‘Well, Bill got the hang of taking care of me birds. And that was the biggest reason for me not going with you.’ He peered at her, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he contemplated. ‘And I have to tell you, Shelly love. I’m not as young as I was. Don’t be fooled by the pomade and Pond’s cream—’

‘Dad!’

‘No, really. Today, I realised how hard you work. In fact, I realised that I don’t know that much about you, my own daughter. And I was dead proud of the way you handled that rabid dog. I thought you just took money off cat people and puppy lovers.’

‘Dad!’ she cried again, trying to stop herself laughing. ‘It wasn’t a rabid dog, it had a bee sting in its mouth. Can you imagine how that felt?’

‘Well, anyway, the long and short of it is, I’m coming to Greece with you, next time.’ His eyes narrowed in a scheming way. ‘Would you mind if I brought Malcolm along?’

So that was what this was about. ‘Dad! No, you can’t bring Malcolm. I hope you haven’t said anything to him.’

‘He really likes you, Shelly.’

‘I’ve met someone!’ she blurted. His face lit up, and she almost said something she might have regretted later, so she just thought it: Oh, for fuck’s sake!

‘Really? Was that—’

‘Stop right now, Dad! I’ll tell you about it when I’m ready. Now let’s drop the subject before I get angry. It would be lovely if you came to Greece with me, but I’m just as happy for you to have Bill or Malcolm round here for the week. Now, I’m going to play another one of Gran Gertie’s tapes because I’m hoping to know the whole story before I return to Kea. So, you can listen with me or go and watch the telly.’

Gordon decided the football was more important.

Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

GERTIE

Greece, 1916.

AFTER A HURRIED LESSON ON the crutches, Perkins hopped up and down while Josephine and I folded the bedlinen and tried to restore the school room fit for purpose.

‘I must say farewell to Yiayá,’ I said. ‘I’ll see you on the quayside in a few minutes.’ I rushed around to the matriarch’s home and found the cutest white goat tied to the donkey loop in the wall. I knocked on the door while the goat nibbled on my apron bow.

‘Ela! Yiayá,’ I called.

‘Agapití mou! ’ My lovely!’ she cried reaching up and tapping my cheek.

I stepped inside and the old lady’s face lit in such a lovely way that I knew I would miss her terribly. ‘Me,’ I pointed at my chest, then out towards the horizon, ‘Syros!’