Page 72 of The Little Greek Guesthouse

‘No, it’s really not,’ Nina said, laughing. ‘You’ll have to come and watch them with me tomorrow morning.’

Heather pulled a face. ‘Sounds like an early start, but I’m up for it.’

Nina thought about what Heather had said as they carried all the food back to the house. She realised that she had her heart set on staying, and George was only one of the reasons. This place felt so connected to her mum, to a version of her that Nina had all but forgotten. It had also brought out a side of Nina that she wasn’t prepared to let go of: the carefree, adventurous side that had become lost to her.

Determined now, Nina found Theo while Heather put away the food. He was sanding the walls in one of the downstairs rooms.

‘Leave that, Baba. I want to show you something.’

He turned to her, rolling his eyes and spreading his arms. ‘Oh, what’s this, you forget that your baba is here working away while you swanny around with your friend? I have these things to do, I can’t just . . .’

‘Please, Baba, please, please. I really need to show you this.’

She took the sandpaper from him and dropped it, dragging him to the stairs.

‘What ideas do you have in this head of yours now?’ he grumbled. ‘All this upstairs rooms is finished already, we agreed they didn’t need to be so very good, don’t tell me you’re changing your –’

Nina swung open the door to the room she’d been working on with a flourish, and was met with a flood of warm light and the faint smell of fresh paint. Theo was, for once, lost for words.

He wandered around the room, taking in the clean paintwork and the stencil border, the crisp sheets and paintings by local artists that hung on the wall.

‘This is beautiful, Antheia,’ he said, his voice soft. ‘You did all of this? You’re even more talented than I knew.’

He beamed at her, full of pride, and Nina felt her heart would burst with joy. Everything was going to plan.

She hugged him as they stood admiring the view of the sea. ‘So you understand, Baba? This means we can stay?’

He looked at her in confusion. ‘Stay?’

‘Well yes, that’s why I – to show you what I can do, how amazing I can make the house look, so you know that people will want to come and stay. And we – we can run it together, you can cook and I can . . .’

He was laughing, shaking his head. ‘Oh this would be a lovely dream, but we cannot take this risk. When we sell, we will have this money for you, this safety I promise your mama, and no worries about struggling in your future. No. We stick with this plan.’

‘But Baba we can’t; Eirini checked the hotel information and they’re not going to do what they told you, they just go round destroying all the local –’

‘Nina, I have said no.’ He spoke gently but firmly. ‘This Eirini is smart woman I know, but she is from this village, they are not like the people we know at home, they have nothing happening that’s so exciting so they think every little change is a big, big thing. I have checked and the hotel is safe for the village. This is the best way to keep you from struggling and I will not break this promise I made to your mama.’

‘But Baba –’

He shook his head, and patted her arm. ‘No, my Antheia. This is a very sweet dream of yours, but it cannot be what we do. End of the discussions.’

Nina stood in the room, watching him leave, disappointment bitter in her mouth. This hadn’t gone as she’d hoped. But there was more to her plan.

This was not end of the discussions.

Heather immediately busied herself with the next part of her role in the plan – distracting Theo. Not a difficult task; he was all too happy to show her around some of his old haunts in the village. Meanwhile Nina, with Maria’s help, set about preparing a feast.

Maria hurried in, walking easily without her stick now, and took Nina in her arms. ‘Ah moro mou, you had such a bad time with the climbing.’ She released her and stroked her face. ‘Are you okay?’

Nina nodded, fighting the memory of the fear she’d felt as she was slammed away from the rockface. ‘I’m fine. I’ll be back at it as soon as I can.’ She was nervous about climbing again, she couldn’t deny that, but she wasn’t prepared to give up on it. She and George had talked it through, and decided that some low bouldering would be the best way for them both to start over. She glanced past Maria to the door, just in case he was joining them.

‘Brave girl,’ Maria said, patting her cheek. ‘And no, he is not with me today. Busy, busy with the work, you see.’ She grinned mischievously. ‘You will have to make do with the old woman, eh?’

Nina smiled. ‘I’m never just making do with you, Maria.’

‘Sure,’ Maria said, producing an apron from her bag and tying it on. ‘But you rather see the handsome grandson!’ Nina laughed. She couldn’t deny she was keen to see George again. ‘I am glad he spend time with you, after all this he’s been through.’

Nina opened her mouth to ask what Maria meant. George had not said anything about any troubles in his life. But perhaps she should wait; he’d tell her when he was ready.