Jack turned the boat around the point again and kept looking over his shoulder towards the boathouse. The boat wobbled and it was clear he would miss the mark by a mile if he kept it up.

Ninni stopped him. ‘Not like that. Fix on a point over my shoulder and I’ll let you know when we’re close.’

He got it right almost at once and the boat’s course steadied. ‘What about lobster? There are lobsters here, aren’t there?’

‘Yes, especially further south, but it’s strictly regulated. You can only fish for lobsters if you have a licence, and only between October 1st and December 31st, and if the lobsters are smaller than twenty-five centimetres you have to throw them back in.’

Jack nodded. ‘Sounds reasonable. Am I hitting the pier yet?’

Ninni looked over his shoulder. ‘Nope. Just keep going, but not so fast or you won’t be able to stop before we hit land.’

‘What about cockles?’ Jack suddenly asked.

‘Aren’t they a kind of chestnut?’ Ninni had no idea.

‘No, that’s conkers. I mean white mussels, the ones you dig out of the sand. That beach looks promising.’

‘Oh, those. They are called hjerteskjell or heart shell. I think the children dig them up and then Sigrid sells them to restaurants in town. I don’t think it’s very profitable,’ Ninni said.

‘What about winkles?’ he asked.

‘Excuse me?’ Ninni raised her eyebrows.

‘You know, periwinkles. Those little snails that live on the shore.’

Ninni smiled. ‘I think you mean beach snails. What about them?’

‘You can buy them on beaches in the UK, boiled in seawater. They’re a treat. There must be loads of them here.’

‘There are, but I wouldn’t dream of eating them. That sounds awful. We use them for fishing bait,’ she said and laughed.

‘You guys could survive for years out here, without ever having to go to town, couldn’t you?’ The idea seemed to excite him.

Ninni smiled. ‘Yes, we could if we had to, but that would mean no chocolate or wine. Sometimes the islanders still have to go without such luxuries in the winter months when the weather gets too bad for the ferry to run. It can get really nasty here.’

He looked at her, suddenly serious. ‘Who’s Karl?’

It came so out of the blue that Ninni had no idea what to say.

Chapter 12

Jack slowed down the rowing to make sure he wouldn’t hit the pier. She looked a bit shocked by his question. Which of course was his intention.

‘He’s my ex. How do you know about him?’ Ninni frowned.

‘I was right behind you and Britt down the pathway to the beach and heard you mention the name. I asked her. She doesn’t like Karl much, does she?’

Ninni sighed. ‘It’s not polite to eavesdrop, you know.’

It had to be a recent break, Jack thought. She was flustered and angry. ‘Did he treat you that badly?’

Ninni narrowed her eyes. ‘You’d better slow down. That pier is getting awfully close.’