Arula tied on an apron. “Hurr, zurr Bellers, ’ee were agoin’t’ show us’ns ’ow to make a Gurtall cake, doant ’ee amember?”

The Friar gave them each a honeyed damson from a big jar. “So I did, so I did. Hmm, you must have clean paws to make a Great Hall cake. Let me see them.”

He inspected the two pair of freshly scrubbed paws. “Very good, very good! Hmm, righto, climb up on these stools and check the ingredients with me. Here’s the list.”

“Arrowroot and pollen flour.”

“Chopped chesknutters an’ ’unneyed damsens.”

“Very good, very good. Sugared violets and raspberries.”

“Flaked beechnuts, dried plums and rosehip syrup.”

“Woild buttercup cream, hurr, an’ blackb’rry cream, zurr.”

“Very good, very good. Almond paste, greensap milk and young crystallized maple leaves. That seems to be the lot!”

As they mixed the ingredients, Friar Bellows kept an eye on them, while at the same time overseeing other kitchen helpers. Bellows seldom missed a detail of any kind.

“Brother Hal, watch that dandelion custard, it’s coming to the boil. Very good, very good. Rub the arrowroot and the pollen flour together, dribbling greensap milk in slowly like thus. Very good, very good. Dumble! You’re supposed to be chopping those candied chestnuts up, not gobbling them. I’ll whack your tail off with a frying pan, my laddo! Now, add the flaked beechnuts, saving a few to scatter on the almond paste, and put a few more dried plums in. Arula, line the bottom of the baking dish with a dusting of pollen flour. Right. Place the honeyed damsons and raspberries so, one damson, one raspberry, in nice neat rows. Very good, very good! How’s the leek and cheese flan coming along, Sister Nasturtium . . . ? Dumble! What have I told you?”

When the Great Hall cake was mixed and set in its dish the two companions slid it far into the oven with long wooden paddles. Magnificent aromas of bilberry scones, hazelnut muffins and oatrose turnovers assailed their nostrils from the top shelves of the four-tiered oven. They washed cake mixture from their paws as Friar Bellows explained the next step.

“Very good, very good, you two! The cake will be baked and taken out to cool. Once it is firm enough, here is what you do: slice it longways three times, bottom layer spread with rosehip syrup and sugared violets, place next layer lightly on top—this one will be spread with blackberry cream sprinkled with crystallized maple leaves. Next layer lightly on top—that’s the secret, lightly—spread with almond paste scattered with flaked beechnuts. Very good, very good. Pay attention now. Top layer, spread thick with wild buttercup cream, dash on some chopped chestnuts, then a light coat of rosehip syrup to give it that lovely faint pinkish color, and presto! There we will have a Great Hall cake. Very good, very good!”

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