The Cornish Cream Tea Summer
‘I’m Max,’ said a tall, slightly pudgy man in jeans and a black T-shirt. He wasn’t wearing chefs’ whites like several of the others, and he was only about Lila’s age. ‘This your first set?’ he asked.
‘Is it that obvious?’ Lila replied, grinning at him. He seemed more nervous than she was, though he, too, had that same excited look in his blue eyes, as if he couldn’t believe he was actually here. ‘What about you?’
‘Third,’ he said. ‘But it’s by far the biggest. We catered for an episode of a countryside documentary last year, but the crew was much smaller, and then there was an indie film in Portreath, but it was only one scene, so that was a few days. This is massive by comparison.’
‘What does your company do the rest of the time? Or are you a new member of staff?’
Max shrugged. He had very fair hair, and smile lines round his mouth and eyes that suggested he was often in a good mood. ‘Corporate events, mostly. The set gigs are the best part, though. I can’t believe Aria Lundberg’s going to be here!’
‘Or Toby Welsh,’ Lila added. ‘It’s madness!’
‘If you need any pointers, about what to do and what not to do – as I said, I’m not that much of an expert, but I’ll help if I can.’
‘Thanks, Max,’ Lila said. ‘That’s very kind of you. I feel like a rabbit in the headlights, albeit a very happy one.’
They swapped smiles just as Charlie grabbed her arm. ‘We can go and have a look at the kitchens,’ she said in a stage whisper.
‘Wow,’ Lila replied, deadpan. ‘The thrill.’ She laughed when Charlie shot her a look. ‘Kidding. Of course I want to see them. But we’ve only got a few minutes, or our scones will burn.’
‘Two minutes,’ Charlie said, holding her fingers up. ‘This is so cool, Lila.’
‘And we haven’t even met any actors yet,’ Lila added, as she waved goodbye to Max and Charlie dragged her towards a gap in the marquee wall. The comforting smell of stew was much stronger here, and Lila wondered if she’d be able to sneak a taste, just like she used to at her grandparents’ house.
Once they were back on the bus, Lila wielded an oven glove and began moving the scones to the cooling rack. ‘You’re really OK about leaving Gertie here?’
‘She’ll probably be more secure here than she would be on Porthgolow beach. You don’t need to worry about Gertie. Be your sparkling, dynamic self and woo people on board to eat all our cakes.’
‘That is exactly what I’m going to do,’ Lila agreed. ‘We don’t want people visiting the coffee van, we want them all in here. Imagine if we get to meet Toby Welsh on our first day!’
Charlie clapped her hands together and gave a very girly squeak, and Lila decided, then and there, that as long as someone came on to the bus, she would count the day as a success.
An hour later, she, Charlie and Marmite had served three members of the catering team they had met earlier, and a group of exuberant runners who were all at least five years younger than Lila and who greeted them with vigorous handshakes, then made a huge dent in the tower of chocolate brownies.
‘Em said we were a bit unorthodox, so maybe the cast are going with what they’re familiar with,’ Charlie said, readjusting a muffin on a paisley cake stand.
Lila glanced out of the window, to where a small queue had formed at the coffee van. None of them was wearing period clothing, as far as she could see.
‘But surely the fact that we’re unusual means we should have more custom,’ Lila said. ‘Don’t you always investigate new things? Thinking about it, you brought new things to Porthgolow and revolutionized the village, so I’m asking the wrong person.’ She started to make her third cappuccino.
‘Revolutionized is a bit strong,’ Charlie replied. ‘Anyway, they’re obviously just busy. You know, filming.’
‘I want to meet them all, though. I want to know how it works – I want to see the scripts. I have so many questions! I wonder what scene they’re filming right now? Someone striding through the water wearing knee-high leather boots and a tight, midnight-blue waistcoat, riding crop in hand.’ Lila sighed dreamily.
‘Would that someone you’re imagining be Toby Welsh? And what time period do you think this is? Your vision sounds a bit S&M.’
‘Midnight-blue waistcoats are not S&M,’ Lila shot back, laughing. ‘Not unless they’re made of leather, have holes or spikes or metal rings, and are accompanied by a gimp mask …’ Her words trailed off as Charlie’s eyes widened and she clamped her lips shut, trying not to laugh. ‘Let me guess,’ Lila murmured, ‘we have a customer?’
‘Got it in one,’ Charlie said, striding past her and holding out her hand. ‘Welcome to the Cornish Cream Tea Bus. Would you like to take a seat?’
Lila spun round, wondering how scarlet her cheeks had gone, and drank in the sight of their visitors.
There were two of them, a man and a woman. They were both, she estimated, under thirty, and both eminently filmable. The woman was petite, with skin as pale as Lila’s and hair that curled in delicate blonde wisps around her face. She had a cute snub nose and eyes of deep, pooling blue. The man was tall, perhaps six foot, and slender, but with strong-looking shoulders and an upright posture. His hair was the colour of wet sand, and he had strong features: a long, elegant nose and high cheekbones. The eyes that met hers above his warm smile were hazel, but on the side of brown, rather than green. Under the glimmer of the bus’s fairy lights, they seemed almost golden.
Actors, Lila concluded. They were definitely actors. Even here, wearing casual clothes – jeans and jumpers – it was obvious. They were mesmerizing.
‘We haven’t got long,’ the woman said, in a soft, dancing voice. ‘But we thought we’d come and say hello. What a beautiful bus!’
‘We didn’t know you’d be here until a couple of days ago,’ the man added, with a hint of an accent that Lila couldn’t quite place. ‘Winston said he was sourcing everything from nearby, and the Cornish Cream Tea Bus certainly fits the bill. I’m Sam.’ He held out his hand to Lila.
‘And I’m Keeley,’ added the woman.
‘Hello,’ Charlie said. ‘It’s lovely to meet you. Are you … cast members?’ She had obviously come to the same conclusion as Lila.
‘We are,’ Keeley replied. ‘This is the younger Bramerton brother, Robert, and I play Estelle.’ She smiled, her blue eyes bright.
‘Ooh, you’re the title character?’ Lila asked. ‘Wow! Charlie and I are very happy to meet you. I’m Delilah – Lila. And the bus is Gertie, and she – and we – are entirely at your service.’ She resisted the urge to curtsey, but she couldn’t deny that she was starstruck, even if she hadn’t heard of Sam or Keeley before this moment.
Sam’s laugh was a low rumble. ‘If that’s the case, then a black coffee wouldn’t go amiss. Double shot, if possible.’
‘Of course,’ Lila said. ‘What about you, Keeley?’
‘Do you have green tea?’
‘Coming right up,’ Charlie replied. ‘Can I tempt either of you to a pastry or a muffin? We’ve made breakfast muffins filled with fruit and seeds. They’re lower carb and sugar than usual, and packed full of energy.’
Sam and Keeley eyed the cake stands longingly.
‘Why don’t you share one?’ Lila said, and before either of them could respond she cut a muffin in half and put the portions in separate paper bags. ‘You’re going to be outside all day, and it’s not the balmiest morning.’ She gestured out of the window where the mist had lifted and the weak sun was hitting the water as if it couldn’t quite be bothered.
Charlie folded her arms. ‘I didn’t know you had mothering instincts, Lila. But I approve.’
‘So do I,’ Sam said, taking his coffee and half a muffin, and nodding at Lila in thanks, his strangely glowing eyes holding hers. ‘Mothering instincts and an in-depth knowledge of S&M. I’m intrigued.’
Lila’s cheeks heated, and she could only stare as Sam gave her a final, slightly hesitant smile and walked off the bus.
‘Thank you,’ Keeley said. ‘I’ll definitely be back. I want to know more about the bus, and I’d love to meet that guy hiding up at the front.’ She pointed at Marmite, who was sitting with his ear folded over, dark eyes trained on this new person as if she was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. Lila could sympathize.
‘You’re welcome – any time,’ she gushed, and Charlie nodded her agreement.
Once they were alone, Lila bounded up to Charlie and raised her hand for a high-five. Charlie hit it with enthusiasm. ‘Lead actors, Charlie,’ she said. ‘Wow. Don’t you think it went well?’
‘S&M comment aside,’ Charlie replied wryly, ‘I think it was a total success.’
Chapter Six
People visited the bus in dribs and drabs throughout the rest of the day. It was mostly crew members, shivering in fingerless gloves and desperate for a coffee. Some asked questions about the bus, while others were so lost in their own worlds that they barely seemed to notice what they’d walked onto. Charlie and Lila were enthusiastic, suggesting cakes or pastries, and while a few left with paper bags full of treats, nobody stayed long enough to sit down, have a Cornish cream tea or chat about the production.
Lila shouldn’t have been disappointed – they were working, after all, and it wasn’t like the bus’s usual occupation, catering to people on holiday or a day out. On this television set, Gertie was a utilitarian vehicle rather than a pleasure cruiser. But Charlie seemed upbeat, and as they were driven home in a luxurious Mercedes by Mike, one of the team’s drivers, and then set about making cakes and sausage rolls, muffins made from ground almonds, catering to a more takeaway-orientated – and more health-conscious – clientele, Lila’s mood improved. It was only the first day – there was plenty of time for things to get more exciting.
The following morning, Lila drove them to set in her Volvo, and Gertie was safely in place when they arrived. They laid out their new offerings, put the radio on low and sang along quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone. The starts were earlier than Lila was used to, but the drive over Cornwall’s patchwork-quilt landscape made it more than bearable.
The day was mist-free, the sky a glorious blue as nighttime receded. Lila wanted to ask someone how they got the scene continuity right when the weather was so changeable. If she was honest, she wanted to ask a hundred things of everyone on set: the make-up artists, the cameramen, the lighting director. She wanted to grill Keeley about whether the costumes were comfortable and how she channelled herself into the role of Estelle. She wanted to ask Sam what techniques he had for memorizing his lines, and how nervous he got before takes. It was like working in a chocolatiers without being able to try anything: it was all just out of reach.
Keeley and Sam reappeared that morning, and Lila felt herself blush as she recalled the S&M discussion and Sam’s quiet amusement. She wondered why she couldn’t just shrug the moment off, as she usually did. She didn’t often feel so embarrassed. Keeley walked up to the cab and held her hand out to Marmite, who gladly allowed himself to be the centre of attention. Keeley sneezed once, twice, three times.
‘Are you OK?’ Charlie asked. ‘All that sea air hasn’t got to you already, has it?’
Keeley shook her head. ‘I’m allergic to dogs.’
‘Oh no! Then we should never—’
Keeley waved away Charlie’s concern. ‘I can’t have one of my own, but the sneezing and itchy eyes are worth it occasionally, and especially with this fluffster. What’s his name?’
‘Marmite,’ Charlie said. ‘He’s a Yorkipoo.’
‘Not sure Gregor will be over the moon if you arrive on set with bloodshot eyes,’ Sam said, thanking Lila as she handed him a black, double-shot Americano. One thing she was good at was remembering regular orders, especially when the regulars themselves were so memorable.
‘It doesn’t last long, and Perry will banish the redness in make-up,’ Keeley replied.
‘Do you have a whole trailer thing for make-up?’ Lila asked, using their conversation as her way in.
‘We do,’ Sam confirmed. ‘We’re both due there after this. Speaking of which—’
‘So do you have to wear a lot of it, too?’ Lila cut in, peering at Sam’s smooth skin. ‘Like what?’
Sam ran his hand through his wet-sand hair. ‘Powder, a bit of eye make-up. For the guys it’s more about enhancing our features on screen, taking away any shine. It’s not like this is Lord of the Rings or anything: I don’t have to transform into an elf.’
‘That’s a pity,’ Lila said. ‘I think you’d look quite good as an elf. You have the right bone structure.’ He gave her a bemused look, and Lila’s cheeks heated for a second time. She wondered what was wrong with her. ‘Sorry, I … would you like an almond muffin? Flour free, low carb.’
‘We’ll have to have one each,’ Keeley said. ‘You should have seen Sam’s forlorn little face after he’d wolfed down his half in about three bites yesterday.’
‘Forlorn is a bit of an exaggeration,’ Sam grinned.
‘Maybe,’ Keeley replied, smiling. ‘Look after this guy for me, and I’ll pick us one out each.’ She lifted Marmite into Sam’s arms, and sneezed four times in quick succession. Sam gave the dog an indulgent smile, and Marmite stared up at him, then pawed at his chin.
‘All right, doggo,’ he murmured. Lila busied herself at the coffee machine, trying not to let the sight of a seriously attractive man cuddling a cute dog turn her to mush. It would make a perfect Instagram photo, except she wasn’t allowed to take photos of the cast and plaster them all over the internet.
When they’d gone, Lila popped a mini cheese and onion puff in her mouth, and let it dissolve on her tongue before she spoke. ‘Neither of them seems to have any kind of ego, which is odd, for actors, isn’t it?’
Charlie frowned. ‘I don’t think you have to have an ego to be an actor, just like you don’t have to be an actor to have an ego. Look at Daniel,’ she added, grinning. ‘He’s got enough confidence for most of Porthgolow. And neither of us recognized Sam or Keeley, so maybe they’ve not experienced the adoration that comes with being well known?’
‘Maybe,’ Lila mused. ‘I’m going to ask Keeley when I get a chance. There’s lots of waiting around on TV sets, isn’t there? Hopefully she’ll spend some time here.’
‘And what about Sam?’ Charlie asked, amusement in her voice.
Lila ignored it. ‘He seems nice. A bit unsure of himself. Perhaps this is his first big role and he’s extra nervous. Maybe he’s—’
‘Spent a lot of time thinking about him, have you?’
Lila rolled her eyes. ‘I’ve thought about everyone, Charlie. The list of questions I have is longer than the list you had for Winston before we started this.’
‘Fair point,’ Charlie said, laughing. ‘Just pick your moments. We don’t want to get thrown off the set because you let your curiosity get the better of you.’
‘Honestly, Charlie, you have no idea how hard I’m working to stop that from happening. Calamitous Delilah is firmly locked away and, for now, the key is nowhere to be found.’
All Lila’s hard-fought professionalism nearly evaporated on Wednesday, when Toby Welsh and Aria Lundberg graced Gertie with their presence. She almost coughed up her mouthful of coffee when they stepped on board, and she heard Charlie squeak beside her.
If Lila thought Sam and Keeley were aesthetically impressive human beings, then Toby and Aria were in another league. They were both wearing their Estelle costumes, and Toby looked beyond dashing in inky-black breeches, waistcoat and coat, a snowy-white shirt and cravat, and black boots. His dark hair was curled expertly into lush, loose waves, and even with a visible coating of powder and what looked suspiciously like eyeliner, he was a perfect, masculine specimen.
Aria was, quite simply, a princess. Her black hair was piled beautifully on top of her head, and her smile was soft but dazzling. Her dress, in the palest pink, was straight out of an original Disney sketch of Sleeping Beauty.
‘Can I, I mean … hello. How can I … what would you like?’ Charlie stuttered.
Neither Toby nor Aria seemed to notice her fumble. Lila wondered if they’d been told to keep their expressions to a minimum between scenes so as not to crack the powder. But then Toby strode forward and held out his hand, his dark eyes warm.
‘Hi, I’m Toby, and this is Aria. We’ve heard a lot about – Gertie, isn’t it? And even more about your muffins.’
‘Made with ground almonds,’ Aria added, as if it was a magical ingredient. ‘We have to try them.’
‘Of course,’ Charlie said, recovering her composure. ‘Would you like any drinks to go with those?’
‘Tea,’ Aria replied, ‘builders’ please. Strong as you like.’ Her accent was American, but with a Scandinavian lilt, and Lila added accent training to her list of questions.
‘I’d love a cappuccino if poss,’ Toby added, rubbing his hands together. ‘Warm us up a bit before we head back out there.’
‘Is it going well?’ Lila asked.
‘So far. It’s always troublesome, working with outside elements that have no sympathy for what you’re trying to achieve, but Cornwall’s being a peach today. The sunshine is nice, but a bit misleading. I envy you, being tucked away in here with an endless supply of hot drinks and sausage rolls.’
‘You’re welcome any time, of course. Whenever you get a breather, we’ll be waiting.’ Lila smiled at him. This was Toby Welsh. The Toby Welsh, and she was talking to him. She wiped her palms surreptitiously down her apron.
‘It’s much more homely than the catering tent, where you can’t escape the wind however hard you try. Sorry, I didn’t catch your name?’
‘I’m Lila, and this is my cousin Charlie.’
‘Hello,’ Charlie said. ‘Drinks are coming up.’
‘Gertie is a cosy bus,’ Lila continued, imagining her and Toby snuggled up on a sofa together in front of a roaring fire. She was pretty sure she could make Toby feel cosy, if that was what he was after.
‘With fairy lights, no less.’ His eyes flashed with amusement, and Lila had the sense that he was letting her in on some conspiracy, that they were on the same side.
‘I think she’s beautiful,’ Aria said, accepting her tea from Charlie and then pushing her full skirt beneath one of the tables and sitting down. Toby shrugged, and sat opposite her – there was no room alongside Aria’s dress for anyone else.
Charlie and Lila exchanged a look. They had two of the country’s best-known actors sitting at one of their tables. Charlie spent an inordinately long time arranging two muffins on plates, before placing them on the table.
‘Thank you,’ Aria said. ‘It’s lovely to have a break somewhere other than our trailers.’
‘You’re so welcome,’ Charlie gushed.
‘How did you end up running a café on a bus?’ Aria asked, before tearing off a chunk of muffin and nibbling it daintily.
As Charlie gave her a potted version of how the Cornish Cream Tea Bus came into being – Lila wondered if she ever got bored of telling that story – Lila and Toby exchanged smiles.
‘How much set work have you done?’ he asked. ‘I would have thought your bus would be a crowd-pleaser wherever you end up.’
‘This is our first week of our first ever set. And I’ve actually only been working on Gertie a few weeks.’
Toby raised his eyebrows. ‘Oh. So, not an old hand – not that old hand is something that could ever be said of you, regardless. Have you watched any of the filming?’
Lila shook her head. ‘No, we’ve … we have to stay here, to serve anyone who comes on board.’
‘You can’t pass up the chance, though,’ Toby said, mock sternly. ‘Even I still get overawed by large-scale operations like this, the work and effort that goes into making eight hours of drama. You have to get someone to give you a tour – to get a sense of the scale of it. And you must come and watch the filming. Take it in turns, sneak down to see it. If nobody’s free to show you round, then explore by yourself. If anyone asks what you’re doing, you can always say you’re lost.’ He shrugged, nonchalant, but Lila saw the glint of mischief in his eyes and felt a thrill of excitement.
‘You’re actively encouraging me to misbehave?’ she asked. ‘To leave my post and wander around, spying on everyone while they’re hard at work?’
Toby laughed. ‘Yes, I suppose I am. I think you’ll have a lot more fun that way.’
‘What about the scripts?’ Lila said.
‘What about them?’
‘Can I see them?’ She knew it was a bold move but she didn’t care.
Toby gave her a steady stare. ‘I might be able to get you one – you’ve signed the disclaimer, I presume?’
Lila nodded and held her hands up. ‘Purely my own curiosity. I just want to know the story.’
‘Good. Then I will actively encourage that, too. And maybe one day when I’m free, I can give you a tour and we can do some spying together.’
‘I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t get very far,’ Lila countered. ‘You’re not exactly inconspicuous, seeing as how you’re the star of the show.’
‘One of them,’ Toby said, holding a hand up. ‘This is an ensemble cast, and I rather fear my younger, greener co-stars are going to act me out of the park. Keeley Klein and Sam Magee, sneaking up on the inside like the dark horses that they are.’ He sat back, and then looked down at his muffin, as if he’d only just remembered it. He took a huge bite.
‘Keeley and Sam are going to be wonderful,’ Aria added. ‘After only being in a couple of scenes with them, you just know, don’t you, Toby?’
‘But they need their earnestness knocking out of them,’ Toby mumbled through his mouthful. ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got that in hand.’ He put the last, giant piece of muffin in his mouth, and wiped his fingers on a napkin.
‘We need to get back,’ Aria said, sliding out from the bench and standing. Even with her huge skirts she was effortlessly elegant, as if she glided, rather than walked, everywhere.
‘Lovely to meet you both,’ Toby added. ‘I’m sure we’ll be back soon, and don’t forget what I said, Lila. Don’t stay cooped up in here the whole time – go and explore.’ He gave her and then Charlie a quick peck on the cheek, filling Lila’s senses with spicy male aftershave, then he and Aria said goodbye and walked off the bus.
‘Oh my God, Charlie,’ Lila said. ‘Did that really just happen?’
‘Sort of inevitable, considering where we are. But it is pretty special, isn’t it? Rubbing shoulders with the stars.’
‘Toby was amazing.’ Lila grinned at her cousin and shimmied down the aisle of the bus, picking up empty mugs and plates as she went. This was exactly what she’d been hoping for.
The next day the bus remained Toby- and Aria-free, and even Sam and Keeley must have been too busy to come and see them. Crew members whizzed on board for takeaway coffees and sausage rolls, but none of them stayed, and Lila and Charlie spent a lot of time chatting and cleaning, until their throats were hoarse and the inside of Gertie gleamed like a spaceship. It took all of Lila’s willpower not to eat her way methodically through the bus’s entire stock. She realized, at the end of their fourth day, that they had not made a single Cornish cream tea.
‘Is this going as you’d hoped?’ she asked Charlie, as they finished the close-down routine on Thursday night.
‘I wasn’t sure what to expect,’ Charlie said after a moment’s thought. ‘And I know we’ve had quiet periods, but sometimes that isn’t a bad thing. Money-wise, this gig is setting us up – you, me and Gertie – for a while, so we don’t have to worry, and in some respects, it’s money for nothing – money for barely anything, at least. So, what I’ve been thinking,’ she placed a hand on Lila’s arm, ‘is that it doesn’t need both of us. Not all the time.’
It took Lila a moment to reply. ‘You don’t need me? What am I meant to do?’ She thought of Toby and all his enticing suggestions, Keeley and her soft spot for Marmite, Sam with his mesmerizing eyes. Things had just started to get interesting; she didn’t want to leave the bus yet.