"Is that blood?"
Rebecca gasped as Joe entered the Home Farm kitchen. There was something red dripping down the side of his face and he was struggling to walk.
"I'm OK," he said, slumping into a chair at the table. "Looks worse than it is."
"What happened?" Rebecca asked urgently, pulling up a chair beside him and taking his hands.
"I was jumped, outside the Woolpack." Joe winced as he touched his head. "Three guys, looking for a fight. Think they saw my car..."
"You didn't drive back?"
"No, I walked."
"What did they want?"
"Nothing, they didn't take anything." Joe reached into his jacket and pulled out his wallet. "Just wanted to give the posh boy a kicking, I think."
"Poor baby." Rebecca kissed Joe's fingers, then went to get the first aid kit. She stroked his hair as she cleaned the blood from his face.
"Are you sure this was a random attack?" she asked.
"I've never seen them before." He avoided her eyes.
"Have you called the police yet?"
"No point." Joe shook his head as Rebecca protested. "I wouldn't recognise them again, it was dark."
"You should still report what happened. In case they attack someone else..."
"Look, they were drunk, they ran off as soon as Chas came outside." Joe stood up and kissed Rebecca's head. "I'm fine. Forget it."
He went to pour himself a drink, leaving Rebecca feeling that he wasn't telling her everything.