Snowy Nights at Castle Court Read online

  Praise for Holly Hepburn:

  ‘Fabulously feel-good, funny and fresh, it will sweep you off your feet’ Rowan Coleman

  ‘Deliciously romantic and sprinkled with the magic of the movies – it’s the perfect treat!’ Miranda Dickinson

  ‘Pure pleasure, a delight from opening credits to closing reel’ Julie Cohen

  ‘Like the dream pub landlady who always knows exactly what you want, Hepburn has created the most delightful welcome to what promises to be a brilliant series, in the first Star and Sixpence. The sisters are warm and intriguing, the neighbours are (mostly!) friendly and the gossip is utterly addictive. I was very sad when it was time for last orders, and am already looking forward to the next round. Especially if a certain blacksmith happens to be at the bar...’ Kate Harrison

  ‘Warm, witty and utterly charming – the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter’s day. It left me with the most wonderful happy glow’ Cally Taylor

  ‘Warm, witty and laced with intriguing secrets! I want to pull up a bar stool, order a large G&T and soak up all the gossip at the Star and Sixpence!’ Cathy Bramley

  ‘A super sparkling star of a story and I can’t wait for part two’ Alexandra Brown

  To Clare, my partner-in-baking-crime

  Chapter One

  Crosby and Billingham Estate Agents

  Shop To Let – Castle Court, Chester

  A rare opportunity has arisen to rent this spacious ground-floor shop, with basement accommodation, in Chester’s prime shopping area, The Rows. Castle Court is a well-known destination for food lovers and thriving businesses include a chocolaterie, an authentic Dutch waffle house and the famous American diner, the Bus Stop.

  Interested parties should view these highly desirable premises at their earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

  Price on Application

  Cat Garcia held up a small bunch of silver keys and jangled them in front of her best friend’s nose. ‘Do you want to do it or shall I?’

  Sadie Smart felt a shiver run down her spine that had nothing to do with the chilly November air. They’d been building up to this for the last six weeks – the moment she and Cat stepped inside the newly refurbished Smart Cookies Biscuit Emporium together for the very first time. It had been a dream they’d cherished since school; their very own business, one that combined Cat’s love of cookery and Sadie’s artistic flair. And what better place to open a food shop than quirky Castle Court, in the heart of their home town, a secret oasis tucked away behind the time-worn streets of the Rows.

  Glancing up at the swirling blue and gold sign she’d painted above the door, Sadie allowed herself a half-smile. Art college seemed like something she’d done in another lifetime; marriage and the arrival of her daughter, Lissy, had given her student days a dreamlike, distant quality. It had felt good to dust off both her brushes and her creativity, especially for something so important, although she’d felt horribly rusty. She hoped it didn’t show in her work.

  ‘Why don’t you do the honours?’ she asked Cat. ‘You’ve done most of the hard graft so far, being here every day to oversee the building work.’

  ‘You were working too,’ Cat pointed out. ‘Just not here. And you have a five-year-old to look after.’

  Sadie thought back to the previous afternoon, when she’d said goodbye for the last time at the doctor’s surgery where she’d been working part time. She’d been nervous about leaving – worried about being further away from Lissy’s school too – but there was no way Cat could continue to do everything to get Smart Cookies off the ground. Besides, she wanted to be involved – they were building their dream together.

  ‘But I’m here now and ready to get stuck in,’ she said firmly. ‘Although I’m relieved I won’t have to deal with any of the workmen. I don’t know how you didn’t kill the guy fitting the oven.’

  Cat gave her a dead-eyed stare. ‘Who says I didn’t? Maybe he’s the reason the new cement floor in the basement isn’t quite level.’ Her expression dissolved into a grin as she slid the key into the lock. ‘We’re a team, so we’ll do it together. On three . . .’

  Sadie clasped her gloved hand over Cat’s. ‘One, two, three!’

  They twisted the key to one side and the door nudged open. Both women let go and allowed it to swing back. The not-unpleasant scent of fresh putty and new paint wafted over them in a cloud of warm air as they gazed inside. The walls were lined with clean white shelves. The wood floor had been sanded and re-varnished; it was now dotted with multi-tiered circular tables that rose like wedding cakes, waiting to be decorated with Sadie and Cat’s creations. A glass counter ran along the back wall, next to an alcove where the computerised till system would sit. Gleaming white banisters invited customers to take the curving staircase downstairs to the basement, where a small but perfectly equipped kitchen was tucked away off a galley room filled with benches and long tables; Sadie planned to use them to offer icing classes and birthday parties. But that was for the future, she reminded herself with a small inner shake. There was a lot to be done before Smart Cookies was ready to open its doors to the public.

  ‘What first?’ she asked, glancing at Cat with a quizzically raised eyebrow.

  Cat stepped forwards, wiping her boots on the doormat. ‘First we put the kettle on. And then we make a plan.’

  Sadie didn’t try to hide her amusement. That was Cat all over: organised, methodical and a firm believer in the power of tea and a To-Do List. It was probably inevitable, given her friend’s glittering career as a chef – what was a recipe, if not a very specific to-do list, after all? ‘Okay,’ she said, following her into the pristine shop and closing the door behind her, noting the pleasing tinkle of the little brass bell over their heads. ‘I hope you’ve brought some biscuits.’

  ‘Believe me, I have eaten, slept and breathed the bloody things for the last month.’ Cat patted her large tote bag, which bulged with boxes, her expression rueful. ‘I’ve given away so many free samples that I’m pretty sure my new neighbours think I’m some kind of cookie pusher.’

  Sadie noted the dark circles under Cat’s eyes, and the sallow tinge to her Mediterranean skin; she didn’t doubt that her friend had been burning the midnight oil in pursuit of perfection. ‘And?’

  ‘And I think we’re there. Baking a biscuit that will stay crisp and crunchy under all the icing you’re going to pour on top hasn’t been easy.’ Cat gave a melodramatic sigh and tucked her long dark curls behind her ears. ‘You don’t want to know how many disappointingly soggy bottoms I’ve bitten into recently.’

  ‘Mary Berry would be proud,’ Sadie said, fighting to keep her face straight. ‘But I want you to know that I appreciate both the pun and the sacrifice.’

  Cat shrugged off her coat. ‘There’s plenty more of both in our future. But the first order of business is tea. I think better with a cuppa in my hand.’

  She led the way down the stairs, past the galley and into the kitchen. Two floor-to-ceiling fridges lined one wall; another was filled with gleaming silver ovens. A third wall had white cupboards, beneath which lay glittering marble worktops studded with industrial-sized stand mixers, and a high-level table lay flush against the final wall. Sadie couldn’t help glancing at the tiled floor as Cat walked across it to reach for the kettle. It was perfectly even; clearly the woeful oven-fitter had redeemed himself eventually. Cat was used to working to the highest standards in the Michelin-starred restaurants of Paris and anything less than perfection would not be tolerated. Sadie had heard stories of sous-chefs reduced to tears by Cat’s blistering tongue, although she’d never experienced the fury herself. But she’d also never worked with her; being business partners increased the likelihood
that sparks would fly, Sadie thought, squashing a faint bubble of unease. She’d have to make sure she brought her A-game to everything she did, especially where the biscuits were concerned. And that might be easier said than done now that she was a single parent. Lissy had coped well with the turmoil caused by her parents’ separation just over six months earlier, but Sadie still struggled to juggle the demands of having to do it all herself. She couldn’t even rely on her own parents to help out; they’d retired to the idyllic town of Bowness, overlooking Lake Windermere in the Lake District. In spite of the difficulties of coping alone, Sadie was determined to give Smart Cookies everything she had. She owed it to both herself and Cat.

  The tea was strong, brewed with the Yorkshire tea bags that Cat loved so much that she’d taken boxes with her as she travelled the world, studying different cuisines. Now she’d settled back in Chester, in a glossy two-bedroomed rooftop apartment nestled inside the city walls, with views across the River Dee. It wasn’t quite the Parisian skyline, she’d admitted to Sadie on the day she’d moved in, but it was home.

  ‘So,’ Cat said, as they settled on leather-topped stools around the high table. ‘Here’s where we are.’

  She tapped at her tablet and pulled up the detailed spreadsheet that made up the blueprint for the whole business.

  ‘We’re on schedule for our opening day at the start of December,’ Cat said, scanning the rows of highlighted numbers. ‘But we really need to start advertising, to build up a buzz. And we need the website to be finished – it can’t go live until we have photographs of our products.’

  Sadie glanced at the date on her watch: it was 9 November, just three and a half weeks until the shop was due to open. They were cutting it fine if they wanted to get the word out to build up the all-important Christmas trade.

  ‘And we need the biscuits to be iced before we can have photos,’ she said, thinking of the designs laid out across the dining-room table in the tiny two-bedroomed cottage she shared with Lissy. She’d planned to start small but Cat had wanted more and more. A Welcome Baby range in pink, blue and yellow, presented in little keepsake boxes. Butterflies, birds and bees that just begged to be bitten. Birthday balloon biscuits that could be personalised. Individually iced letters arranged to spell out Thank You. And of course there was a Christmas range: edible bauble biscuits, gleaming red and white candy canes, snowflakes and colourful box-shaped presents. And that was just the basic stock. Cat also wanted plenty of display biscuits dotted around the shop, plus an irresistible window display that would tempt customers inside. It all made sense to Sadie but there was no denying it would be a Herculean task to get it all done in time.

  ‘Do you think you can ice these overnight?’ Cat asked, reaching into her bag, and pulled out a large Tupperware box. ‘I thought I might nip them over to the photographer in the morning.’

  Sadie eyed the box with some trepidation. ‘What shapes are in there?’

  ‘Two of everything,’ Cat said, placing another large box on the table. ‘One for you to practise on and another that needs to be picture-perfect. That’s okay, isn’t it?’

  Sadie’s heart sank. The whole range numbered more than seventy individual biscuits. Each one needed at least two different types and shades of icing, matched perfectly against a custom-made colour chart, to decorate them. Getting them all ready by the next day was going to be a huge task – preparing the icing alone would take well over an hour.

  Cat studied her apologetically. ‘I’m sorry to dump this on you, especially since it took me forever to perfect the bake. Say if I’m being unreasonable – I know you’ve got Lissy to think about too.’

  The trouble was that they needed the website to be up as soon as possible, Sadie thought, trying not to feel daunted. But she didn’t want to let Cat down, not when time was so pressing and it really should be fine – she’d practised the designs on greaseproof paper, after all. ‘No problem,’ she said, squaring her shoulders. ‘I’ll make a start before the school run later.’

  ‘Amazing,’ Cat said, flashing her a grateful look. ‘Thank you.’

  The conversation moved on to the presentation of the shop itself. They went back upstairs, discussing how the stock should be arranged across the shelves. Sadie felt herself relax as she slipped into her comfort zone; design and aesthetics were where she had always excelled.

  ‘I’ve probably gone overboard with the bunting and fairy lights order,’ Cat said, pursing her lips. ‘But actually we should go straight into festive mode – a tree, tinsel, the works. The window should be Christmas-themed too.’

  Sadie’s creative instincts sat up. ‘We could do a miniature snowy village in biscuits, with Father Christmas and his reindeer flying overhead and star-shaped cookies sparkling in the sky.’

  ‘That would look amazing,’ Cat said, her eyes gleaming. ‘I could make the houses out of gingerbread. It would be a great showcase for our talents and I’m sure it would pull in the festive crowds.’

  ‘And in the meantime, I could paint some pictures on the glass,’ Sadie suggested, glancing at the barren window. ‘To give people an idea of what’s coming.’

  She pulled her notepad towards her and started to doodle some designs on the smooth white paper, while Cat absorbed herself in the spreadsheet. Sadie was so engrossed in her drawing that she barely noticed when the bell above the door tinkled. It was only when she heard a male voice that she looked up.

  ‘Hello, neighbours.’

  The speaker was holding the door half open, leaning through as though he couldn’t decide whether to come in or not. Sadie took in his tousled dark hair, dancing brown eyes and wide smile, before moving on to the black biker jacket and white t-shirt beneath. His black jeans were narrow and led downwards into heavy Doc Marten boots. Wow, Sadie thought, dragging her gaze back to his face. He’s the kind of neighbour I could get used to.

  Cat evidently agreed because she didn’t seem to be able to take her eyes off him. Amused, Sadie summoned up a business-like smile. ‘Hi there. How can we help?’

  Their neighbour’s smile widened. ‘I’ve been watching the workmen come and go for weeks,’ he said, nodding at Cat. ‘And now that it seems you are almost finished, I thought I should come and say hello.’

  His voice had a trace of an accent, one that lifted each word out of the ordinary and made them instantly more interesting. French? Sadie wondered, hoping that wasn’t the case. Although Cat had loved living in Paris, she’d left the city under a cloud; the last thing she needed was an ever-present reminder of what she saw as her failure.

  Cat still hadn’t spoken so Sadie put down her pen and extended a hand to the stranger. ‘I’m Sadie, the arty half of Smart Cookies.’

  The man shook her hand. ‘Great name for a biscuit business,’ he said approvingly.

  ‘I’m Jaren Smit. I run the Dutch pancake house opposite.’

  That certainly explained the accent, Sadie decided, glancing beyond the ancient oak tree in the heart of the courtyard towards the orange and green Let’s Go Dutch sign that hung above a double-bayed shop front. She turned her head to give Cat a meaningful look. ‘And this is the brains of the operation – Cat Garcia.’

  Hearing her name seemed to wake Cat from her daydream. Her cheeks reddened slightly as she stepped forwards to take Jaren’s outstretched hand. ‘It’s nice to meet you.’

  ‘Likewise,’ he said, smiling. ‘Although I should probably warn you that I am the first of many nosy shopkeepers who will be banging on your door. Your shop has been the subject of much speculation around Castle Court for some time now and everyone is keen to meet you.’

  Cat and Sadie exchanged looks. ‘We’re looking forward to getting to know everyone too,’ Sadie said cautiously. ‘This is a brand new venture for us so it’s good to know our fellow shopkeepers are friendly.’

  Jaren nodded. ‘Castle Court is a special place – we all look out for each other here. Which isn’t to say we all get along, of course, but we’re a bit like a family –
we try to help if and when it’s needed. All you have to do is ask.’

  He smiled again and Sadie wondered if it was having the same effect on Cat as it was on her; it certainly looked as though her friend was having some distinctly non-familial thoughts about their new neighbour. ‘That’s great,’ she said. ‘Isn’t it, Cat?’

  ‘Absolutely,’ Cat replied. ‘Really great. We look forward to becoming part of the Castle Court family.’

  Jaren gazed back and forth between them and Sadie thought his eyes lingered a fraction of a second longer on Cat before he spoke again. ‘Well, don’t let me get in your way. I’m sure you have plenty to do.’ He raised a hand and waved. ‘See you around.’

  Both Sadie and Cat waved their goodbyes and watched Jaren make his way back across Castle Court. A busy silence filled the shop.

  ‘Well,’ Cat said, after a moment had passed. ‘If all our neighbours look like him then it’s going to make coming to work a whole lot more enjoyable.’

  Sadie laughed. ‘He’s certainly very easy on the eye. More your type than mine.’

  ‘Maybe. But probably not single,’ Cat said with a sigh. ‘The good-looking ones never are.’

  ‘You never know,’ Sadie replied. ‘It shouldn’t be too hard to find out, anyway.’

  Cat’s expression brightened. ‘That’s true.’ She glanced sideways at Sadie. ‘And if he is single, he might have a friend for you.’

  Sadie shook her head hard. ‘Oh no, you’re not dragging me into this. The last time we double-dated was our Sixth Form prom and I ended up headfirst in the college fountain.’

  ‘It’s not my fault your date was a moron,’ Cat countered. She sent Sadie a wide-eyed look. ‘Come on, you and Daniel have been separated for more than six months now. It’s time you had some fun.’

  ‘I do have fun,’ Sadie said, folding her arms. ‘I take Lissy to the park, play football with her, build Lego castles. Those things are lots of fun.’