Joe gratefully accepted the cup of tea.

"I agree, she seems nice. I don't know her well, but you'll get nowt from me about bein' 'er friend. Do as ye want."

"Ye better don't." Rose teased. "Or I'll tell everyone all yer old crimes," she winked at him.

"Oh no!" Joe replied with mock horror.

"Aye, you'll be in deep trouble, young man," Rose said in the sternest voice she could find.

Joe laughed "And I thought Blackbeard scary.  Cross Pirate Queen Rose n' walk the plank!" Joe laughed again and slurped his tea.

"Oh, before I forget, me mam sends her best on yer weddin'.  She says you'll be a wonderful bride and wishes your mam could be 'ere to see it," his tone changed "You know how close they were back then; what with your mam helpin' with little Charlie crawlin' at first and then after..." Joe trailed off, he didn't want to go down that particular alleyway off memory lane. 

"Anyway.. is there more tea?"

Rose chuckled. "Be warned," she joked, but she grew more serious when Joe spoke of his mother. Rose had always known her as 'Joe's mum', but she had been friends with her own. After her own mother died, Rose had seen less of her, what with all that was going on in her family, and then her own stay in York. "That's thoughtful of her," she said as she Rose and took Joe's cup. "Please extend the invitation to 'er. I 'aven't seen her for so long. 'T would be good to see her."

Just then, the door opened and a strongly built man, with a brown beard turning grey stepped in, followed by a red-headed boy of about thirteen. The man's eyes landed on Joe, then flashed to his daughters, and then turned back to Joe. "Who are you?"

At the sound of the door, Joe turned his head and stood.

"Blacke, sir. Joe Blacke." He answered the new arrival.

Ben frowned for a moment as if he tried to remember the name and then his eyes lit up. "Lil Joe Blacke from down t' road, is it really? I wouldn't recognize ye, lad." He walked over to the table and set the lines that he had been carrying on a wicker plate down. Then he held out his hand to shake Joe's. "Good to see you, son."

Joe relaxed somewhat when the new arrival recognised him. It look him a second for Joe to recall the man, Mr. Ward. God how the man had scared him as a youth. His beard was greyer than the last time Joe saw him, and he was shorter, but Joe was taller and both men were older.

"Aye, sir. That's me." Joe said with smile returning the handshake.

Ben shook his hand and then sat down, moving the skep with the lines closer and taking one of the buckets with bait. "How is your family, son? I haven't seen yer parents in a while."