He finishes speaking, watching her, trying to remember what she’d told him about herself. He remembered about the teaching, that she met Amy at Falmouth Uni on some kind of course, but what else? He senses that by turning the challenge, he has in some way hit a nerve and she looks relieved to be distracted by the arrival of her breakfast. His own sense of being on dangerous ground, of identifying a quality in her that might lead him into sharing confidences he might regret, seems to be warning him to quit whilst he’s ahead. He finishes his coffee quickly and smiles at her.

‘That was good but I need to dash. I’ve promised to get some things for Fliss and she’s waiting for them. See you again sometime.’

‘Yes,’ she says, almost absently. ‘Fine. Yes. See you around.’

He stops at the counter, wonders if he should pay for her breakfast and compromises by paying for her coffee. Then he goes out into the High Street, still feeling that he’s been on the verge of talking about his confusion and fear despite the fact that he barely knows Charley and he’s not given to baring his soul readily. His private feelings, especially those for Ying-Yue, are not to be shared lightly over a cup of coffee with a woman he’s only just met, even if she is very attractive and amusing. He’s glad to be beyond her disturbing influence.

Charley sits eating her breakfast but not really aware of it. Sam has surprised her. She really thought that she’d touched a nerve during that lunchtime in the pub in Salcombe. He was really fired up when he talked about his experience in China and she could tell that he was unwilling to discuss any aspect of a career in the navy, despite all the others encouraging him; telling her how wonderful it was for him.

To be honest, she rather likes to encourage mutiny, rule-bending. It’s always made her popular with her young pupils but has never endeared her to her superiors, which is probably why she’s never held down a long-term teaching job. She was confident that she could fill Sam with a kind of rebellion against that solid military background; encourage him to break the mould. It always gives her an odd sense of secret pleasure when she encourages others to push the boundaries, take chances.

‘You’re a free spirit,’ people say to her admiringly.