‘Goodnight, Gertie,’ Josephine called that evening as I walked out of the school room.

‘Goodnight, nurse,’ I called back absently, my head full of Corporal Perkins. I could not get Manno’s words out of my head. Just because Perkins had lost half of his leg, didn’t mean he wouldn’t make a perfectly fine husband. Yet, knowing that some people would think like Manno filled me with sadness. It made me want to hold Perkins to me and tell him things would work out; that I would always care deeply for him.

I gazed out over the darkening sea, following the path that Manno had taken. My heart filled with romantic thoughts of the fisherman. The evening was heavy with heat even though it was December. My pigeon would be flying through the colourful sky towards Athens. How wonderful it must be, I pondered, to soar through a sunset.

Tomorrow, my parents would know their daughter had survived. Mother would cry and I could hear Father’s voice as he patted the back of her hand and said, ‘There, there, no need for tears, dear. Our daughter’s safe.’

A flourish of red light swept over the firmament, dramatically silhouetting Kea’s iconic lighthouse. Manno would soon return from Syros with his fishing nets and sack of mail. Would he be thinking of me at that same moment? I turned towards the schoolhouse. Tomorrow I’d help Perkins to walk with the aid of crutches.

I returned to Yiayá’s cottage where she pulled me to the table and served me a thick pancake filled with mild cheese, covered with a ladle of golden honey. I can honestly say it was wonderful. I discovered the word for delicious in Greek when I rubbed my belly and gave her an enquiring look.

‘Nostimo! ’ she squeaked with clear delight. ‘Nos-tee-mo!’

I fell asleep thinking about dear Perkins, yet it was Manno who appeared in my dreams. Manno came to my bed, in my imagination. I felt myself drawn into the fisherman’s arms, imagined his kiss heavy on my lips, and felt his arms around my waist pulling me against his body. In my dreams, I would yield to his exploring hands, and I would boldly whisper loving words into his ear.

Sensations I had never experienced before raced through me, not quite pleasure – not quite pain – something far more delicious exploded in the secret depths of me as sleep carried me away. I longed to feel his hands slip inside my bodice, or under my skirt. But, oh dear, I forget myself . . . yet my feelings for Manno were growing so strong that it seemed I had no control over my thoughts.

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