He grabbed my hand, his words almost tumbling over each other. ‘When will I see you again? I don’t want you to go. We are never alone together and there’s so much I want to say, and more than that. I like you a lot. A lot!’ He leaned forward, slid his cheek against mine until his mouth was over my ear. ‘I want you,’ he growled. The words were so unexpected, they overwhelmed me. I stared at him like an idiot as he withdrew to a respectable distance and continued. ‘You must come and see my house. When will you return?’ Then he got so excited he was speaking to me in Greek but didn’t seem to realise. His eyes narrowed as he spoke, and there was such passion in his tone that I thought perhaps it was just as well that I did not understand him.

People seemed to move in closer and I wondered if they were eavesdropping. Aware that my cheeks were blazing, I glanced around hurriedly, hoping nobody heard or understood whatever he was muttering.

Josephine rolled her eyes. ‘I’ll wait for you at the top.’ She nodded at the ramp.

Unabashed, Manno returned to speaking English and continued. ‘I am not happy that you leave me. I am even more not happy that you are leaving with the English.’ I knew he meant Corporal Perkins. ‘Give me one kiss, just one, to remember you by.’

‘Certainly not. How bold of you!’

The people hovering nearby gave up pretending and gathered around. Unsure of myself, I tried to imagine what Sissy would do. Life was difficult without a role model and, in truth, I really wanted to kiss him – oh dear – I really did. But, not there on the quayside in front of all the gawping strangers.

He grinned. ‘I made you angry? You become more beautiful when you are a crazy woman. I am in love with you, koukla mou. My nurse.’

I glanced up into a blue sky that seemed to be twinkling with mischief. ‘What a ridiculous thing to say, Manno, stop it! People are watching us. You don’t even know me, and you’re causing me untold embarrassment.’ Yet I was thrilled to be called a woman, and a nurse. However, my future was dedicated to atoning for the deaths of my companions on the Britannic. I would tend the sick, fulfil Sissy’s dream, and save some poor mother’s son as I had cost so many theirs. I felt myself grow, right there on the quayside. Yes, Manno made my heart race. I could even convince myself that I was falling in love with him; and longed to feel his lips pressed against mine. Nevertheless, my only experience of love came from the writings of Victor Hugo and a DH Lawrence book that belonged to Sissy, which I was sworn to keep away from my parents’ eyes.