Bruce let out another ear-splitting bark and dragged him back up the lane, leaving me looking after him and laughing.

‘See you Friday!’ Joe called over his shoulder.

‘Yes, Friday!’ I called back.

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The next day dawned sunny and bright and with the electricity supply thankfully restored. The heat warmed my neck and shoulders as I walked down to the beach after breakfast and, had I not witnessed the weather of the previous few days for myself, I wouldn’t have believed it had been so rough.

‘Good morning, my dear,’ said George, as he and Skipper fell into step next to me. ‘Did you manage to get some sleep last night?’

‘Surprisingly, I did,’ I told him. ‘Although I seem to remember my dreams featuring a ghostly apparition with a glowing lamp walking up and down the beach.’

George nodded.

‘I’m not surprised,’ he said. ‘It’s a tragic tale and not easily forgotten.’

‘I daresay the two lovers passed each other on the road in their attempt to reach each other, didn’t they?’

‘Do you know,’ he said, ‘you might be right. The young girl would have no doubt been in disguise so her beau could easily have missed her and she would have shied away from folk on the path for fear of discovery. Dear me.’

‘The path to true love certainly didn’t run smoothly for that pair, did it?’ I said.

‘No,’ he said, untangling Skipper’s lead, ‘or for the lasses of Wynmouth now either, it seems.’

‘Now?’

‘Yes,’ he said, with a mischievous smile, ‘now.’

‘Whatever do you mean, George?’ I frowned.

‘Don’t tell me you didn’t notice all that posturing between the two most handsome men in the pub last night!’

‘What?’

‘Sam and that Joe Upton fella,’ he said, before adding with a nudge, ‘what a pretty pair those two make, hey?’

‘George!’ I laughed.

‘What?’ he said innocently. ‘I might be getting on a bit, but I can still spot a good-looking guy when I see one. Or in this case, two. And I can certainly see when they’ve got their eyes set on the same beautiful young lady.’

Yes, I supposed it had been obvious that Joe had more than a friendly look in his eye when he spotted Hope, even though she was already spoken for.

‘Um,’ I agreed, wishing I already knew the history between the three of them.

‘Must be nice to have your pick,’ George added wistfully.

‘Yes,’ I sighed, ‘I suppose it must.’

George went to say something else, but just like Bruce the night before, Skipper was in no mood to hang about, especially when he spotted someone else he recognized.

‘Oh, there’s Thomas,’ said George, literally following his little dog’s lead, ‘will you excuse me, Tess? I’m sorry to rush off but I need to talk to him.’

‘No worries,’ I said. ‘I’ll see you later.’