Jack was on his knees in the flower beds, digging at the plants. Sometimes he put something to his nose, then tossed it aside. Other times he sniffed something again, then put it on the ground next to him.

Not only smug but a bit insane, Ninni thought. At least he wasn’t harmed after the boat trip. She turned her back and walked along, avoiding the pits and holes in the ground. It was a grey day, clouds floated over the island and there was a promise of rain in the air later.

Soon she forgot all about Jack. She stopped outside the little school: a small white house behind the only slightly larger chapel that occasionally was used for the formal part of weddings and christenings.

Britt’s house stood next to the school. The front wall was covered in small pink rosebuds with some tulips nodding their heads beneath the window. All the windows on the first floor were wide open, bedclothes hanging over the windowsill in preparation for B&B guests.

Ninni was about to press the doorbell when Britt came around the corner.

‘Hi,’ Britt said, her face brightening at once.

‘I have come on an important errand,’ Ninni said.

‘Okay. What’s so important?’ Britt grinned, then frowned. ‘Frikk, get out of there! Please keep that silly dog of yours out of my flowers.’

Frikk stepped back from the hole he was digging between the sad-looking tulips. He had a perfectly innocent look on his face.

Ninni lifted her finger at him. ‘No,’ she said. ‘Say sorry to Britt.’

The dog sat down and lifted a paw to Britt. He grinned with his tongue hanging out.

‘Cheeky bastard,’ Britt said and ruffled his ears. ‘Come on, I’m around the back.’

Frikk and Ninni followed her. A ladder leaned against the wall.

‘What are you doing?’

Britt wielded a paint scraper with a determined look in her eyes. ‘The windowsills need repainting and I don’t want to spend my summer holiday doing this. Better do it now, before school ends. I have plans for the summer. Hopefully, I can keep my rooms let most of the summer and make extra money that way.’

‘Don’t let me keep you. I just came to see if you have any eggs.’

‘That’s the important errand?’ Britt smiled.

‘Yes, I’m all out. Do you have any?’ Ninni held out the cardboard box and Britt laughed.

‘I have about twenty today, if you want that many. The children are feeding the chickens too much and in return they are laying eggs as if it’s an Olympic challenge.’

Ninni wrinkled her nose. ‘I think ten will be more than enough.’

‘Are some of them for your Englishman?’ Britt walked towards the end of the garden where the henhouse stood under the shade of a tall spruce. On the other side of the garden was the brewery building.

‘Why do you ask me that?’ Ninni was surprised.

Britt shrugged. ‘You’re his closest neighbour.’

‘Sure, but I don’t run errands for him. Jack can get his own eggs,’ Ninni said.