‘I’ll let the ladder down and you can climb off the back,’ Nikos laughed. ‘You won’t even have to get your hair wet!’

For the moment Nikos was using the engine. They steered out into the open sea, where the waves had white crests, and they all felt the movement of the boat as it dived up and down in the lively swell.

‘Not feeling sick again, Moira?’ Dora teased.

‘That was nearly a week ago!’ she countered. ‘And anyway, that was food poisoning.’

‘God, is that all it is?’ Nell marvelled. ‘It seems so much longer.’

‘Give the ladies a drink, Andros,’ commanded their captain, and a bottle of white wine appeared which he delicately poured into plastic cups. It was even nicely cooled.

Round the next headland the conditions changed completely, protected by the landmass of the island. Nell peered over the side as they puttered gently in towards the shore, mesmerized by the beauty of the water. There was every shade of blue, green, turquoise, aquamarine, and even flashes of sudden iridescence like the inside of a mother-of-pearl shell.

Nikos guided them into a secluded bay, surrounded by high cliffs of golden stone, dotted with bushes and shrubs – and even, Dora laughed to see, the occasional goat. Presumably not Cassandra’s.

As they nudged their way towards the shore they passed a series of rocks, some of which had large round holes in them. ‘That is where the pirates moored their ships,’ Nikos informed them.

‘Those actual holes?’ Moira demanded excitedly.

‘Those actual holes. This bay was one of their favourite haunts. When we stop I’ll show you why. Drink up, ladies – from here on we’re in the small boat,’ he winked at them, looking faintly piratical himself in his striped t-shirt, the light blue of his eyes contrasting with the permanent deep tan of the year-round sailor. ‘Now we will go and see the famous pirate caves.’

Still perched on top of the cabin, Nell took a rare selfie to send to her daughter. She smiled into the camera, the dazzling blue sea behind her, then checked the photo self-consciously, finding she had Penny peeping over her shoulder. ‘You look amazing!’ Penny cried. ‘How do you get your hair that gorgeous shape when you’ve just been out in a boat?’

It was true. Nell did look good. She had picked up a light tan, and her dark hair was gleaming in the sun.

Nell grinned. ‘I had a Brazilian wrap! It cost eighty quid and was worth every penny!’

‘I thought that was something you had on your pubes!’ interrupted Moira, staring at Nell’s nether regions.

‘That’s a Brazilian wax, when they take off the lot. For aspiring porn stars, or Essex girls on reality TV.’

Listening from the other side of the deck, Dora winced at the mention of reality TV.

‘So what is a Brazilian wrap, then?’ Penny persisted.