Recipe for Love (8 page)

Mike came up to her. ‘Ah, Zoe! I thought there was someone missing!’

‘I got up here on time,’ she said, aggrieved.

Mike looked at his watch. ‘Yes, I suppose you did, but they didn’t send quite enough cars—’

‘Told you!’ said Fenella, perversely pleased.

‘—which meant everyone had to squash up – three in the back. I don’t think the taxi firm took in about the camera people going too.’

Fenella shook her head, more in sorrow than in anger.

‘The problem is there’s not enough room for you, Zoe,’ said Mike, looking cross.

‘What?’ Zoe suddenly felt like the last girl picked for the team. ‘I bet Cher didn’t have to squash in the back. I bet she was fine.’

Mike looked sheepish. ‘She did dash off with just a cameraman in the car with her.’

‘You shouldn’t have let her!’ Fenella said indignantly. ‘It’s not fair!’

‘I know,’ Mike agreed, ‘but frankly I thought there’d be plenty of room for everyone and I’m not fit enough to run down the drive and throw myself in front of a moving car. Look, it’ll be fine. Zoe can go, all on her own, when the first cab comes back. I’m sure you won’t have to wait long.’

‘It’s outrageous!’ said Fenella, taking Zoe’s arm and leading her down to the kitchen. ‘And it needn’t have happened if only they’d let me tell them which local people are reliable.’

Gideon was in the kitchen, chatting to Rupert, and seeing him, Zoe tried to reverse back out of it. She couldn’t seem to avoid him. There was an overnight bag in the corner of the kitchen and she presumed he’d been given the seal of approval and allowed to stay at Somerby. She found she liked the idea.

‘No need to run away just because I’m here,’ he said. ‘I don’t bite. Or at least, only about once a month when the moon is full.’

Rupert laughed.

‘Poor Zoe got bumped off the taxis because they didn’t send enough,’ explained Fenella.

‘You thought that might happen, didn’t you, love?’ said Rupert. ‘Zoe, have a cup of coffee to compensate. I’ve just made some. And we owe you at least that, with all the help you’ve given us.’

Fenella sent Zoe a shocked glance, intercepted by Rupert. ‘Oh, don’t worry, girls,’ Rupert said cheerfully. ‘I’m sure it isn’t against the rules for Zoe to help with the washing up.’

‘Oh no, of course not,’ said Fenella. ‘Sit down. I’ll find some biscuits.’

‘Doesn’t that put you at a disadvantage?’ said Rupert, handing her a mug of coffee that smelt like heaven.

‘I suppose.’

‘It’ll mean they’ll get to the suppliers first,’ said Gideon. ‘And will have longer to think up their menu.’

‘Well, yes, I had worked that out but there’s nothing I can do about it.’ She sipped her coffee gratefully and decided to let the calming atmosphere of the kitchen at Somerby soothe her annoyance.

‘Let’s have a look at your list of local suppliers,’ said Rupert, holding out his hand. Zoe produced it from the back pocket of her jeans. ‘Hm,’ Rupert went on, looking at the list. ‘They’ve missed off a couple of good places. Why didn’t they ask us who our suppliers are? They’ve been very dense about this. They should have consulted us far more.’

‘Who have they missed off?’ said Fenella, sipping peppermint tea.

‘Well, the Roses, for a start, and although cider is their main thing, they do produce some wonderful pork,’ said Rupert. ‘And Susan and Rob aren’t on here. They’re a dairy, tiny but perfectly formed —’

‘As they say every time we go,’ said Fenella. ‘How did they miss them?’

‘Some researcher in London didn’t find them in any directory,’ said Gideon. ‘But there’s no reason why we shouldn’t go there.’ He looked at Zoe, who found herself blushing.

‘We? I’m not allowed to go except in the official cars – we had to hand in our car keys to make sure we didn’t break the “only local” rules.’

‘These places are practically within walking distance,’ said Rupert. ‘Much more local than some of these suppliers.’ He was still looking at the list disparagingly.

‘I’ll take you,’ said Gideon. ‘I’d like to check them out myself.’

‘But isn’t it against the rules?’ said Zoe, finding herself very much wanting to explore these places with Gideon. ‘It would be fraternisation or something.’

‘I’m a judge, not the enemy,’ said Gideon, looking intently at her.

‘Same thing,’ said Zoe quietly. ‘Isn’t it?’

‘Well, we won’t tell anyone,’ said Fenella, ‘and it’s their fault for not sending enough cars. You’d be disadvantaged if you didn’t go with Gideon.’

Gideon looked at her. ‘Anyone would think you’re keen to get me out of your hair.’

‘How did you guess!’ said Fenella, laughing. ‘I’ve got a team of decorators about to hit your bedroom any minute. We have to have that bridal suite ready double quick!’

He frowned. ‘Oh. I hope my staying doesn’t hold you up.’

‘Not at all,’ said Fenella. ‘They can work round you. If you don’t mind of course.’

‘Fine by me.’ Gideon smiled. Fenella and Rupert were doing him a favour after all.

Fenella turned to Zoe. ‘Now finish your coffee and then go. And bring me back a leg of pork. I’ll phone and tell them what we want. Oh, and some bacon …’

ZOE GOT INTO
Gideon’s car feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She felt she’d got to know him a bit while they were drinking cocoa but being suddenly so close to him was somehow a shock. She knew she was attracted to him – fancied him even – but she hadn’t realised quite how much till his arm was only inches away from hers. She really hoped she’d be able to concentrate. She didn’t often find people attractive like this and it was making her feel a bit light-headed.

‘Have you got the directions?’ Gideon asked.

She gave herself a mental shake and engaged her brain. ‘Yes. It looks quite straightforward.’ Rupert had scrawled a map that Zoe now examined. ‘Which one shall we go to first? Pigs or dairy?’ She was determined to sound completely professional and efficient. Which she was. Usually.

‘Which do we come to first?’

‘The dairy, but we don’t want stuff going off in the car while we look at pigs. Maybe pigs?’

He nodded, having thought this over. ‘OK, I’m in your hands but don’t get us lost.’

As she began to relax a little and enjoy his company she felt she could tease him. ‘Excuse me! You were the one who went down the wrong lane and got the car stuck turning round!’

She saw him raise his eyes to heaven in the driving mirror. ‘I knew you’d never let me forget that.’

Zoe smiled. Something in the way he said that connected them, as if they were a team – or a couple out on an adventure together. She found she liked the idea quite a lot, but then chided herself. They weren’t a team, he was a judge of a competition that was going – with luck – to be watched by millions and she was a contestant.

And anyway, she was mad to fancy Gideon. He would never look at her except possibly as a minor diversion when there was no one else around. He had the sort of looks – not exactly handsome but undeniably sexy – that implied he could get any woman he decided he wanted. Even if she wanted him – and if she were honest, she did – she’d be mad to give in to her feelings. She had to keep a grip on herself. She couldn’t jeopardise her chances in the competition. She was a modern young woman, with aspirations she didn’t want to sacrifice by getting distracted by a man, tempting though he was.

‘I think it’s here,’ she said as they approached a turning, half hidden by overgrown hedges. The countryside was ablaze with that fresh greenness one only got in May. Zoe was really enjoying herself. ‘Rupert said the sign is pretty hidden but it’s by the blasted oak.’

‘I didn’t think they really existed but I see what you mean.’ He changed down and turned where she indicated. With a throaty roar they headed down a less-than-smooth half-dirt track. ‘But if you’ve taken us down a long cul-de-sac I expect you to get us out.’

‘Don’t I always?’ She sent him a challenging look.

His answering glance suggested to her that he was not used to being challenged. She decided to do it as often as possible – for his own good, of course. She also realised how much she loved flirting.

The lane was bordered by orchards with black pigs snuffling underneath the trees – an idyllic picture that
made
Zoe sigh for a more rural life. The town where she had lived up until the competition and where her parents still lived wasn’t exactly a metropolis but there was something wonderfully appealing about the real countryside and not the chocolate-box version of it.

‘Presumably those are cider-apple trees,’ she said out loud, to disguise the sigh. ‘I expect the apples would flavour the meat wonderfully.’

Gideon laughed. ‘As long as they didn’t eat too many and get drunk.’

‘Can pigs get drunk?’ asked Zoe.

‘Oh yes, they really can. Not sure if they get hangovers though.’

The idea tickled her imagination. ‘Imagine having to serve hangover cure in buckets, Alka-Seltzer billowing over the top.’

‘Which would be followed by little piggy belches,’ said Gideon. ‘Rather sweet.’

Zoe stole a quick glance at him as he parked; a man who thought that pigs could be sweet could not be all bad. Not that she thought he was bad … She sort of wished he’d stop saying things that made her like him more.

Gideon got out of the car. There was no one about. ‘Have they got a shop?’ he asked Zoe. ‘Or a bell?’

‘We’ll ring the front-door bell and hope someone comes.’ She sighed. ‘I haven’t much experience of farms but I can imagine there’s hardly ever anyone around. They’re always off somewhere, doing something.’

Fortunately they didn’t have to wait long, enjoying the sunshine and inspecting the flowerbeds on either side of the front door, before they heard a voice. ‘Can I help you?’

A woman in her thirties appeared wearing a shirt and
a
pair of jeans stuffed into wellington boots. Her hair was held back by a band and she had no make-up on. Her broad smile made further adornment unnecessary. ‘Sorry, I was feeding the babies – piglets.’

‘Oh, can we see?’ said Zoe.

‘Don’t coo over anything you might eat,’ said Gideon, following the two women to the babies.

‘I’m not going to eat any of these, am I?’ said Zoe.

‘I was just saying …’

The woman she was following sighed. ‘You sound just like my husband. I’m Jess Rose, by the way. Fen and Rupert sent you? They rang and said you were on your way. Here we are.’

There in a pen was a sow as big as an average family car and twelve little piglets like silken sacks with legs.

‘Oh my God, they are so adorable!’ said Zoe. Gideon raised an eyebrow but she could tell he thought they were adorable too.

‘Yes they are,’ agreed Jess. ‘And yet we do eat them. We give them the very best, most natural life possible and then they die.’

‘You don’t give them names?’ Zoe almost whispered.

Jess shook her head. ‘Not the piglets, only the breeding sows.’

Zoe dragged her eyes away from the wriggling snuffling creatures that reminded her of Labrador puppies. ‘This is no good! We’re on a mission. Apart from picking up some things for Fen, I want some really wonderful pork product for a cookery competition.’

Jess smiled broadly. ‘Come with me. I might have just the thing!’

They followed her to a shed. Hanging from the roof were half a dozen pieces of meat. ‘It’s from the belly,’ said Jess. ‘This is my homemade pancetta!’

Gideon and Zoe exchanged glances. ‘Did Fen know about this?’ Zoe asked.

‘Nope! I wanted to see if it worked before I told anyone, but it does.’

‘I must have some!’ said Zoe.

‘How would you use it?’ asked Gideon.

‘I don’t know! And if I did I wouldn’t tell you!’ said Zoe only half aware how silly that sounded. ‘Is it terribly expensive?’

They drove away from the farm with several packages on the back seat. ‘I’m so excited about the pancetta,’ said Zoe. ‘No one else will have it!’

‘You will have to do something special with it,’ said Gideon. ‘Having good ingredients is only the start.’