It was Susan who had spotted the advert for the Bake Off. ‘But you’ve got to enter!’ Susan had cried. ‘You’re the best cook I’ve ever known and I’ll always be a willing guinea pig.’ Nicola had been uncertain and worried. She knew she was a good baker, but was she up to the standard for the competition? And there again, she hadn’t known, and still didn’t know, what the standard was. Jay had also badgered her every time he rang to make sure she’d filled in the entry form. She also knew he worried about her being alone in their big family home since he’d left for university and that was the last thing she wanted. And although she did miss him she’d tried to build up her social life by joining a reading group and a local swimming class. They were, she decided now, all forms of relaxation. She thought this would have been too but already the stress was getting to her. Her entry bake had been a chocolate and orange Northumberland twist which she’d made many times before.
