‘Willow found it hard to forgive me for having the affair that broke up my marriage.’ Suddenly Nell found herself on the verge of tears. ‘And of course she’s right. It was bloody stupid. I find it hard to forgive myself.’

Penny had just started to climb onto her bike. She put it down, and came and hugged Nell. ‘Look, I don’t know what happened, but I know this. Most men do it because they can, but you’re not like that. If you had an affair, there had to be a good reason.’

Nell looked at her intently. ‘Just as there’ll be a good reason if you have an affair with Nikos.’

‘Yes,’ Penny replied, holding her gaze. ‘Thank you for seeing that.’

Eleven

At nine in the morning, Penny noted gratefully, the quay was almost deserted. It was too early for the boat trip captains to have arrived or for any tourists to be walking up and down deciding which trip to choose. Takis and Cassandra were still busy in the hotel and – thank God – it was far too early for Marigold.

She waited at the end of the landing stage, watching the sun sparkle on the sea and feeling it warm her skin into a delicious sense of well-being. Not to mention that she was about to spend the day alone with Nikos for the first time.

She wondered for a moment if she needed to be nervous. Did he take her eager acceptance to be some kind of invitation? As soon she saw his piratical boat rounding the headland, red sails billowing in the brisk morning wind, she knew he didn’t. Their understanding was too deep.

Nikos smiled and threw her a rope. ‘All ready?’

‘Absolutely,’ smiled Penny.

‘Let go of the rope and climb aboard then. You’ll have to be my second in command.’

Penny saluted and threw him what she hoped was a saucy sailor’s grin.

‘If you look like that,’ Nikos threatened, ‘I might have to come over and kiss you, which is maybe not a good idea with all Kyri watching.’

‘There’s no one on the quay,’ protested Penny.

‘That’s what you think. Our every move will be dissected in the butcher’s along with the lamb chops, I promise you!’

‘We’d better get a move on, then!’ Penny was shocked at herself. Where had this light-hearted, flirtatious person come from?

‘So,’ she asked as they left the shelter of the harbour, ‘where are you taking me?’