Ninni smiled. ‘It sounds exhausting. No holidays?’

‘Only if this trip counts as one.’ Jack took another bite of the sandwich. ‘Does Alma buy these berries somewhere?’

‘They grow in her garden. You should taste her gooseberry trifle. It’s to die for.’

‘Then I have to taste that. Did you always want to be a translator?’

‘I studied literature and languages at university, and sort of fell into it. It pays well and I can decide my own hours. That’s more important to me than anything else. But it’s not as if I knew from the time I was five that I wanted to translate legal documents. It’s not a lifelong dream,’ she said with a small laugh.

Jack turned to look at her. ‘What is your dream?’

The question took her by surprise. ‘What do you mean?’

‘You must have a dream. Everybody does.’

‘I want a family and I want to live here.’ Ninni avoided looking at him. ‘There should be laughter and … and children, and books and dogs, you know.’

‘And good food,’ Jack said.

‘Yes, that too. And there should be a sense of peace, I think. You should be able to enjoy your own company and the company of someone else. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for.’

Jack smiled then. ‘No,’ he said softly. ‘I don’t think so at all.’

‘Are you laughing at me?’ Ninni shoved her foot gently towards him.

‘Not even a little bit,’ he promised.

He leaned over and kissed her, tasting of bread and berries and coffee. ‘I wonder what we can do today,’ he said, grinning.

Ninni smiled. ‘I thought we’d have an outing today. You haven’t really seen the island yet, have you? Not properly, anyway.’

Jack pulled away. ‘Go outside, you mean?’

‘We could take lunch. And a blanket. I know all the best places,’ she said.

‘Or we could go upstairs again. Get some rest.’

Ninni considered it and shook her head. ‘No, outside it is.’ She smiled when she saw how disappointed he looked. ‘But not right now.’

Jack took her hand, then stopped. ‘I would love nothing more than to ramble around the island with you today, but I have to go to town. To Agnar’s bank, actually.’

‘Then we’ll go when you come back.’ Ninni smiled. ‘I’ll teach you how to fish.’

Jack raised his eyebrows. ‘Yes, well, there are still better things to do, I think.’

He pulled her up the stairs, a man on a mission.

Chapter 16

Jack looked at the fancy office and caught a glimpse of his reflection in the window. He was wearing his power suit and felt a bit awkward. He straightened his tie. At least he was dressed for the occasion. They wanted something from him, not the other way around. Bugger them, he thought.

He pushed open the door and went inside. It was clearly an office designed to impress. The reception desk took up half the length of the room. Leather sofas in a designated waiting area. Oak panels on the walls.