‘Colin?’ snorted Nell. ‘People who commit suicide usually feel the world would be better off without them. Your Colin thinks the world’s bloody lucky to have him! This is just control, Penny. He doesn’t want you to be here enjoying yourself without him, so he’s trying to spoil it.’

‘Do you really think so?’ Again Penny felt a weight suddenly lift off her. She wanted to go out onto the boathouse balcony and breathe in the peace and beauty that surrounded them.

‘What’s the betting he’ll wait till you’re really happy with Nikos and stage some dramatic entrance to claim you? I can just picture a helicopter . . .’

Penny couldn’t help smiling, even though her heart thudded uncomfortably at the thought. ‘Sorry to disappoint you, but Colin’s much too mean! It’d be more like a push bike. I love you, Nell.’ She gave Nell another hug, so grateful to have such a good friend to share her worries with.

‘Come on,’ Nell suggested, grinning. ‘Let’s open that wine. I can always get them another bottle.’

They took their glasses out onto the balcony, which jutted dramatically right out over the sea. Penny looked down the row of twenty or so boathouses they had helped to paint. ‘Sad, in a way, that all these had fishing boats in them, and now they’re empty.’

‘Yes,’ Nell replied briskly. ‘But it’s the modern world, and now they’re going to be B&Bs and we’re the clever people who’re helping them.’

‘So we are,’ beamed Penny. ‘Tell you what. A toast. To us! The mad old boots trying to help put Kyri on the map!’

‘Excuse me,’ Nell corrected. ‘To us! The sexy, clever, resourceful women who are determined to help save a Greek island!’

They clinked glasses and smiled at each other.

Two doors down, Marigold, also on her balcony, smiled as well, but in an altogether more malicious manner. She reached for her phone and texted a message to a mobile number in the UK:

Dear Mr Anderson: It really is time you did something about your wife.

Sixteen

They all sat at the little restaurant on the beach. They had invited Takis along too, although he said he couldn’t stay long.

‘So –’ without asking anyone, Dora took the lead – ‘what are we going to do about Georgiades? I know he has the statue somewhere.’ She turned to Takis. ‘Where is the hand with the apple at the moment?’

‘I have locked it away. Ariadne likes to get it out sometimes and talk to it. Poor girl – I do not have the heart to stop her. She cares so much about this goddess of hers.’

‘Don’t you have a safe?’ asked Dora incredulously. ‘I mean, what about the money you make from the hotel?’