But seating wasn’t a problem since Phyllis had commandeered a large table at the front of the pub. I was pleased to see that Liam McLaughlin, estate agent, auctioneer and all-round decent stick, was with her, minding the seats. When he spotted me, he stood up and shook my hand, pumping it up and down like a saw.

“Good to have you back. Hope you haven’t gone all Yank on us!”

“Hardly, Liam, in six months.”

“I don’t know.” He grinned. “I know people who’ve picked up an accent on the bus to Dublin. Pint?”

I nodded. For the first time in months, I felt like a beer. Liam headed up to the bar to get drinks for Marina and myself, and I was glad to see that Stan was serving. Stan, the local hairdresser, and Tony, the Oak’s proprietor, were half-brothers who’d only recently found each other so it was good to see them working together. It looked as if Stan was in his element, tossing glasses around the place like Tom Cruise in Cocktail.

I joined Phyllis and Marina at the table, taken aback to see Marina suddenly stony-faced, with no trace of the beaming smile of earlier. Did I imagine it or were things a little frosty between herself and Phyllis? I’d thought it odd that she hadn’t joined us for a chat at reception earlier and now they just nodded to each other, without smiling. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, I mentioned the extra clientele in the pub.

Phyllis shrugged as she took a sip of her gin. “Nothing else to do I suppose, since they’re stuck here for an extra night. Although I don’t see them getting out on the road tomorrow either – the forecast is cat.”

“Not sure I can take much more of it anyway!” I looked up to see Maeve, peeling off her waterproofs and stuffing them into a bag. She leaned in to give me a hug and I offered her a drink since Liam still hadn’t reappeared.

“Thanks. I’m on call so just get me a 7Up or something.” She plonked her phone on the table. “That yoke is likely to ring before I even sit down.”

I made my way through the pub, meeting Liam halfway. Despite his laden hands he offered to get Maeve’s drink, but I wanted to say hello to Tony and Stan, so I kept going. When I got to the bar, I squeezed myself in beside a huge bearded man in motorcycle leathers, with his elbows on the counter, hands wrapped around a pint. I waved hello to Stan and gave my order to Tony, who welcomed me back before moving off to get my drink.

The man at the bar shifted aside to give me more room and I recognized him as one of the men I’d seen wheeling bikes onto the truck the day before.