‘What the hell are you doing?’ I demanded. ‘It’s . . .’ I looked around for my phone to check the time but couldn’t see it. ‘Well, it’s too early to be banging and crashing about outside someone’s bedroom window on a Saturday morning.’

‘It’s half eight,’ he informed me. ‘And I was only banging, you would have been the one responsible for the crashing, had you pitched me off completely.’

I put my hand over my mouth to stifle an unexpected giggle.

‘It’s not funny,’ he said, raising his eyebrows.

His comment made me laugh all the more. I had no idea what had come over me.

‘I know,’ I said, clearing my throat. ‘I’m so sorry. I think it’s the shock.’

‘Anyway,’ he went on, now wearing a smile which matched my own. ‘I would have had you down as an early riser. One of those running before work types with a neon vest and a Fitbit strapped to your wrist.’

I bit my lip to stop myself from telling him I’d forgotten to pack my Fitbit and realised I wasn’t the only one capable of making assumptions. The truth was, I did used to run before my shift at the hotel, but I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of telling him that, was I? The next thing I knew, he’d be quashing my small-town lad theory.

‘Well,’ I said instead. ‘I’m not at work, am I? I’m on holiday and as such, fancied a lie-in for a change.’

‘Fair enough,’ he said, looking back up at whatever it was he was up the ladder doing. ‘I’ll be finished here soon. Perhaps you’ll be able to nod off again.’

I didn’t actually want to, given that I’d just had my first full night sleep in months.

‘I doubt it,’ I said, ‘anyway, you still haven’t told me what it is that you’re doing.’

‘Getting an eyeful of your figure by the looks of it,’ snapped a cross voice behind me. ‘Put some clothes on for pity’s sake, Hattie, before you catch your death.’

I hastily snatched Dolly’s borrowed dressing gown off the bed and thrust my arms into it as Beamish chortled. I had quite forgotten that I was still in my scanty nightwear and it was so cold. If Beamish had noticed he hadn’t let on, but that didn’t stop my cheeks glowing as I fumbled to tie the belt.

‘And you’ve let the cat up here,’ Dolly tutted disapprovingly. ‘I hadn’t made up my mind about whether or not to let her on the beds yet.’

I opened my mouth to protest but didn’t get the chance.

‘Oh honestly, Hattie,’ said Beamish.