‘Rob,’ he said, reaching for the tankard. ‘Please call me Rob. As to business, you might say that, yes.’

She could not let it rest. Daisy’s words had been bothering her ever since their last conversation. ‘Might I ask what it is that brings you to Little Creek?’

He opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment the door burst open and Wilfred Faulkner erupted into the taproom. ‘Where is she? Heaven knows I’m a patient man, but I won’t wait another day for the trollop to return home.’

Judy took a step towards him. ‘You had her answer weeks ago, Mr Faulkner. I’m asking you politely to leave.’

‘I ain’t going nowhere without Hilda.’

Rob had been sitting in the inglenook, unseen by Wilfred, but now he rose swiftly to his feet. ‘You heard what Miss Begg said.’

‘Abel Dorning. By God! He’s dead and gone and you ain’t no ghost. You’re the spitting image of him.’ Wilfred’s jaw dropped and his eyes bulged. ‘Keep away from me, Dorning. I don’t want no trouble.’ He wrenched the door open and fled.

Chapter Twelve

Judy turned to Rob, staring at him in amazement. ‘Do you know that man?’

He shrugged. ‘I’ve never seen him before.’

‘But he seems to know you,’ Judy said warily. ‘And he was terrified.’

‘I must remind him of my late uncle. Who is Hilda?’

‘She’s his wife, but she left him because of the way he treated her.’

‘I can’t say I blame her if that’s an example of the way he behaves.’ Rob sank down on the settle. ‘Anyway, thanks to Uncle Abel, he seems to have fled. So what about that stew?’

‘I’ll go and fetch it for you.’ Judy hurried to the kitchen where she found Hilda leaning against the pine table, her face pale and drawn.

‘I heard him. Where is he now?’

‘He’s gone. He took one look at Rob Dorning and left in a great hurry.’

‘That’s really odd. I never saw Wilfred scared of anyone.’

‘It seems your Wilfred knew Abel Dorning. When Wilfred saw Rob he was terrified, and the family likeness was enough to send him packing. Anyway, more to the point, Mr Dorning wants a bowl of stew.’

‘There’s no meat in it,’ Hilda said ruefully. ‘It’s just vegetables. If we could afford to buy better ingredients we might attract more customers.’

Judy set about cutting slices from a freshly baked loaf of bread. ‘We can’t afford meat unless Dr Godfrey sends some trade our way, but I must admit I’m getting worried, Ma. Daisy said he might have taken on more than he can handle, and she wasn’t very impressed with his plans to build the new hospital. I don’t know what to think.’

‘Handsome is as handsome does,’ Hilda said darkly as she ladled the savoury-smelling stew into a bowl. ‘Tell Mr Dorning there’s apple pie if he’s still hungry after he’s eaten this.’

Judy spread butter more lavishly on the slices of bread than was strictly necessary. ‘I already have. But I must say he’s a mystery. I wish I knew more about him.’