Page 25 of The Little Greek Guesthouse

‘Why were you and Maria arguing earlier?’ she asked, keeping her voice soft.

He looked startled, then annoyed. Frowning, he waved his hand. ‘Oh this silly old woman, she is causing trouble that’s all. Talking gobbledenook.’

Nina didn’t correct him. She watched as his lip drooped and he clutched his hands together. ‘You okay, Baba?’

He sighed. ‘I’m just tired. No need to worry about me, Antheia.’ He smiled, but she wasn’t convinced by it. ‘Oh it’s just – this place.’

‘Is it – the memories?’ Nina’s palms began to sweat. He never talked about her mum; perhaps now was the time. ‘You and mum, here to –’

A look of pain shot across his face, and he stood so quickly that his chair scraped across the floor, the screech of wood on tile making her wince. ‘Very late, time for bed.’

And Nina sat at the table, as the first chorus of birdsong began and the sky lightened through the cracks in the shutters, watching him go.

Chapter Twelve

This time she brought the ingredients herself.

She needed to prove to Maria that she really was interested in learning to cook some Greek dishes – she was certainly keen on eating them, and it seemed only right that she learn how to make this food that was part of her heritage. Also there was something about Maria, with her white-streaked hair and pet goat and no-nonsense attitude, that Nina was drawn to.

Another reason, and just as a side bonus that wasn’t her main motivation for being there at all – was that she was still curious about why Theo and Maria had argued.

Feeling like a character in a romcom movie, she wore a sundress, straw hat and sandals, and brought the food in a string bag. She’d even brought a carrot for Milo, who was, miraculously, happily sitting in a patch of sunlight in Maria’s courtyard and not causing mischief in the village square. Nina patted the little goat’s head as she munched away enthusiastically. Smiling, she knocked on the door; she was going to charm Maria into submission, and they were about to become the best of friends.

Maria scowled and tutted as she opened the door. ‘What are you wanting?’

Undeterred, Nina held the bag up. ‘I’ve come for a cooking lesson.’

Maria folded her arms. ‘What, you don’t think I’m busy with my own things?’

Nina peered past her into the shady house. Everything was quiet. ‘Are you?’

‘No.’

‘So . . . I can come in?’ She smiled her best smile, taking off her sunglasses so that Maria could see how sincere she was.

Maria tapped her foot, which seemed to be bothering her a little less. This woman was not easily charmed. At last she peered into the bag. ‘What you got here?’

And Nina knew she’d won. She grinned. ‘Shrimp saganaki.’

Maria peered into the bag. She sniffed and turned up her lip. ‘These really are shrimps, so small I can hardly see them, but all right. I will teach you.’

She stood aside and held out her arm, and Nina felt like whooping. ‘Thanks,’ she said, as casually as she could.

‘How’s your foot?’ she asked as she put the bag on Maria’s kitchen table.

‘Pfft, no trouble. You prepared shrimp before?’

Nina shook her head. ‘No, but I’ve watched Baba. Why don’t you sit down and talk me through it?’ She pulled a chair out and went to wash her hands.

Maria gave her a sharp look. ‘I’m not some old invalid needs you looking after me.’ She sat down anyway, grunting as she did.

‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’

‘Yes, well. Wash these then, peel and get going, no dilly-dally. If you can see them, tiny things.’

Nina had chosen the biggest, juiciest, freshest shrimps she could find, but she said nothing. She sensed something underneath Maria’s brashness, a genuine distress that was driving her snappishness. Nina watched out of the corner of her eye as the older woman picked at the side of her nail and stared into the distance, her brow creased. She knew better than to ask directly what was bothering her, or even if she was okay. But perhaps she could distract her with the cooking and, if she wanted to, Maria might even open up about what was bothering her. Because Nina was sure that something was, and she suspected it had to do with the argument with Theo.

She took a sharp knife and, having cleaned the prawns, peeled them. She was pleasantly surprised about how well this went; watching Theo all those years had paid off. Even Maria gave a small nod as she watched with an eagle eye.