Insulted, Manno stuck his chin out and glowered at Perkins. With the two of them staring at each other, I was reminded of the time my mother placed a couple of cockerels in the hen pen.

‘You forget where your civilisation came from, my friend. While you lived in caves and wore animal skins, we were building our great temples in Greece and wore robes of the finest silk. While your weapon was a lump of wood, we had the Olympic games.’

‘Is that what they tell you? Well, your teachers are off the mark!’

I felt a surge of panic. Their irritation was close to exploding into something dangerous.

‘You insult my country and my people!’ Manno glared. ‘I should throw you out of my boat!’ He boomed so loudly I cowered. ‘Yes! Get out!’ Manno continued. ‘Into the sea with you! When you are crying to come back into my magnificent boat, this beautiful koukla here will see you for the big malaka you are!’ He held his hand towards me.

Josephine and I exchanged an alarmed glance.

‘Manno, the Corporal doesn’t know what he’s saying, it’s the morphine,’ Josephine said. ‘Take no notice. He’s had a really bad time lately, and don’t forget, he came to your country to defend it. If he hadn’t been fighting for Greece’s territory, he wouldn’t have lost half his leg. He’s on your side, Manno – and he’s made a great sacrifice. You should be thanking him.’

Manno’s father spoke quietly to his son in Greek.

‘Look, there are people on the quayside waving at us,’ Josephine said.

To my relief, Manno’s tone softened. He studied the port and then explained his theory.

‘You see, sport? They are loading mules. So, you are going to Lemnos. This is for sure. They bring tired mules back from Lemnos – they take fresh ones to Lemnos – this is how you say; a fact. You understand now, my friend, your word: logic, it comes from the Greek word, logiki. You are leaving tonight, going to the island of Lemnos where the wounded of the world wait for nurses like this koukla and her friend.’

Josephine rolled her eyes again, a trait to which she seemed prone in Manno’s presence.

Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

SHELLY

Dover, present day.

SINCE UNIVERSITY, AND SETTING UP the veterinary practice, Shelly had spent neither time nor money on herself, never feeling the inclination to make the most of her looks. She ignored glamorous Eve’s constant invitations to accompany her to the hairdresser’s or nail salon. What was the point? She was thirty-seven, why pretend to be younger?

‘What you’re not realising,’ Eve said, ‘is that you’re a very attractive woman, if you would only . . .’

‘Only what? Come on, spit it out.’