‘Ach now, Dougie, not this nonsense again,’ Robert said, clearly trying to keep the tone light and jovial. ‘Why don’t you come and eat with us, man? You’ve been invited.’

Douglas McKean shot Anna a look that was pure dislike.

‘As if I’d sit at this thieving harlot’s table. How can you sit here when I’ve been robbed—’

Robert was out of his seat so quickly that the old man actually took a step back. ‘Enough,’ he said, his voice darkly threatening in a way Anna had not yet heard from him. ‘That is enough, Douglas McKean. You will never speak of Anna or to her again. Never, from this day. Anna owns this place fair and square, as Bren did before her, and unless you begin to show some respect you’ve had the last help you’ll ever get from me, do you understand? Remember whose house it is you live in.’

The old man’s eyes widened and his gaze shot from Robert to Anna. A look of shock bloomed on his face, followed quickly by something that might have been confusion. He shrunk into himself. His face crumbled. Then he turned his back and stumbled away.

Robert turned back to the table. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, to everyone, before looking at Anna.

Anna turned back to the table, smiling and hoping that it seemed genuine. Even the children had fallen quiet, aware of the strange, unintelligible adult storm that had broken over their heads. Her heart sank when she saw that the only two actual guests at her table were looking on with faint horror, their desserts abandoned.

‘I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘Please, do carry on. Can I get you some coffee? Boys, would you like another drink? I’ve got fizzy orange, or cola.’

It was Fraser who got the conversation going again, looking up at her with a warm smile. ‘Coffee would be fantastic. And I bet Jamie would love some fizzy orange, wouldn’t you? Saturday treat. Don’t tell Ma.’

The murmur of chatter slowly began to rise again around the table. Anna left it and went inside, the hot shame of mortification still burning in her chest.

The diners didn’t linger long over their coffee. Anna wasn’t surprised when Nathan and Kate made their excuses to leave. Kate shook her hand with a warm enough smile, however, and pressed a sheaf of notes into Anna’s hand.

‘Oh no,’ Anna told her, ‘please – I can’t take anything, not after that!’

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Kate smiled. ‘The food was more than worth it. As for the old man… that wasn’t your fault. Please, take it. And good luck – I hope you do more of these, I think it’s a wonderful idea.’

Fraser was the next to stand up, taking out another couple of notes and slipping them beneath one of the glasses still standing on the bench.