I moved to the edge. It wasn’t correct for a man to sit in such close proximity without so much as an invitation. ‘It’s private,’ I said. ‘From my mother.’

He moved closer again.

Annoyed, and determined to hold my claim on the chest, I got up, walked around him, and sat at the opposite end. Manno frowned at me.

I bit my lip to stop myself grinning. ‘Stay over there, please.’ I pointed at his end of the chest.

‘I like you,’ he said, his words stoking the heat already smouldering in my cheeks. ‘Is no problem. You don’t want to talk with me.’ He shrugged and put on a dejected look, which I understood was play-acting. ‘I was thinking to take you to see your dolphin, but if you no want, is all right.’ He turned away from me and stared across the sea.

‘What? You know where he is?’ I sat down.

‘But of course . . . We are very big friends, me and Delphi.’

‘I can’t go anywhere without a chaperone.’ I stretched my neck and looked away.

‘I understand, you do not trust yourself alone with me? This is perfectly normal. I have the same problem with many girls.’

‘You are too bold, Mr Manno, I suspect you’ve been told that before too. I would love to see the dolphin again, but I have a certain responsibility here. Poor Corporal Perkins has lost his foot.’

‘Then he will never marry, poor man.’

‘Of course he’ll marry. Why shouldn’t he take a wife once he has a new foot and is back at work?’

Manno pulled in his chin. ‘Bah! You think so? In Greece, only perfect men take a wife. If there is something wrong with a man, like only one foot, then the family hide him away.’

Yianni, who sat patiently in his boat, shouted towards us. ‘Manno, ela!’

‘I will leave you to your work, and get on with my own,’ Manno said. He stuck his arm out. ‘It is the custom here, if someone saves your life, you shake hands with them each time you meet.’

This seemed such a charming custom, and I had noticed a lot of handshaking went on between the islanders. I reached out and took his hand. ‘Then I must say: thank you for saving my life.’

‘Manno!’ his father called.

Manno lifted my hand and quickly kissed the back of it, then turned and leapt into the boat.

‘Manno! You are so bad!’ I called.

He grinned, released the mooring ropes then pushed the vessel away from the quayside. ‘Until tomorrow!’ he shouted. ‘I will give your good wishes to Delphi!’

Yianni cranked the engine and it spluttered into life. The boat turned away from the town and motored down the centre of the harbour. I watched until the fishing boat disappeared past the lighthouse of St Nicholas.

*