‘Oh, aye,’ Frank said, nodding. ‘The waves were so big I was sure we’d look out in the morning and find the whole place had been swept straight out to sea. After about the third time a wave had washed up past our front door – about 1 a.m., that was – I decided to go and get her and bring her over to the Weaver’s Nook. Better safe than sorry, I thought, and we had plenty of room. Anyway, I wrapped myself up and battled my way over there to bang on the door. It felt as if I’d been knocking for half an hour before she finally opened up, all snug and cosy in her dressing gown, declaring that I’d woken her!’

Pat laughed. ‘We didn’t bother after that. I’ve never known a soul as hardy as that one. Bless Bren, we still miss her.’

‘I forgot to say,’ Anna said, indicating the half-empty plate of shortbread, ‘I found an old recipe book of Bren’s yesterday and made the raspberry and almond shortbread out of it.’

‘Oh, how lovely!’ Susan exclaimed, reaching for one of the biscuits. ‘Dear Bren and her baking. She was a whizz with a cake.’

‘I meant to bring the book with me, actually,’ Anna said, turning to Robert MacKenzie. ‘Your family should have it back. I can go and get it now, if you like.’

Robert smiled. ‘You know what? I think you should keep it. You’re more likely to use it than we are, and I like the idea of it staying in the place where all those recipes were first baked.’

‘Are you sure?’ Anna said, touched. ‘That’s really kind of you.’

‘She left us plenty to remember her by. I took Young Robbie out in her dinghy the other day,’ he added, addressing the whole gathering. ‘It’s taken a while to get it up to scratch, but it’s there now. I think the boy’s going to be a fine seaman. Bren couldn’t have given him a better present.’

‘Oh, that’s wonderful,’ said Marie. ‘Mind you, not surprising he’d take to the sea, given his blood, eh? Both his grandfathers, you on the lifeboat, his grandma, his mum, his aunt…’

Old Robbie dragged a hand through his hair, and Anna saw the glint of gold on his ring finger. ‘Well, he’ll do anything to follow his beloved dolphins, this is the thing. He’s got it in his head that he can use the dinghy as a rescue boat for any that run into trouble with nets and so forth. I’ve made him swear a solemn oath that he’ll never take it out without either me or Barbara with him. He’s a good boy, but he gets so carried away.’

‘Is your wife a sailor too?’ Anna asked. ‘That must make for some great family days out.’