Ninni liked that idea. ‘A bistro or something like that would be nice. Britt’s beer is amazing, we all know that. You could extend your shop, Alma. You could sell more of the local produce and baked goods.’

Alma was fuming. ‘We all know that Haldorsen will destroy everything. Think of all the rubbish a marina brings with it. We will lose arable land and God knows what else. What if the tourists don’t come? And, if they do, Haldorsen and his people will keep the profits from any endeavours they come up with. He will make sure of that. If there is to be a restaurant or an artisan shop, you can bet neither of us will be involved. No, we have too much to lose.’

Britt looked like she wanted to say something else, but restrained herself.

Alma spoke again. ‘We need to know more about this man. I will go and talk to him myself and if anyone else could also check him out, that would be much appreciated. The more we know about him, the better it is. All agreed?’

The others nodded, and Alma looked relieved.

‘Good, and since that’s settled we have to decide what to do after we have the information. It’s imperative that we stick together now. This could change our island for ever.’

Ninni leaned towards Jens. ‘It sounds terribly dramatic,’ she whispered.

Jens nodded, a smile lighting up his face. ‘Oh, it is.’

Tobben seemed to think the same thing. ‘Do we have to get out the torches and pitchforks, Alma?’

Everybody laughed and Alma couldn’t help smiling herself. She waved her hand. ‘Fine, I get the point. We’re not going to throw him off the island, unless he really is an imposter. Then we can discuss it again. Agreed?’

Ninni snagged another piece of the cake. ‘Alma, this is so good. I think you have outdone yourself with this one.’

‘That’s not mine, it’s Britt’s, Alma said.

Britt waved a hand. ‘It’s just an experiment.’

‘Then it’s the best experiment since the light bulb,’ Tobben said, tucking in.

Ninni noticed Tobben looking at Britt, and Britt giving him a radiant smile. Perhaps other things had happened while she was on the mainland.

Britt came over and sat next to her after the discussion turned to summer plans. ‘Did you meet this man?’

‘Yes, he hit me with his car in Bergen. He actually came the wrong way around the roundabout.’

‘Really? I did that once. In Sheffield. I was so scared, I just stopped in the middle of the road and closed my eyes.’

‘You’re joking, right?’

Britt shook her head. ‘I wish. Every other car stopped and honked, then people came out of their cars and yelled at me. Finally someone realised I wasn’t British. Changed the whole atmosphere. They couldn’t have been nicer.’

‘So a happy ending, then. Not so much for this idiot.’

Britt smiled. ‘At least I didn’t hit anyone.’

‘At least we don’t have cars here. That makes us all safer.’