Page 70 of Summer in Greece

Silence settled over us, each sensing the other’s disappointment as our little boat chugged through gentle waves. The scenery was nothing but bushland and boulders, dull as the island of Yaros, but without the dolphins and falcons and stories of buccaneers. Manno peered at our disillusioned faces, then back at the landscape.

‘Ah, no worries, you must wait to see our city, she is coming now, you wait . . . We, the Greeks, we build our city so beautiful that we had to hide her away from the pirates. Still they came, so we build another city on the top of the hill over the first, and from there, we fire our big cannons at the invaders until they leave us in peace.’

We rounded a promontory. ‘Oh, my goodness!’ I gasped as we continued towards the picturesque harbour. ‘How very beautiful.’

A steeply sloping natural amphitheatre rose from the port giving us a unique view of all the buildings.

‘Here, we have the best schools, theatres and libraries in all Greece, and we trade with every one of the other islands. They all admire us.’

Grand Venetian dwellings stood proud, dwarfing the smaller, white, flat-roofed Cyclades houses with tiny square windows. Neoclassical villas, perhaps built by rich and flamboyant sea captains at a time when Venetians ruled the country. Painted in a multitude of pastel colours, the houses appeared crisp and clean, rinsed by sunlight and staring solidly out to sea. Balconies with ornate spindles, jutted like open drawers from the smooth, plastered walls of peach, ochre, or pale blue. Elegant folding louvres and fancy fascias framed tall windows. All this, displayed below ridged, terracotta tiles on an apex pointing to heaven.

‘Oh, it’s so beautiful!’ I gazed at the eclectic buildings delivered from the dull topography with all the colour and excitement of a surprise gift. As we drew close, I felt myself change too. One could never be sure of what lay ahead, but the view was so uplifting, I felt hope for the first time since the sinking. Perhaps everything would turn out well in the end.

Our boat entered the harbour. Moored at the quayside was a grey naval vessel, daunting as a prison. They’ve come for me. I had cost our country many thousands, when they needed it most. Now I must rise up and accept the consequences. If I pretended to be twenty-three, I also had to act as if I were twenty-three.

From now on, I’d stop cowering and face the future. A noble speech to myself, yet, my insides wilted. What might happen? Would they hang me when they discovered all the facts?

Perkins stirred. I moved to kneel at his side. ‘Could I have a little water, please, Manno?’ Our skipper half-filled an enamel beaker from a tank under his seat. I cradled Perkins head and helped him to drink, then dipped the corner of my apron into it and dabbed his forehead.

He stared at me. ‘Tell me this is not a recurring nightmare, and that I still have at least one complete leg, nurse?’

‘Don’t talk nonsense, Corporal, of course you do.’ I continued to cool his red face. ‘I must say, this scar on your forehead has healed nicely. The surgeon did an excellent job stitching you up.’

The humour left his eyes. ‘I’d like to get hold of the person responsible for all this.’

My heart banged. Was it really possible that he had no recollection of what happened in the ward? I turned my eyes away and stared at the water just outside the boat, remembering the flotsam and human debris, and that terrible time in the lifeboat. Realising I was holding my breath, I exhaled slowly, my breath feeling hot in my nostrils.

‘I’m quite sure it was not down to one person, Corporal Perkins; and I think you realise it too.’

‘They must pay,’ he said, his face hard as he looked into my eyes. ‘Whoever caused the Britannic to sink – they must pay.’

‘I’m quite sure they will, Corporal,’ I whispered. For a moment, I wished we were alone together and I could hold him to my breast, and kiss him tenderly. His mood swings were due to his injuries, I understood that; everything would be all right because I intended to take good care of him, for always if he wanted. I was close to telling him he would always be perfect to me. Knowing those words would mean everything to him. But that was me, Gertie Smith, the hypocrite who had caused those very injuries by her own self-centred vanity in the first place. I reminded myself how much I had wanted to appear in control, superior to those poor patients in the ward.

*

I shifted my attention to the two-funnelled battleship that lay alongside the quay.

‘You see? That’s SS Athena,’ Manno said as we motored past. ‘She came in last night. She will take you away after dark.’

‘Where are they taking us, Manno?’ Perkins demanded.

‘They tell us nothing.’

‘So how can you know we are leaving tonight?’ Perkins scoffed.

‘Because yesterday, they ordered fresh meat to go on board this evening. Is logic, yes. If they were leaving tomorrow, they would order fresh meat tomorrow. Logic is a Greek word, so you see, we understand these things.’

Perkins pulled his mouth around to one side. ‘The sooner we get back to England and civilisation, the better.’ He slid his hand up and down his thigh and narrowed his eyes. I guessed he was still in pain, though he never complained.

Insulted, Manno stuck his chin out and glowered at Perkins. With the two of them staring at each other, I was reminded of the time my mother placed a couple of cockerels in the hen pen.

‘You forget where your civilisation came from, my friend. While you lived in caves and wore animal skins, we were building our great temples in Greece and wore robes of the finest silk. While your weapon was a lump of wood, we had the Olympic games.’

‘Is that what they tell you? Well, your teachers are off the mark!’

I felt a surge of panic. Their irritation was close to exploding into something dangerous.

‘You insult my country and my people!’ Manno glared. ‘I should throw you out of my boat!’ He boomed so loudly I cowered. ‘Yes! Get out!’ Manno continued. ‘Into the sea with you! When you are crying to come back into my magnificent boat, this beautiful koukla here will see you for the big malaka you are!’ He held his hand towards me.