‘I have to ask you something,’ Petter said.

‘Okay,’ she said, hugging his arm.

‘Why didn’t you tell me about Karl?’ He gave her one of his sharper looks, the one he had used when she was a teenager and tried to argue about curfew.

‘I was embarrassed. I still am,’ she admitted.

Petter looked horrified. ‘Why on earth would you be? That little shit cheated on you. I’d like to throw him overboard on a dark night.’

Ninni couldn’t help laughing. ‘Please don’t. He’s not worth it. I’m getting over the whole thing, Pappa.’

He put his arm around her shoulder. ‘That’s my girl. Don’t let that bastard get to you. I would never have survived your mother’s departure if I took things too seriously.’

Ninni smiled. It wasn’t exactly how she remembered her parents’ divorce, but she didn’t correct him. He had got over her, but not as lightly as he thought.

‘Yes, I know and, as you know, it takes time.’

He nodded several times. ‘Of course. But you are okay, aren’t you? I don’t have to worry about you?’

Ninni leaned towards him. ‘Of course not. I’m not that dramatic.’

‘No, you’re like me. You should be happy about that. Drama is so exhausting.’ He hugged her again and laughed.

They passed the road to Agnar’s farm and Ninni avoided looking down. Petter, on the other hand, had no such reservations. He pointed at the farm. ‘Now, what about your Englishman? He seems like a nice young man.’

‘He’s not my Englishman, Pappa.’ Ninni rolled her eyes.

‘You could have fooled me. The way the two of you looked in the boat the other day? He fancies you. Even I could see that.’

‘Pappa, there’s so many things wrong in those sentences. Please stop. I’m not talking to you about this. And, for your information, Jack has just left a bad relationship. He’s not looking for someone else, and neither am I.’

Petter thought about it as they got closer to the quay. ‘Then you have something in common, haven’t you?’

‘I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.’ Ninni discovered Frikk digging in a flowerbed and called him back.

‘Fine, fine. I’m trying to help. I like him.’

‘Then you go out with him. I won’t.’ Ninni smiled to disarm him. ‘It’s good for me to be alone, Pappa. I need that.’

‘That’s all fine and dandy, but you were alone for most of the time even when you were with Karl, weren’t you? He was always off somewhere, wasn’t he?’

Ninni knew he was right. She had been alone a lot more than together with Karl, when she thought about it. But she wouldn’t admit it so easily.

‘Yes, but that doesn’t mean I will throw myself at the first man who comes along.’

‘You could have a fling,’ Petter said, shaking with laughter when she looked at him in horror.

‘Please don’t tell me you’ve been talking to Britt?’

He pulled a face and pretended not to hear. ‘Oh, it looks like the ferry is coming in early.’