‘Not a spaniel,’ Nell found herself whispering back. ‘A golden retriever. Dora,’ she added guiltily, ‘you’re a bad influence. Behave yourself. Hello, Penny,’ she greeted her friend with a smile. ‘What’s that you’ve got there?’

‘Spanakopita!’ Penny announced proudly.

‘Is that “good morning” in Greek?’ Dora enquired, trying to suppress a giggle.

‘That’s kalimera,’ Moira corrected repressively.

‘Don’t you remember, girls?’ Penny gushed. ‘When we caught the boat last time we were starving and this is what all the Greek people were eating. They’re spinach and cheese pastries.’ She held out four greasy triangles.

Nell was the first to take one. ‘Delicious!’ she pronounced.

Moira ate hers in one bite and almost choked while Dora screwed up her face, reluctant to risk getting grease on her unsuitable outfit.

‘Well, here we are,’ Penny was almost bursting with excitement. ‘The adventure begins! The terminal’s just round that corner.’

They lined up for their tickets, which turned out to be very easy to buy once you found the right place, and just as Penny had said, considerably cheaper than pre-ordering online.

Tickets in hand, they went off to look for the ferry, pulling their bags behind them, a strangely assorted group: Nell pretty and neat in beige cotton shorts and crisp white shirt, her dark hair in a bob; Moira looking like a member of the Bloomsbury Group on holiday; Dora rich and glamorous, looking as if she might own the ferry line rather than being a foot passenger; and lastly Penny, who did indeed rather resemble a retriever eagerly chasing a ball.

‘Thank goodness for pull-alongs,’ Penny grinned round at the others. ‘Do you remember last time we had to carry our suitcases right across Athens because we couldn’t afford the bus fare?’

They reached the water’s edge, where a row of ferries was lined up.

Dora’s gaze fastened on a small, sleek vessel called Sea Cat 3, which was clearly built for speed. ‘I don’t suppose we’re going on that one?’ she asked longingly.

‘I think that’s ours there.’ Moira pointed to a large, lumbering vessel with a yellow funnel. ‘It stops at six different islands, and one of them is definitely Ios. I really will be able to get off and make my libation!’ She could hardly contain her classical joy. ‘And we should see the sun set over some of them.’

‘Terrific,’ commented Dora.

‘Try and view it as a mini-cruise,’ Nell suggested pacifiyingly.

‘A cruise without a four-star restaurant, a spa, or even a swimming pool?’ Dora replied waspishly. ‘I’m going to sit over there in the shade.’ She pointed to the bright orange waiting area.

When she was out of earshot, Moira raised her copy of Greek Myths and whispered to Nell behind it. ‘I have to say, I do wonder why on earth Dora is joining us.’