‘Hello,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry to bother you – but is there anywhere to eat nearby? Is there a café or restaurant in this village, perhaps? This looks so idyllic, and the food smells so delicious. It’s making us hungry, and we didn’t really plan our day out too well.’

‘I’m sorry, there isn’t anywhere in Crovie,’ Anna said.

‘The Garden Arms at Gamrie would be closest,’ Frank said, smiling at the visitors. ‘Otherwise it’ll be the Pennan Inn, back the other way, or at Portsoy, towards Macduff.’

The man smiled. ‘Thank you, and apologies for interrupting your lunch. It really does smell exquisite.’

‘Well,’ Anna said hesitantly, looking at Pat and Frank. ‘If you two don’t mind – I do have more. You could join us, if you like.’

‘Oh no,’ said the man, as the woman with him – his wife, judging by their rings – moved closer. ‘We don’t want to impose.’

‘It’s no bother for us,’ Frank said, as Pat nodded her agreement. ‘It’s Anna’s table, Anna’s food.’

‘Please,’ Anna said, standing up. ‘Come and join us. I don’t want it to go to waste.’

The couple looked at each other, and the wife smiled.

‘Then we’d love to, if you’re sure,’ she said. ‘How extremely generous of you.’

So it was that Liam’s bench – which Anna kept calling it in her head, despite telling herself not to – gathered another two visitors into Anna’s garden. She served two more bowls of bisque, brought out another still-warm baguette and poured more wine. Over the next hour they learned that her additional guests were Anthony and Rose Linden, who were staying in Portsoy for the week but lived in York.

‘This really is delicious,’ Rose said again, as she finished her bisque. ‘And your bread is divine.’

‘And what a perfect setting,’ Anthony added. ‘Honestly, Anna, you could fill a dozen tables every lunchtime if you lined them up along this wall. Even if you only served this you’d be rushed off your feet.’

‘One of our friends thinks she should reopen the Crovie Inn,’ Frank said. ‘I think it’s a top idea.’

‘I’ve only just got here,’ Anna protested. ‘Besides, I don’t have the capital for that.’

‘Start small then,’ Anthony suggested. ‘There must be plenty of people like us who visit the village, especially in summer. Give them a reason to stay a bit longer. Even if it’s only at this table.’

‘It’s a nice thought,’ said Anna, ‘but I’m not sure how sustainable that is, and I’m not planning to stay here permanently.’

‘Well,’ said Anthony, ‘take it from me. We’ll be telling everyone we possibly can about this magical experience we had at a superb chef’s table in the village of Crovie.’