‘Do you remember when we were like that,’ Dora whispered to Nell, ‘able to drink all day and party all night?’

Penny noticed Nikos standing alone and went to join him, no longer able to hide her anxiety about her missing husband.

‘Nikos, could I have a word with you alone?’

‘I can think of nothing I’d like better.’ He gave her one of those looks that had made Marigold reach for her mobile. ‘Let’s go and have a drink at my house, where we can be private.’

They left the others to it and summoned a taxi from the rank. For a moment his hand touched hers and she felt a shock of electricity course through her body; but he did not, rather to her relief, reach and take it in his.

Ten minutes later they were climbing the stone steps at the side of his house. He unlocked the door and led her to the wide balcony at the front overhanging the sea. She leaned over and looked out to the horizon. It was the deep blue of lapis lazuli.

‘Have you ever dived off?’ she asked him as he came back with two glasses of wine.

‘Ah,’ he smiled, ‘so there’s a risk-taker hidden in faithful Penelope?’

‘It just looks so tempting.’

‘The answer is no. Sadly there are quite a lot of treacherous rocks hidden beneath the waves. Like life, perhaps?’

‘Nikos,’ she said suddenly before she had time to lose her nerve, ‘Marigold has sent an anonymous message to my husband that you and I are getting involved.’

‘And is he coming here to kill me?’ he asked with the faintest trace of a smile.

‘No way,’ Penny replied with spirit. ‘Colin is a control freak. He’d be more likely to kill me. But he has disappeared from home.’

Nikos put down his drink and pulled her into his arms. She melted against him, forgetting all about her controlling husband and all her everyday concerns.

‘You are a good person, Penelope. And you deserve a good man.’

Penny screwed up all her courage. What did he actually mean by that?

‘I love you, Nikos, and I want to leave my husband and come and live with you. Is that what you want too?’

She looked at him intently, hardly able to believe she had dared to say the words at last.

‘Yes, Penelope.’ He leaned down to kiss her. ‘It is.’

He leaned down to kiss her. Just as their lips touched, the doorbell jangled loudly, making both of them jump – as if, like the ghost of Banquo in Macbeth, Colin had indeed appeared to claim her back.

Nikos let her go and primed himself like an athlete on the starting block for the trouble ahead.

‘Yes?’ he almost snarled as he opened the door.

It was Marigold in a slinky, see-through kaftan, loaded with silver and a seductive smile, carrying of all things a blue Le Creuset cast-iron pot.