‘Then you are lucky. I have done this since I was a boy. You’ll like this,’ Jens said. He folded a couple of foil sheets and added some herb butter. ‘You’ll like this,’ he said again.

‘Where’s the white wine?’ Jack looked for a bottle and didn’t see any.

Jens’ eyes twinkled. ‘This is Agnar’s recipe. He loved mussels, but not with wine. It has to be good butter with chives and ramson, and a bit of lemon. If you don’t have ramson, you can use a generous amount of garlic. And since I don’t have any of the little green weed, take this.’

Jens handed a package of garlic to Jack, together with a small knife. ‘I expect you know what to do with those?’

Jack peeled the garlic and dropped it into the foil. Jens added the mussels, carefully arranging them over the top.

Jack picked up one of the mussels and squeezed it gently. It gave slightly. Jens grinned. ‘You know your mussels.’

‘I’m not completely without knowledge about food, you know,’ Jack said. ‘And anyway, Ninni showed me.’

Jens added a few slices of lemon, a handful of chives and butter, and then folded the package tightly. He put it carefully on the side of the firepit. ‘If you put them on the open fire, they will burn. They just need a few minutes to be done.’

Someone had added sausage rolls to the camping table, someone else a pile of golden buns and his pasties. Jack handed the two packages to Jens.

‘There’s ten of those in the bigger package. You can put them on the grill. Make sure the smaller ones goes to you. Those two have a special ingredient,’ Jack said to the old man with a wide grin.

Jens raised his eyebrows. ‘What’s in them?’

‘Some of your excellent mutton and potatoes, with some herbs and onions. Nothing fancy. Except in the ones for you. I’m not sure anyone else will like those, to be honest.’

Jens opened the smaller packet and sniffed one of the pasties. ‘That’s interesting,’ he said and put it on the firepit next to the mussels.

Olav turned up and handed him a beer. It was nice and cold, and tasted sweet and sharp at the same time. Jack took another sip, enjoying the flavours.

‘Thank you,’ he said to Olav.

‘You’re welcome. It’s Britt’s special island brew. Don’t ask me what’s in it,’ Olav said.

Jens and Olav exchanged a few words Jack didn’t understand. It was annoying, not understanding anything anyone said. Fortunately he wouldn’t need to worry about it for too long. He’d soon be back in London.

Then his eyes found Ninni and something shifted inside him. She was talking to her father, and Jack watched her. She seemed completely relaxed. He liked that.

‘How are you settling in, Jack?’ Olav turned towards him.

The kids sat on the sand, happily munching their second hot dogs.

‘I might stay for a while longer,’ Jack said, keeping an eye on Ninni.