‘Er . . .’ I looked at her shiftily as she pulled my ninetynine- per-cent-accurate pregnancy test from the bag.
‘Holy Cannelloni!’ Her dark eyes stared, saucer-like, in the gloom of the hallway.
‘Probably a false alarm, but yeah, I might be having a bambino,’ I said, going pink. ‘And seeing Noah tonight has made me realize that I hope I am.’
Rosie gave me a huge hug. ‘If that’s what you want, then I hope so too.’
I hugged her back. That’s what I loved about Rosie; she was completely non-judgemental. She knew my job was precarious and I had a sneaking suspicion that she wasn’t that keen on Liam but, despite that, I knew she’d always be my cheerleader.
‘Thanks, Con. Liam said he might come over after the party tonight, so we can do the test together.’
‘No, no, no. Listen to me.’ Rosie stepped backwards and prodded my shoulder in time with her words. ‘You. Say. Nothing.’
I began to protest. ‘But Liam has a right—’
‘Agreed,’ she said, folding her arms. ‘Tell him after that presentation tomorrow. I know you. If you’re pregnant, he’ll persuade you to let him get the job, on the basis that you’ll be leaving soon anyway. You’re too generous for your own good. And if you are expecting a baby, it will be a damn sight more difficult to get another job before it arrives than keep the one you’re in.’
‘OK, OK,’ I agreed.
Anything for a quiet life. But I didn’t mean it. I absolutely could not wait to pee on that stick . . .
Get cosy with a cup of tea and Verity’s adventures – available for pre-order now!
Food, Glorious Food – Part One
Cooking Up a Storm – Part Two
Taking Stock – Part Three
The Magic Ingredient – Part Four
The Plumberry School of Comfort Food is published in March, April, May and June 2016 and as a paperback in summer 2016
About the Author
Cathy Bramley is the author of the best-selling romantic comedies Ivy Lane and Appleby Farm, both four-part serialised novels, and Conditional Love. Wickham Hall is also a four-part serialised novel. She lives in a Nottinghamshire village with her husband, two daughters and a dog.
Her recent career as a full-time writer of light-hearted, romantic fiction has come as somewhat of a lovely surprise, after spending the last eighteen years running her own marketing agency. However, she has always been an avid reader, hiding her book under the duvet and reading by torchlight. Luckily her husband has now bought her a Kindle with a light, so that’s the end of that palaver.
Cathy loves to hear from her readers. You can get in touch via her website www.CathyBramley.co.uk, Facebook page Facebook.com/CathyBramleyAuthor or on Twitter twitter.com/CathyBramley
Have you read the other funny, feel-good novels by Cathy Bramley?
Settle down with one now – they are sure to put a smile on your face . . .
Ivy Lane
Tilly Parker needs a fresh start, fresh air and a fresh attitude if she is ever to leave the past behind and move on with her life. As she seeks out peace and quiet in a new town, taking on a plot at Ivy Lane allotments seems like the perfect solution. But the friendly Ivy Lane community has other ideas and gradually draw Tilly in to their cosy, comforting world of planting seedlings, organizing bake sales and planning seasonal parties. As the seasons pass, will Tilly learn to stop hiding amongst the sweetpeas and let people back into her life – and her heart?
Appleby Farm
Freya Moorcroft has been happy working at the café round the corner from Ivy Lane allotments, but a part of her still misses the beautiful rolling hills of her Cumbrian childhood home: Appleby Farm. Then a phone call out of the blue and a desperate plea for help change everything, and Freya heads home to lend a hand. As Freya summons up all her creativity and determination to turn things at the farm around, Freya is surprised as her own dreams for the future begin to take shape . . .
Conditional Love
A takeaway, TV and tea with two sugars is about as exciting as it gets for thirty-something Sophie Stone – until a mysterious benefactor leaves her an inheritance. There’s just one catch: in order to inherit, Sophie must agree to meet the father she has never known. Saying ‘yes’ means the chance to build her own dream home, but she’ll also have to face the past and hear some uncomfortable truths . . .
Irresistible recipes inspired by Wickham Hall
Nutty Tiffin
Filo Pastry Mince Pies
Kale and Lentil Soup with Pumpkin Seeds
Nutty Tiffin
There are all sorts of tiffin recipes out there, but as it’s nearly Christmas in Wickham Hall, I thought I’d go for a seasonal mix of cranberries and walnuts in mine!
You will need . . .
100g margarine
25g soft brown sugar
4 tbsp golden syrup
3 tbsp cocoa powder
225g crushed digestive biscuits (leave some bigger bits)
25g dried cranberries
50g raisins
50g walnut pieces
225g milk chocolate
Grease and line a 20cm square tin.
Place the margarine, sugar, golden syrup and cocoa powder in a bowl and place over a pan of simmering water until melted.
Remove from the heat, add the crushed biscuits, fruit and nuts, and stir. Press the mixture into the tin.
Melt the chocolate and pour onto the top of the mixture. Just as it is almost set, mark the top with the prongs of a fork to make wavy patterns.
Mark into squares and place in the fridge to set for an hour before cutting and storing in an airtight tin. If the weather is warm, store in the fridge permanently.
Filo Pastry Mince Pies
I adore a mince pie, me. And these little morsels are perfect: small and crispy and not too heavy, due to being made with filo pastry instead of shortcrust.
You will need . . .
270g pack Jus-Rol filo pastry (defrosted)
75g melted butter
425g jar of mincemeat (splash out on one with added alcohol if you can!)
1 tbsp brandy (optional)
100g of white royal icing
A sprinkling of gold or silver edible glitter
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (400°F /gas mark 6). Grease 2x12-hole bun tins.
Separate out a sheet of filo and brush with melted butter and top with another sheet. Cut into 8 squares. Repeat this until you have 24 squares.
Press a square of filo into each bun hole, scrunching the sides to make it fit.
Mix the brandy, if using, with the mincemeat and spoon into each case.
Bake for 12–13 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Allow to cool.
Roll out the icing and use a star-shaped cutter to cut out 24 little stars. Top each mince pie with a star and a sprinkle of glitter. Christmas in one tiny bite!
Kale and Lentil Soup with Pumpkin Seeds
This is another recipe from Transworld’s Digital Publishing Manager, Helen Gregory. It is so packed with superfoods that it is sure to ward off any sniffles this winter!
You will need . . .
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 sticks of celery, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
100g green lentils
1 stock cube dissolved in boiling water (follow stock packet instructions for water quantity)
Bag of kale
Pumpkin seeds
Natural yoghurt
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion, celery and carrots until soft.
Add the lentils and stock. Simmer for 30 minutes, until the lentils are soft.
Add the kale and cook for five minutes.
Leave to simmer.
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a little olive oil and salt in a frying pan until seeds are golden.
Blitz the soup in a blender. Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt and a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds. Now congratulate yourself on preparing somet
hing so brimming with goodness!
TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS
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Transworld is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com
First published in Great Britain by Transworld Digital
an imprint of Transworld Publishers
Copyright © Cathy Bramley 2015
Extract from The Plumberry School of Comfort Food © Cathy Bramley 2015
Cathy Bramley has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, is purely coincidental.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781473526723
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Wickham Hall: Part Four - White Christmas Page 12
