‘You know, all that hands-on stuff, kneading and touching, tasting. Cooking is sensual. I wonder if all chefs are good in bed.’

‘Only if their massive egos don’t get in the way,’ Ninni said.

‘I’ll just have to check it out then, wont I?’ Britt laughed again.

Ninni scratched Frikk on the head. She listened to Britt’s chatter with one ear. Her stomach was still acting up. Perhaps it was time to see a doctor.

***

The trip to the bank didn’t take long. As instructed, Jack had brought with him both Agnar’s will and his own passport, and everything was on the up. With a signature and a beaming smile from the bank assistant, he was a lot richer than before he had gone in there, even before Haldorsen’s offer.

Jack leaned against the railing on the ferry. Not in a million years would he understand why Agnar had given him everything without ever wanting to meet him. He wasn’t sure what to think about it. He didn’t believe in “blood is thicker than water”, but perhaps Agnar had. He wondered if Magni’s books could have answers for him, and decided to ask Ninni to look at the rest of them for him.

Thinking about Ninni made him smile. She was an unexpected surprise in all of this. A good surprise.

His mobile buzzed and he looked at the screen. Fedra. But this message was different. After a moment’s hesitation, Jack called her back.

‘Oh,’ she said. ‘I thought you’d stopped talking to me.’

He didn’t bother with niceties. ‘Is this true, or is it just a ruse to get me to call you back?’ he said.

‘No, it’s not. Daddy wants to talk to you. He’s sorry about the whole debacle. Will you come and talk to him?’

Jack watched a pair of seagulls chasing each other. He smiled to himself. ‘Why can’t he just call me?’

Fedra was silent for a second. ‘He’s not well, Jack. All I’m asking is that you talk to him.’

‘Will it change anything?’ Jack wasn’t about to show his cards to her that easily.

‘I really don’t know. But please don’t be a bastard simply because you can.’

She ended the call before Jack had a chance to respond. He put the mobile in his pocket again. Roland wanted to talk. Of course he would talk to him. It was time to clear up this mess once and for all.

By the time the ferry docked on the island, he had already ordered plane tickets home to London for the following day.

Ninni felt silly, standing on the harbour waiting for Jack. But she still waited with Frikk next to her, his tongue lolling and tail wagging whenever she looked down at him.

She grabbed the mooring rope that the deckhand threw at her with a wide grin on his face. ‘Evening,’ he yelled.

‘Same to you,’ Ninni said and tied the thick hemp rope to the pole.

Jack stood by the gangway, smiling at her.