‘Had he indeed?’ Moira surveyed her, a smile just starting at the corners of her mouth. ‘I wonder why he did that for all these years.’

Nell, who had a very good idea why, came to her rescue. ‘Penny and I made quite an impression on him. We were so scathing about his ignorance of mythology that he decided to go to university just to show us.’

‘Goodness!’ Moira was impressed. ‘What a wonderful story. And here you are wandering right back into his life so he can demonstrate his knowledge!’

‘Of course, there was also the small matter of them trying to go to bed with us,’ Nell added, offhand.

‘Oh well, I suppose that’s something that won’t happen this time,’ commented Moira tactlessly.

As if to rescue the situation Penny’s phone began to ring and she bent to get it, looking flushed.

It was Colin – no doubt to voice some complaint about the milk being off, or the dishwasher needing to be emptied. ‘It’s only my husband,’ she informed her friends, with a smile none of them had seen before.

And she took great pleasure in letting it go to voicemail again.

‘Penny! Penny!’ Nell’s voice penetrated her surprisingly peaceful sleep – possibly encouraged by the fact that she hadn’t listened to Colin’s voicemail.

Penny dragged herself out of the exceptionally comfortable bed and threw open the shutters, forgetting that she had been so hot in the night she’d discarded her schoolgirl nightie and wore only a pair of white bikini briefs.

An amazing sight awaited her. Just to the side of the hotel, near the entrance to its small car park, a vast bonfire-sized pile of furniture had appeared.

‘My God, look at that!’ Nell marvelled. ‘Takis must have gone round ringing a bell like a rag and bone man to have got all that so quickly.’

Various people, Nikos included, were gathered on the quay nursing cups of strong Greek coffee, surveying the heap. Penny waved. He looked up and smiled a slow, sexy smile. Penny, suddenly conscious that she was half-naked, ducked behind the shutters.

Ten minutes later, she was standing next to him. ‘Sorry about that,’ she murmured.

‘Please,’ Nikos grinned. ‘No apologies. We are Greek. The female form is high art to us.’

‘Ah, I see,’ Penny replied, with mock modesty, ‘that’s why you wanted to get my clothes off all those years ago in Zanthos.’

Nikos bowed. ‘I apologize for my uncouth behaviour.’

She was about to say ‘Pity. I was rather hoping you’d repeat it,’ when there was a shout from the glamorous Demetria, who’d been so helpful with the stripping and painting of the boathouse doors. ‘Penelope! Come and see these things. Some of it is quite good.’