‘I think that’s the lot,’ I said, looking around, but taking care not to turn my head too fast.

I had drunk a pint of water but I wasn’t feeling much better for it. I thought I might have to break out the paracetamol before I went to sleep, just to be on the safe side.

‘Thanks, Tess,’ said Sam, ‘I appreciate the help.’

‘My pleasure,’ I hiccupped. ‘You know I can’t resist helping out if I can.’

Given how quickly I had become involved in the goings-on in the café, pub and village in general, no one could be in any doubt of that. The thought of having to pack up and leave made me suddenly feel even more nauseous than my hangover was going to.

‘Is there any chance, do you think,’ I blurted out, ‘that you might extend my time in the cottage even longer? If I wanted to stay on, would that be a possibility?’

‘Do you think you might then?’ he frowned, as well he might, given that I had already jumped from visiting for a couple of weeks to a couple of months.

‘Perhaps,’ I shrugged. ‘I’m not sure if I could, to be honest, but right now, I don’t much like the thought of having an end date to my time in Wynmouth.’

‘You’re enjoying being here that much, are you?’

‘Yes,’ I swallowed, ‘yes, I am.’

‘Is that because of . . .’ he began, but his words tailed off and he turned away.

‘Is that because of what?’ I asked him.

‘Never mind,’ he said, sounding gruff again. ‘Forget it.’

I would have bet good money that he was going to include Joe’s name in whatever it was he had almost just said.

‘Look,’ he said, turning back again, ‘I know I’m probably being paranoid, but you and Hope . . .’

‘What about us?’

‘You weren’t scheming something earlier, were you?’

‘Like what?’

‘Like anything,’ he said, coming to stand in front of me, much the same as he had before, although not quite as close this time. ‘I don’t want either of you interfering.’

‘But I’m always interfering,’ I reminded him with a smile. ‘I interfered practically the moment I arrived and got you to lay on the bank holiday entertainment and then I stuck my oar in again so you’d get the beach clean going and the solstice party up and running. Interfering is what I’m known for around here. I’ve even put my two pennies’ worth in down at Sophie’s café!’

My intention in reeling everything off had been to make him laugh, or at least smile, but the frown he was wearing was going nowhere.

‘That’s as maybe,’ he said seriously, ‘but you know what I’m really talking about, don’t you? And I can’t cope with you, or Hope, interfering in that.’

‘I see.’