Lilly replied. Then said goodbye and ended the call.
"Did we just book the mayor's fundraiser?" Stacey asked hopefully.
"We did!"
She quickly phoned Abigail to give her an update, and even Stacey, who was at the other end of the counter, could hear her squeals of delight.
"Well done, Lilly," Abigail said. "Now, I need to go and sort out which treats will best complement the strawberry tea. See you later."
Lilly was ecstatic. This would be their biggest and most high-profile event yet.
Chapter Two
The remainder of the week flew by and before Lilly knew it, she was walking down to the cafe for the meeting with Laurel Flowers. With no private bookings for that day, Abigail had already set up the tea room in preparation. She would have liked to be able to open up the room for any walk-in customers as Saturday was usually very busy, but this event was an important one so she closed it off for the duration of the meeting and made sure it was looking its absolute best for Laurel Flowers.
"I must admit, I'm very excited about this event, Lilly. It could be the beginning of something huge for us if it all goes well."
"I agree. It's going to be a lot different to catering book clubs, the odd wedding and birthday parties, though."
"But we can do it, partner!" Abigail said, clapping her hands together in undisguised glee and excitement. Lilly laughed and nodded. "I'm just going to check the oven. I've got the pastries and scones in for Laurel to sample, and heaven forbid I burn them. I won't be a minute."
While Abigail was in the kitchen, Lilly set out the binder she'd put together full of ideas Laurel could look through and pick and choose as she wanted. Half an hour later, they were all seated, sipping the summer strawberry tea.
"Gosh, I've been craving this. It's not addictive, is it?" Laurel asked with a smile.
"No, don't worry. You can't get addicted to it, but it's definitely moreish," Lilly said.
"You can say that again. Do you sell it here at the cafe, too?"
"We do," Abigail replied. "Although we've put a box aside for you."
"That's very kind. Thank you, ladies. I'll try not to drink it all at once."
"It's very good cold over ice with lemonade or sparkling water and a sprig of fresh mint too."
"Gosh. I think I need to really stock up. That sounds like a great idea for a summer garden party, Lilly."
Laurel Flowers was a very attractive petite woman in her late thirties, with an elfin face and large, dark blue eyes under a short mop of curly blonde hair. She reminded Lilly of Tinker Bell in the Peter Pan stories. But she knew the woman had a steel core and didn't suffer fools gladly. Considering her job as the mayor's right-hand woman, she expected that sort of temperament would come in handy. It wouldn't do to underestimate Laurel Flowers. Lilly felt she'd be a stickler for detail, with a need for things to be perfect. They'd really have to pull out all the stops if this event was to be a success. She'd turned up wearing a stunning silk jumpsuit in deep turquoise, which both Lilly and Abigail admired.
"Thank you. It's from my mother's range. She owns a small chain of luxury women's boutiques in London. I have the matching lingerie, too," she said with a wink. "Now," she said, replacing her empty cup on the saucer and pushing it to one side. "I'm pressed for time, as per normal, so let us get down to business. I appreciate you getting the quote to me so quickly, Abigail. However, the numbers have almost doubled since we last spoke. mayor Goodwin has been glad-handing door-to-door recently and has also done a couple of public events, all of which have worked like a charm. Many have bought tickets to the event who otherwise wouldn't have done so. Will that be a problem?"
"Goodness me, no," Abigail said, before Lilly had a chance to say the same thing. "We're more than capable of handling the increase."
"Excellent. If you could get the revised quote to me as soon possible, I'll get the deposit organised."
As Laurel talked about what her expectations were for mayor Kenneth Goodwin's annual fundraising event, Lilly began scribbling notes and working out the logistics. They'd already assigned the staff, but with the event doubling in size, it would mean training new staff members, which would take some time. In all probability, it would also mean closing both the cafe and the tea shop for the afternoon. But the increased revenue for the fundraiser would more than cover those losses. Luckily, the tea room they were currently in wasn't booked on the event day.
Laurel was explaining what decor she had in mind when her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and let out a frustrated sigh.
"Sorry, I need to take this or he'll just continue to pester me."
She got up and moved to the far side of the room. But with only the three of them present, both Lilly and Abigail had no problem hearing Laurel's side of the conversation.
"Carl, I'm in a meeting. Can't this wait? Of course we were serious about the invitation. Why on earth wouldn't we be?" There was a pause while she listened. "Oh, for heaven's sake, Carl, don't be so ridiculous. Tell Councillor Davis we both look forward to seeing him. Goodbye." She abruptly ended the call and returned to the table.
"Sorry about that."
"Is everything allright, Laurel?" Lilly asked.
"Yes, it's fine. That was Carl Bates, Councillor Davis's nephew. An irritating thorn in my side. Russell Davis, in his foolish wisdom, has taken Carl on as his new assistant. I don't know if you're both aware, but Councillor Davis is running against mayor Goodwin this year and seems to think Carl can help him win," she scoffed.
"Someone has put their name in the hat this time?" Lilly asked in surprise.
"Is that unusual?" Abigail asked. Not being from Plumpton Mallet originally, she wasn't au fait with the town's elected officials.
"Mayor Goodwin is extremely well liked in Plumpton Mallet," Lilly said. "He's a local and passionate about the town and its residents and is very fair. He's done a lot to increase tourism and highlight local environmental issues, as well as care for both the elderly and youngsters alike. And improvement to local services. I'm really surprised someone is running against him. I don't think that's happened in the past four or five elections."
"He's been our mayor for that long? I thought the elections were every four years?" Abigail said.
"Exactly. It just proves how popular he is."
"Thank you for that glowing endorsement, Lilly. I happen to agree with you, but Councillor Davis believes he has a good chance of winning," Laurel said now. "And frankly, it pains me to admit it, but he just might. He's not a bad choice. He's young and energetic, and that is attractive to people. I actually quite like Russell Davis, although he can be a bit single minded and acerbic on occasion. Particularly if you don't agree with him. But his nephew …" she tapered off and sighed again.
"Is he really that bad?" Abigail said.
"Strictly between us, he's like a child. He's extremely competitive and, as far as I can gather, will do anything it takes to ensure his uncle is elected. I wouldn't put it past him to get sneaky and underhand as the deadline draws nearer. Obviously, as I'm mayor Goodwin's assistant, Carl has decided he and I are in competition with one another and he will not leave me alone. I sent an email inviting them to our fundraiser. This is normal practice. We invite all the councillors to our events and they do likewise. Russell, as a member of the town council, has always attended and wouldn't dream of not coming to this one just because he's running in opposition to Kenneth. But Carl seems to think it was some sort of joke. He's not politically savvy. Actually, he's a bit of an idiot, if I'm honest."
"I'm sorry he's making things so difficult for you," Lilly said.
Laurel waved the comment away. "I'll deal with it. It's part of my job. I'm not complaining, really. Now, let's get back to the event. The strawberry tea is a definite, but I'd like to give the attendees some other options. Certainly the lemon lavender one, which I've tried and like very much."
"It's our most popular blend to date," Lilly said, making notes.
"I've set out several samples here," Abigail said, switching on the kettles.
"Thank you, Abigail. Now, let's talk about the food."
The meeting lasted close to two hours, much longer than any of them were anticipating. But with an event as important as this one, it needed to be right, and Laurel, as Lilly had predicted, was indeed a stickler for detail. With everything on the list ticked off, and Laurel had said goodbye, Lilly and Abigail discussed the sharing of various tasks.
Abigail would get the revised quote together and send it to Laurel along with the invoice for the deposit. It would include additional equipment, staff and training, as well as an assortment of sundry items like tablecloths and centrepieces.
"My main concern is the staff training," Abigail said. "Cafe and tea shop skills are fine, but we're looking at silver service for this and none of them are up to scratch."
"We'll have to do this after hours, Abigail, and I think we'll have to offer bonuses for doing so."
"Good idea. I'll see if I can add it to the invoice. In an ethical way, of course. I got the feeling Laurel would be quite happy to pay for this sort of thing, actually. She really does want us on board. So, what about some sort of additional incentive for them? Say, a special dinner for everyone who signs up?"
"I like it," Lilly said, making a note. "I know it's very last minute, so we're bound to have some who can't do it, but the bonus and dinner should appeal to most of them. I'll get Stacey to contact them and arrange the schedules. Two nights this week for additional training should be enough, but if any are having issues, then we can do some extra."
"That shouldn't be a problem."
"Right, I need to get back to the tea shop. Give me a ring if there's anything you need. See you later, Abigail."