‘You sound bloody efficient, I must say,’ conceded Karl. ‘Especially since you won’t be going.’

‘Come on, the two of you,’ she encouraged. ‘Stiffen the sinews and all that.’

‘How are we going to get there?’ Stelios asked. ‘It’s quite a hike. Is there even a road?’

‘No idea. We need Takis. Moira, go and get him down here for a moment,’ instructed Dora.

‘When did you get to run things?’ Moira asked resentfully. ‘You wouldn’t know Aphrodite from a hole in the ground.’

‘And that’s exactly where she’s been,’ Dora snapped. ‘Somebody has to take charge, or he’ll move the bloody thing again.’

Moira went off, harrumphing, into the starry darkness. Fifteen minutes later she was back with Takis.

‘Moira has explained your daring exploit,’ he said seriously, looking like Mr Bean Goes to War. ‘I am all behind you. There is a small road that meets up with the coast road about half a mile beyond Nikos’s house.’

‘I’d better go and look for Demetria.’ Nell jumped up. ‘I’ll call you when I know about the fishermen and the van.’

‘Nell, you must not,’ intervened Stelios. ‘It is too dangerous!’

‘Stelios,’ Nell replied angrily. ‘I’m not some precious little flower that needs protecting!’

Stelios and Karl exchanged a look of male sympathy. If chivalry was dead, it was because women saw it as part of the patriarchy.

‘When we go in, how will we know that Demetria is ready with the van?’

‘I’ll flash my phone light three times,’ Nell suggested. It all felt to her like Five Go to Rescue a Goddess. She was interested to note that she felt no fear at all.

Demetria was at her usual amazing best. ‘I will send a message to the fishermen that we will pick them up in half an hour in the van. Lucky for us, the moon is new. Come – let us get the van now.’ She said something in rapid Greek to her husband, who simply shrugged. Clearly he was used to doing what he was told.

Once they had the van, Nell called Stelios and gave him an update. According to Demetria, about twelve fishermen had already volunteered. All they had to do was pick them up from a meeting point.

‘The whole bloody village is getting involved in this venture.’ Karl shook his head.

‘The more the better,’ Dora insisted. ‘Safety in numbers.’

‘You don’t really think he’s dangerous?’ pooh-poohed Moira.

‘The rich are always dangerous if you threaten to take their money,’ pronounced Stelios.

They all waited another ten minutes until Nell phoned again to say they were on their way. When they got to the road behind the boathouse, they would hide the van somewhere discreet and signal three times with Nell’s phone.

‘Oh my God,’ Nell suddenly blurted, ‘I hope my bloody battery’s got plenty of charge left.’