She put her hands over his head and ducked him under. Jack grabbed her waist and pulled her with him. She wriggled loose and swam away. Jack had no problem keeping up the pace.

‘Did I ever tell you I was in the swimming team at school?’ he said.

Ninni splashed a hand at him. ‘No, I don’t think you did. I bet I can beat you out to the raft.’

He looked where she was pointing. The raft was perhaps twenty metres away, filled with kids.

She almost beat him, but he managed to pull her back at the last inch, to the great delight of the kids cheering them on.

‘You cheated!’ she shouted.

‘Well, of course I did,’ Jack said.

She hauled herself on top of the raft and talked to the kids. Jack held onto the ropes. The water was cool and refreshing, and the sun was burning. He sank under the surface for a second.

Ninni jumped over him with a huge splash. ‘I’ll let you win on the way back,’ she teased.

‘That’s decent of you,’ he said.

He enjoyed watching her, taking long strokes and splashing her feet. She looked over her shoulder at him. ‘You’re so slow!’

‘I’m enjoying the view,’ he said.

There was a small ladder on the side of the pier. Ninni climbed up like she must have done since she was old enough to do it on her own. Jack swam over to the pier and held onto the ladder. All this, he thought – all this was so normal to her. As it would have been for him if he had grown up with Agnar.

It was a strange thought.

They sat outside in the sun. Ninni pulled a large bath towel over them.

‘For protection against the sun,’ Ninni said. She liked the feeling of having him so close.

‘You know, if you sold ice cream on this beach you’d make a fortune,’ Jack said, watching the busy beach.

‘I know, but I don’t want anything to do with something like that.’

‘Because you don’t like ice cream?’ Jack looked confused.

‘No, because I couldn’t imagine standing out here, selling ice cream in the hot sun. I’d die of boredom. I leave that to Alma. She usually pays one of the kids to come out here and sell cold stuff. Including fizzy drinks and ice cream.’

Jack nuzzled her neck. ‘She has a hand in almost everything out here, doesn’t she?’

‘Yes, she told me once it was her duty to keep the island alive, and that to do that she needed to encourage people to come and live here.’

‘I see.’ Jack looked at her. ‘Now, how big is this towel?’

‘What do you mean?’ Ninni grinned at him.

‘Is it big enough to fool around in? Without anyone noticing?’ Jack pulled her closer. The towel was absolutely not big enough for what he had in mind.

Ninni jumped up. ‘Come with me,’ she said.