‘Do you see his hair?’ All at once Athena sounded weary-strained to breaking point. ‘It’s the same colour as yours. It curls the same. You see how that little bit sticks up right at the top of Nikos’s head? Yours does, too.’

Nicky stuck his hand on top of his head and felt the offending tuft. His eyes grew enormous.

It was all Nikos could do not to do the same.

‘I told you that your papa was a fisherman,’ Athena said. ‘That’s what Nikos is. Isn’t that right, Nikos?’

She’d given him a son. Just like that. Like it or not.

Where to go from here?

She should have done this nine years ago, he thought, dazed, fighting anger, but knowing instinctively that his anger was no reason to mess with things now. To say no, let’s talk about this at a more sensible time. Maybe we need DNA tests. Maybe we need…counselling. Or something?

Nicky was looking at him with eyes that were blank with shock. What happened in the next few moments would affect him for ever. He didn’t need a counsellor to tell him that.

He had the power to mess this for life.

So where to go? What to say when you’ve just been given the gift of a son?

‘I should have been there for your mother,’ he said softly. ‘I should have been around for you. I’m very, very sorry that I wasn’t.’

‘Why weren’t you?’ Nicky said.

And there was only one answer. Only the truth would serve.

‘I didn’t know,’ he said heavily. ‘Your mother left the island a long time ago, when she was expecting you. And she didn’t tell me you were born. Maybe because we were both very young she thought it was the right thing to do. Maybe she thought it would be easier to bring you up on her own when I lived so far away. I wish I’d known, Nicky, but that’s in the past. What’s important now is that you’re my son. I’m so proud that your mother’s finally told me about you. I’m so proud to finally have the chance to know you.’