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With that she turned away and left Shauna with Jeremy, who jerked his head and told her, ‘Time to pack up.’ If he felt any remorse, he didn’t show it as he marched her to her cabin, the postcard still gripped tightly in her fingers.

He stood in the doorway, arms folded, as Shauna began to fill the small rucksack with her belongings. After a minute or two he stepped in to gather her belongings for her, helping more from expediency than kindness, because she found herself unable to stop crying.

They were interrupted by Chantelle. ‘What the hell is going on here?’

‘Stay out of this, Chantelle. Elana wants Shauna off the boat and that’s all there is to it. You know the rules.’

‘Sure, I know the rules – but where is your fucking decency, Jeremy?’

‘That doesn’t come into it.’

‘Get out, Jeremy. Mama Theodosis will get what she wants, but we’re going to do things my way. So off you go, and leave this to me.’

Jeremy looked as if he was going to erupt with anger, but he kept his lips tight and turned on his heel. Chantelle took Shauna in her arms and held her tightly.

Shauna was so grateful for this woman’s kindness that fresh tears fell down her cheeks.

‘Oh, chérie, I told you this could happen, but you didn’t want to listen.’

‘He said he loved me.’

‘And maybe he does a little, but he is not free to do as he wants – as you are now finding out.’ She lifted Shauna’s chin to look at her. ‘This is the first time your heart has been broken, it probably won’t be the last, but you’ll never forget it. One day the pain will be gone, and you will have these precious memories.’ She took an embroidered handkerchief from her pocket and dried Shauna’s tears with it. ‘When you are older and wiser, like me, you will learn that the love that is cut short is the more precious because it never truly dies.’

Shauna hung her head, certain that there would never come a time when she would want to remember this feeling. ‘Please, let’s just go.’

‘Yes, darling …’ Chantelle looked around her to check they had packed everything, ‘One day you will want to look at this, too.’ She tucked the postcard into Shauna’s rucksack.

Shauna took one last look around, knowing that whatever dreams she’d had of love and the future were now just ashes.

She stood on the jetty, waiting for the tourist boat that ferried visitors to and from the island to arrive. This would be the last boat of the day and Shauna did not want to miss it. Chantelle had walked with her to the jetty and spoken to the harbour master, who told her that it was only minutes away.

Still struggling to hold it together, she heard a voice in her head. This time it was her mother rather than her da, telling her, Dry your tears and hold your head up, Shauna O’Brien. Never give them the satisfaction.

When the boat came into view, Chantelle enveloped her in a hug. She’d tried to force some money on her, but Shauna had refused. ‘I still have some of my wages left,’ she insisted.

‘I am so sorry, Shauna. The crew of the St Helena will miss you, and you deserve better. Jeremy will find it hard to get anyone to work for him for a while now, but unfortunately it won’t change anything. It’s Mama and Papa who pay his wages, not Demetrios.’

They hugged once more, Chantelle waving sadly as she headed back to the yacht. More than anything, Shauna wanted to get as far as possible from this place. The last couple of hours had been the worst of her life. In spite of everything, she’d kept hoping Demetrios would show up and tell her there had been some mistake, that none of it was true, he loved her and they were going to spend the rest of their lives together.

She scanned the harbour, and even looked up into the hills where she could just make out the high turrets of the Theodosis villa poking through the trees. Maybe she should go up there now and confront him? How could he be so cowardly and let his mother do his dirty work for him?

She turned back towards the jetty as she heard the horn blast of the little ferry. At this time of day, there were few tourists; unlike the morning boats that came in loaded with day-trippers, this one carried islanders home from work on other islands, or backpackers who were hoping to find a beach where they could sleep under the stars. As the boat approached, she spotted someone waving on the deck. Shauna blinked, unable to believe her eyes – it was Roxy, and she was jumping up and down, waving madly. It was as if the universe had heard her pain and sent her a friend.

The boat pulled into the jetty and Shauna saw Roxy push her way through, drawing protests from the other disgruntled passengers, some of whom gesticulated at her and shouted in Greek.

Oblivious, Roxy leapt off the boat and grabbed Shauna in a fierce hug. It seemed like ages before they let go of each other. And when they did, Roxy said, ‘How did you know I was on this boat?’

‘I didn’t.’

Roxy shook her head and the two of them looked at each other for a moment. It was then that Shauna realized there was something different about her friend. Roxy’s eyes were dark from lack of sleep and she’d lost weight.

Her own troubles forgotten, Shauna asked, ‘What’s happened Roxy? What’s wrong.’

‘I can’t—’ Roxy’s eyes darted around the jetty and the boat. ‘Not here, I’ll tell you later, when we get to …’ Her eyes alighted on Shauna’s rucksack and she frowned.

‘I’ve been given my marching orders,’ Shauna told her.

‘Says who?’