When she opened her eyes, Penny was standing at her elbow with a glass of white wine.

‘Nikos thought you might like this. In his experience we Brits like sun, sand and Sauvignon.’

Wendy laughed. ‘How very true.’ The thought struck her that her own father would no more think of a nice gesture like this than he would stand on his head with his trousers round his ankles.

‘He also wondered if you wanted to swim? We could stop in one of these little bays, and you’d have the sea to yourself. You don’t have to dive off if you don’t want. There’s a little ladder that you can climb down at the back.’ She knew Wendy’s one vanity was her hair, and she might not want to get it soaking wet.

‘Perfect. You will not be surprised to know I have my bikini on underneath.’

‘That’s my girl!’

Penny went back to the wheelhouse while Wendy stripped off. ‘The ladder for me, please!’ she told her mother. ‘Are you coming?’

‘Why not?’ Penny took off her dress and climbed down gingerly after her daughter.

They swam together in the gloriously clear water, which was blue yet so transparent that you could see shells on the sea bed.

‘Do you remember how I used to collect shells when I was little?’ Wendy asked. ‘Nothing as exotic as the ones here. Kyri is a very special place. I can see why you might not want to come home.’

‘It’s not just the landscape,’ Penny explained as they swam towards the shore. ‘It’s feeling useful, trying to put Kyri on the map. All the other islands are popular – Santorini too much so. Sifnos is famous for its food, Ios for partying . . . and somehow Kyri got left behind. And the people here are so kind and eager. We’ve all felt really at home here.’

‘So you’re going to stay?’

Suddenly Penny looked lost and unhappy.

‘Has Nikos asked you to?’

‘Yes he has. But I’m not sure he means it. I’ve been a memory to him: a kind of symbol of how much he’s changed. I’m not sure it’s me he loves – boring old Penny who’s always trying to please everyone. I’ve never been pretty or interesting.’

‘You only feel like that because Dad’s undermined your confidence. You’ll never know till you make a choice. I think Nikos is a good guy. And I think he loves you. And as for all this bollocks about not being pretty – you’ve never looked prettier! In fact you’re making me quite jealous!’

Penny laughed out loud, reflecting on how much she loved and admired her daughter. She is brave and wonderful partly because of me, Penny told herself. Even if it was because Wendy had defined herself in opposition to Penny’s inability to stand up for herself.