‘Of course, I do,’ she laughed. ‘Why wouldn’t I? Stop looking so worried,’ she insisted. ‘Folk are always happiest when they’re gossiping, Tess, and this will only run until the next thing comes along. Honestly, just let it go.’

‘All right.’

‘I need to head home,’ she said walking over to her car. ‘I told Mum I was on my way ages ago. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?’

‘Okay,’ I said. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’

It wasn’t until she had gone that it dawned on me she had got the wrong end of the stick. It seemed she thought I was worried about what people would think of me, rather than what she would think. But in spite of the misunderstanding, I was pleased to have reached her before the rumour mill did, and I had to be satisfied with that.

*

Having tried to make amends with Sam in the pub and given the low-down to Hope before she heard the enhanced part deux version, the only other person I needed to talk to was Joe. I could understand that he felt protective towards Hope because he was clearly still smitten with her, but why let me assume that the person who had gone blabbing about our non-kiss was Sam?

I can’t deny that as I drove out to the farm, I was beginning to feel scared that he was purposefully trying to stir up trouble for his old friend. After all, the guy was responsible for his little brother’s death and he had also won Hope’s heart but, surely, Joe understood that moving back and making everyone’s lives a misery was not going to give him any satisfaction or peace in the long run.

‘Hey!’ I called as I swung my car off the road, on to the farm drive and came bumper to bumper with a tractor. ‘I need to talk to you.’

‘What the hell are you doing?’ Joe shouted, opening the door and jumping out with Bruce hot on his heels. ‘I could have hit you, swinging in here at that speed.’

I quickly climbed out before Bruce’s jumping up and sharp claws left their mark on the paintwork.

‘Never mind my driving,’ I insensitively bit back. ‘I want to know why you told me that it was Sam who told you what had happened between us in the pub.’

‘I thought you said nothing had happened.’

‘You know what I mean.’

He made a grab for Bruce’s collar and made the dog sit at his feet.

‘I never said it was Sam,’ he frowned, keeping a tight hold on Bruce, who had started to whine and looked like a coiled spring, his tail thumping on the dusty drive.

‘Yes, you did,’ I shot back.

‘No,’ said Joe, ‘I did not.’

It seemed we had reached an impasse and I mentally trawled back over everything he had said in the cottage, just to be sure.