“I want you to stay,” she said, embarrassed to have to say it.
“You are sure?”
He looked so concerned and, she noticed, almost as awkward as she felt. The realisation boosted her confidence a little. She walked past him and closed the door, locking it.
“Come upstairs,” she said, taking his hand. “I think we both need a drink. It’s been a long day.”
She let go of his hand outside the kitchen. “Go and make yourself comfortable,” she said, going into the kitchen and to take a bottle of wine from her cupboard, and grabbing two glasses before joining him in the living room.
Sitting next to him, she put the bottle and glasses on the table and poured them both a glass of the dark red liquid.
Taking a sip, she closed her eyes and let the smooth flavours sooth her as she swallowed. “Thank you for offering to pay the difference for Betty, it was very generous of you.”
Without saying anything, he took her glass from her hand and placed it on the table. Then, putting one hand behind her head he leaned forward and kissed her. “You are very beautiful, Sacha.”
Unable to speak, she savoured his mouth on hers as he kissed her again, pulling her towards him. Only vaguely aware of anything other than Alessandro’s mouth on her lips and various parts of her body, Sacha gave in to the sensations his touch was igniting.
She moved her hands down over his hard chest and, irritated to find cotton between her fingers and his skin, tried to pull off his top and got it tangled.
“Let me help,” he said, pulling it off in one movement and dropping it onto the floor. He kissed her again and then stopped and looked at her. “Your top?”
Impatiently, she took off her clothes, fumbling with the clip on her bra. “Damn thing,” she said, desperate to carry on where they’d left off.
He put his hands behind her back and released the catch, taking the straps from each of her shoulders and letting it fall from his hands as he looked at her naked breasts. He pulled her against him, kissing her neck and sending shivers across her skin.
“You are certain you wish for this?”
Sacha didn’t want to be unladylike so resisted from answering and simply nodded. She put her arms around his neck, kissing it as he lifted her and carried her into the bedroom.
Sacha lay awake for several hours staring out at the black sky, stars shining brightly as it did on clear nights like this one. She thought back over the evening, of making love with Alessandro several times, and how each time became less urgent and more familiar. It felt strangely relaxing lying here next to him.
Trying not to wake him, she inched herself up onto one elbow to look down at him. The moonlight shone on his chest as it rose and fell in a slow rhythm, his tousled hair framing his face as he slept. It seemed so natural to be with him in this tiny flat, yet a few weeks ago she hadn’t known he existed. She thought back to earlier in the evening, and being on the beach with him, and what he’d said about him being accepted to join a dig on the island. She wouldn’t have to say goodbye to him as soon as she’d expected.
She smiled, and closed her eyes for a few seconds. Now all they needed to do was find a way to pay for Betty’s extension.
Alessandro moved his leg, bending it at the knee, and went to turn over, stopping and opening his eyes. Reaching up, he touched her cheek lightly. “Sacha, I dreamt I was here with you,” he said, pulling her down and kissing her.
Later that morning, Sacha woke again, physically tired but happy. She turned her head to say something to Alessandro only to find he wasn’t there. Disappointed, she showered and dressed. She needed to go to Bella’s cottage, so that they could go together and break the bad news to Betty. The door opened before she had time to ring the bell and Bella stepped outside to join her. She expected a cheeky comment from her friend about Alessandro not coming home the night before, but she didn’t say anything. Maybe she hadn’t noticed, Sacha thought.
“I’m so nervous about speaking to her,” Bella said, as they walked the short distance to Betty’s house. “I was hoping we’d have good news to give her.”
They found the old lady sitting on a chair just outside her front door, holding a biscuit in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. Sacha forced a smile onto her face
“We have to put on a positive front for her,” she whispered, not sure how they were supposed to do this. “We’ll simply have to find a way to sort this out, but we must persuade Betty not to worry about the money.”
Sacha opened her mouth to repeat her practiced speech, when Betty held up her hand to stop her.
“I know what you’re going to say, my love,” she said. “If it had been good news then one of you would have rushed here to tell me last night, so that I didn’t fret.”
“I’m so sorry,” Sacha said, close to tears.
“No, no,” Betty soothed, patting Sacha’s hand. “It’s fine, love. I had a visit from someone this morning, letting me know they’ve paid the outstanding balance. So, it’s all done and I can stay here, for the next five years, anyway.”
“Who was it?” Bella shrieked, nudging Sacha out of the way.
“I promised I wouldn’t say,” Betty said, shaking her head.
“So, you can stay in your home?” Sacha was barely able to take it in.
“I just told you, it’s all sorted,” Betty said. “You, young ones can stop panicking about me and can get on with your own lives again.”
“I wonder who it was?” She studied Betty’s lined face for a clue. Not getting one, Sacha bent down to give her neighbour a hug. “I’m so relieved.”
“You and me both, love,” Betty said, as a seagull swooped down and tried to take the biscuit she was holding in her hand. “And I’m very grateful for all the trouble everyone here has gone to. Thanks to your efforts, and the anonymous donor, I’ll be staying.”
Sacha heard giggling coming from the direction of the gelateria and spotted Alessandro chatting to the two teenage girls who seemed to visit the café more often since his arrival at the boardwalk.
“Look, there’s Alessandro,” Bella whispered. “He looks very relaxed and happy this morning, don’t you think?”
Sacha went to answer, but glimpsed Betty winking at him as she gave him a secretive little wave. She glanced at Alessandro in time to see him put a finger up to his mouth and smile at Betty, and knew then that he’d been the one to pay the difference.
“Well?” Betty asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“I don’t know what to say,” Sacha murmured, relieved and happier than she had been in years.
“You could offer to make us all a fry-up,” Bella said, oblivious to what had just happened. “I’m famished.”
“Me, too,” Betty said, handing her cup to Sacha. “You can help me up and take me to that café of yours. We can celebrate my good fortune over one of your delicious breakfasts.”
Recipes
Here’s one of Sacha’s sundaes and a few local recipes served by her at the Summer Sundaes Café
STRAWBERRY MERINGATA - This is Sacha’s favourite Summer Sundaes sundae
Find a retro Sundae glass and fill with rich crema gelato,
Fresh strawberry sauce (or if you have your own strawberries wiz them up)
Fresh strawberries,
Mini-meringue pieces, or simply buy a meringue and break it up in your fingers
Mix in freshly whipped (Jersey, if you have it) cream
Pop in two (or three, if you’re feeling extravagant) crispy, curly wafers
Top with a strawberry
Et voila! A Strawberry Meringata. Delicious.
Natalie Pallot Smith’s Jersey Wonders
This is the Pallot Recipe for Delicious Jersey Wonders, “Des Mervelles”
These are basically donuts, but are shaped and don’t have sugar on them or any filling. Although these are Natalie’s Jersey Wonders, in the book they belong to Jolliff and Betty who make them for the Summer Sundaes Café. Traditionally, Jersey housewives co
oked their Wonders as the tide went out. If they cooked them on an incoming tide, the fat in which the Wonders were cooked would invariably overflow the pan!
The following quantities will make approx. 80 - 100 Wonders, but this can be halved or quartered if a smaller batch is required. Jersey Wonders keep well in an airtight container for several days and they also freeze very well.
Ingredients
3lbs or 1.5kg self-raising flour
8oz or 250grams block margarine or butter (we use Stork margarine)
1lb or 500 grams caster sugar
10 -12 medium eggs (beaten)
Cooking oil for deep frying
Method
Rub the margarine into the flour until breadcrumbs are resembled. Stir in the sugar. Add beaten eggs to form a soft dough then knead thoroughly until smooth. Roll some of the dough into a long ‘sausage’, cut into pieces then shape each into balls about the size of a large walnut. Roll into ovals approx. ¼ inch thick. Make a slit in the middle and twist one end through. (There are several traditional ways of slitting and turning). Deep fry in hot oil, turning over once, until golden brown. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper. Enjoy.
Fee Robert’s Special Chocolate Brownies
These brownies are Lucy’s favourite and she usually has one with her tea break in the morning at the Summer Sundaes Café.
Ingredients (Makes 12 brownies)
Calorie controlled cooking spray
300g butternut squash (say, what?)
100g half milk/half dark chocolate (no nibbling now)
4 eggs
200g golden caster sugar
50g cocoa powder
75g plain flour
2 tsp baking power
1 tsp vanilla essence
Pinch salt and a pinch of cinnamon
Icing sugar for dusting
Method
Preheat oven 180 normal 160 fan. Line a 20cmx20cm baking tin
Put the squash in heatproof bowl and cover with that wonderful straight jacket cling film. Microwave for 10-12 mins. Can be cooked in the conventional way in pan. Very little water needed. Once cooked, puree with a hand blender or potato masher. Now the magic… put the chocolate into the mix to melt - wait... it will melt. Chop the chocolate into small pieces to assist... (No nibbling!)
Beat the eggs and mix in the vanilla essence and sugar in a bowl until pale and interesting – yes, makes a difference - pale and interesting! Add the cocoa, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the two mixes together - mix well. Place in the prepared tin. Cook for 25-30 mins and test with a skewer.
Now the patience bit - leave for an hour. (Yes, a whole hour!). Dust with the icing sugar and cut into squares. Resist the taste test a little longer until it cools, if you can....
Jersey Cabbage Loaf (Du Pain Sus Eune Fielle de Chour)
When my son was at university his girlfriend was amused when he went into a Greggs and asked for a Cabbage Loaf. What he didn’t realise is that although this is something that we can easily buy in Jersey, it’s not available in the UK – if it is, please let me know. The unusual thing about this loaf is that it’s wrapped in cabbage leaves before baking. It tastes heavenly and smells delicious, too.
Ingredients
1 lb strong plain flour
½ oz fresh yeast
½ oz pint liquid (half water, half milk)
1 tsp sugar
1 oz margarine
Pinch salt
2 large cabbage leaves
Method
Sieve the flour into a warmed mixing bowl. Cream the yeast and sugar in a small basin and add a quarter of the liquid. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the yeast. Sprinkle over a little flour, cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place until the yeast ferments. Then add the remainder of the liquid, fat and salt and knead into a smooth dough. Return to the basin, cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place until it has doubled in size. Remove from the bowl and give a further kneading. Then mould into a large round loaf, cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place to "prove" until doubled in size. Finally, wrap the loaf in the large cabbage leaves which have been lightly greased on the inside, tie lightly, and bake in a hot oven, gas mark 6, 200° C (400° F) for approximately 15 minutes.
If you bake this loaf, please contact me and let me know what you think of the taste.
Sacha sells jars of Jersey Black Butter at the café. Black Butter (Du Nier Beurre) is a traditional preserve made in huge quantities, usually during the month of November. There is still a tradition of a few groups of people in the island getting together to peel hundreds of pounds of apples to make the black butter over a period of almost two days. Perfect for spreading on toast, or how about some toasted cabbage loaf, or as a condiment for meat.
We also have a local recipe called Jersey Bean Crock, a traditional recipe that was so popular that apparently most farmhouses had bundles of drying French beans hanging from the rafters waiting to be shelled during the long winter evenings. Town residents would hang their beans in the garages. Another hearty meal and maybe one you might be interested to try out.
For more about Deborah Carr and her books written as Georgina Troy
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Coming soon…
The Boardwalk by the Sea, book 2
Autumn Antics
Published by Green Shutter Books
Also by Georgina Troy
The Jersey Scene
A Jersey Kiss
A Jersey Affair
A Jersey Bombshell
A Jersey Dreamboat
Published by Accent Press
Summer Sundaes: Escape to the seaside with the perfect summer read! (The Boardwalk by the Sea Book 1) Page 24
