‘Bob?’

‘Call me Sir Bob. You’re my friend, after all.’

I counted to ten in my head. ‘Sir Bob. A promise is a promise and…’

‘And you promised me gold bikinis and ear-muff hair.’

‘Gold bikini singular. But yes.’ I gazed at him meaningfully. ‘I don’t of course own a gold bikini…’

‘That’s not a problem, Uh Integrity. Let Sir Bob perform his magic for you.’ He magicked up a tape measure from nowhere and held it up, squinting. ‘Say the magic word,’ he intoned.

Heavens above. ‘Please.’

Bob tsked. ‘Don’t be silly. Abracadabra.’ I rolled my eyes. ‘Uh Integrity…’ He wagged his finger.

‘Fine. Abracadabra.’

Bob grinned and snapped his fingers. A half second later I was bloody freezing all over again. I gazed down at my body. A gold bikini might have suited Carrie Fisher but I had milk-white skin. It was just as well no one else could see me.

There was a knock from outside and Bob shouted out. ‘Come in!’

The door opened before I could yelp a word of warning. Byron’s face went stiff when he caught sight of me. I could be embarrassed or I could brazen this out. No choice, really.

‘Hi honey!’ I said cheerily. ‘Pool party?’

He glanced past me into the cabin’s plush interior, which Bob hadn’t bothered to return to its spartan chill. ‘No wonder you didn’t want to move. The genie did all this?’

I nodded. ‘Yep.’

From one of the red velvet cushions, Bob waved enthusiastically. ‘Hi Byron!’ he gushed. ‘It’s great to finally meet you! Uh Integrity wouldn’t let me show myself before but now that the whole world knows my name, there’s no point in staying hidden.’

Byron ran a hand through his bronzed hair. ‘What is your name?’

Bob was suddenly crestfallen. ‘You don’t know? It must be because the sight of Uh Integrity in that bikini has surprised you into forgetting.’

Byron flicked a look at me. ‘Nothing Integrity does surprises me these days,’ he said. He kept his eyes firmly on my face. I was tempted to do a little jiggle, perhaps even a belly dance, but it probably wasn’t a good time. I cleared my throat.

‘It’s Bob the Brave!’ the genie interjected before I could speak. ‘That’s spelt B – O…’

Byron held up his hand. ‘I got it. Thanks.’ He paused, taking Bob’s measure. ‘You did a wonderful thing by helping everyone out of the loch and directing them away from the water.’

Bob folded his arms and smiled smugly. ‘I know.’

Byron stared at him for another moment. Finally he spoke again. ‘Do you think you could give us a moment or two so I can speak privately to Integrity?’

‘Your wish is my command!’ Bob swept a bow and vanished in a blinding flash of light before I could warn Byron to cover his eyes. He winced, blinking rapidly to clear his vision.

‘I didn’t make a wish,’ he said.

‘I know,’ I reassured him. ‘Bob knows too.’