Penny bit her lip, refusing to feel anxious. ‘I’m not sure. I’m having a really good time. Feeling useful. You know I like that.’

‘Good for you. Why should men assume we’re there just to look after them?’

Penny laughed. She couldn’t imagine Wendy’s husband Martin daring to demand she look after him. ‘How are the children?’

‘Milo’s still looking for a job. His particular talents of archaeology, DJing and playing the delightfully named Red Dead Redemption have yet to find the right niche. But he seems happy enough. Ben is working hard for his A levels and Flossie is being Flossie, charming the socks off her teachers while doing no work at all. Look, Mum, I’d better go and finish making supper. But have a great time with your paintbrush!’

Penny thought about the conversation. That was the real world. Grandchildren. Wendy and Martin. Tom was in Hong Kong getting rich, and she rarely heard from him, but one of these days he would get married and might even come home. Then there was Colin. Her heart plummeted at the thought. Maybe it was time she did something about Colin. At least her feelings about Nikos might make that clearer.

She sighed and selected a plain, square-necked cotton dress. And then she remembered Nikos had said it suited her.

And she smiled.

Nell brushed her hair and chose a taupe linen top to wear. It was crumpled but OK. And it wasn’t as if anyone was going to be noticing. She was about to put her phone in her bag. Baby Naomi was her screensaver, from one of the few photos without Marigold. At the last moment she decided to leave it in the room. No one would need her for the next two hours anyway.

She sat down, feeling overwhelmed with sadness. No one needed her, ever. That was the honest truth.

There was a knock on the door and Penny’s cheerful tones penetrated her wave of depression. She felt suddenly grateful for this odd assortment of friends.

Picking up her key and bag, she answered the door.

‘I was thinking,’ Penny said on the way down. ‘If we are staying here for a bit longer, maybe we could see if Takis could do a deal on our rooms. It’s nowhere near the season yet, so you never know. I’ve got a bit of money left from my legacy but obviously I only budgeted for our original plan.’

‘Same here. I think that’s an excellent idea. After all, we could always offer to do the washing up!’

They both laughed, remembering how this had been a real fear for them last time they were in Greece, with so little to spend it was amazing they got by at all.

‘Kalispera, ladies!’ Takis greeted them with a theatrical bow. ‘May I offer you a drink from my humble establishment before your dinner?’