‘I mean, think of the peace of living here,’ she continued, pushing Colin firmly from her mind. ‘It’s an amazing spot. You’d almost feel as if you were part of the sea yourself!’

‘Watch her,’ Dora teased. ‘She’ll be turning into one of these nereids!’

It was true that Penny, looking happy and relaxed with her long hair escaping from the Alice band and the first freckles beginning to dot her face from the Greek sunshine, did have a faint air of the sea nymph about her.

‘And now,’ Takis announced, ‘we will stop at the little bar I have on the next beach.’

They rounded a bend to find another small beach nestling in a cove, with a tiny church on the hill behind. A row of cheap plastic sunbeds lined the water’s edge with the occasional umbrella advertising ouzo dotted between. Behind them was a small cabana with a top that flipped down to create a bar, in front of which five or six tables with blue-and-white plastic tablecloths were ranged invitingly. A young girl of fourteen or fifteen stood behind it, waving.

‘My granddaughter Ariadne.’ Takis waved back. She ran down the beach and waded in, catching the rope he tossed and fixing it to a buoy floating in the shallow water.

‘These are the famous English ladies: Nell, Dora and Penelope.’

Penny smiled at hearing her full name. ‘Penelope was a very famous Greek lady, after all,’ Takis shrugged.

‘I know.’ Penny nodded. ‘Moira has often told me. Patient Penelope, wife of Odysseus. She waited ten years for him to come home after the Trojan War.’

‘Typical bloody man,’ interjected Dora. ‘He probably stopped at the pub.’

‘She’s the archetype of the faithful wife,’ Penny added, sounding suddenly sad. She waited for somebody to say ‘Just like you,’ but no one did.

Nell looked around, taking in the lack of customers. ‘Well, I suppose it’s early in the season.’

‘It doesn’t matter what time it is in the season,’ Takis sighed. ‘Hardly any customers.’

They sat down at a table, and Ariadne brought the menus.

‘Do you do the cooking as well, Ariadne?’ Nell asked the girl.

‘No – I do.’ Cassandra’s wrinkled face popped out from behind the door of the cabana. ‘I prepare it at the hotel and we bring it here every day. If it doesn’t sell, we take it back to the hotel. It’s never wasted.’

They studied the menu.

‘I know it’s an odd thing to ask,’ Penny apologized. ‘But could I possibly have yogurt and honey?’

‘You should really try our calamari,’ Takis suggested. ‘My mother’s calamari is the best on the island.’

They all shuddered, thinking of Moira.

‘Maybe next time,’ Nell replied. ‘I would love the lamb souvlaki.’

‘Me too,’ seconded Dora.

‘And just the yogurt for you, kyria Penelope?’

Penny nodded.

‘And a bottle of that wine Nikos, the mayor, brought.’