"Hey Luke, no thank ye. T' 'arbour master wants me to move t' coble, and t' lads are off playin' somewhere. I was wondering whether ye could land me a hand."

Big lie. But he did not want to speak to Luke where poor Mary could overhear. He preferred it if this problem could be solved between the two of them and Mary never needed to know. The poor woman worried so much that Ben feared this latest piece of news might just put her in the grave.

"Sorry for disturbing ye so late, but I don't want to get fined..."