I felt my temperature rising again in response to the friendly gesture. He was still giving off a very familiar vibe, but he definitely hadn’t been around during my former holidays. I was certain I would have remembered a lad with a prosthetic limb. Unless of course, he didn’t have it then. It didn’t feel like the sort of question I could very well ask on a first meeting, even though Sam’s demeanour suggested he would have happily told me.

‘Well, yes,’ said the man I now knew as George. ‘I suppose you’re right there, landlord, but it is a fine pub nonetheless.’

‘Thank you very much,’ said Sam with a little bow. ‘I take it you and Tess have already met.’

‘We have,’ I said, ‘we exchanged pleasantries at what I now realize must have been an ungodly hour earlier this morning.’

‘Everyone starts early around here,’ said George, doffing his well-worn panama hat in my direction. ‘Lovely to meet you properly though, Tess. What a pretty name.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Oh, and this little bundle of mischief is Skipper,’ said Sam, peering over the bar at the dog who stared keenly back. ‘He has a fondness for chewing my leg if he gets half a chance.’

‘Is that why you’re staying behind the bar?’ I laughed.

‘That’s exactly why I’m staying behind the bar,’ Sam laughed back.

‘Now, that was just the one time,’ said George, springing to Skipper’s defence.

‘Once was enough!’ cut in Sam, making George laugh too.

‘I take it he’s already told you that he’s the one and only real pirate in these parts?’ George said to me.

‘He might have mentioned something,’ I nodded, ‘but it didn’t look like wood when I took a look at it.’

Sam looked at me and raised his eyebrows.

‘His leg, I mean,’ I hastily added, feeling my face flush again. ‘His leg didn’t look wooden.’

Sam bit his lip.

‘I’ll get your coffee, George,’ he grinned. ‘And Skipper will find his usual bowl next to the fireplace full of water.’

‘Thank you, dear boy,’ said George, oblivious of my embarrassment as he wandered further into the darker recesses of the pub.

Once my cheeks had stopped flaming, I settled my bill and thought about what I would do with the rest of my day. The pub was a little busier now, but not much. Perhaps there would be an influx of customers in the evening.

‘So,’ said Sam, handing me my change and making my skin tingle as his fingers brushed my palm. ‘What are your plans for this afternoon, Tess?’

‘I’m not sure yet.’