Charlotte smiled back.
‘I don’t know everything. But I know how to find out most things. Google is your friend, remember.’
‘Not mine,’ replied Sofia. ‘I’d rather discover things first hand and explore without knowing exactly where I’m going or what I’m going to find.’
‘Me too,’ said Maddie.
They both witnessed Charlotte’s shudder.
The trio wandered further into the maze of streets, in some places almost able to touch the rough painted walls on both sides if they put their arms out.
The shops all had their wares displayed outside, racks of scarves in pretty pastels, arranged on white wooden ladders, and bowls of jewellery, keyrings and purses on tables and windowsills, many of them printed with the bright blue ‘mati’orevil eye symbol.
Charlotte picked up a keyring with a ceramic eye attached to it and held it tight in her palm.
‘They’re supposed to protect you from evil spirits and negative energy,’ she said in a quiet voice.
Maddie reached for one too.
‘Well, I think we all need one of those. Let’s buy three and hang them from our bags.’
Sofia grabbed the third.
‘I’m in.’ Her attention was caught by a cotton scarf in swirling pinks, which she pulled off the rack.
‘Ooh, that’s gorgeous. You could put it round your neck or use it as a beach towel, couldn’t you?’
Charlotte and Maddie exchanged a look of dread but kept quiet.
‘Let’s go in and have a good look round. I’ll buy us the keyrings as a present.’
The other two followed, dragging their feet. Sofia’s shopping addiction was well known and something they’d learned how to manage like a military operation if they didn’t want to be stuck in shops for hours. It was fruitless to try and stop her this early on. They’d just have to hope that a tiny taste of purchasing power would satisfy her craving.
Through the window, they could see that Sofia had already reached the dresses and was thumbing through the racks with a big smile on her face. Maddie’s stomach rumbled loudly as they crossed the threshold.
‘I’m starving. We’re going to have to be tough with her. She’s going cold turkey after one trip to the changing room.’
‘Agreed.’
A white linen shift dress edged with gold, and two others in navy and sage green decorated with strips of silver and bronze were being whisked away by a delighted store owner. The scarf and the keyrings were already on the counter waiting to be wrapped and paid for.
Sofia handed over her bag to Charlotte. ‘Please look after this for a minute. I’ll come out and show you everything, I promise.’
‘Great.’
Maddie wandered over to the nearest rack and flipped through a few of the price tags before returning to Charlotte’s side.
‘It’s not cheap, is it?’ she said under her breath. ‘Even if we are in the back streets of a tiny island.’
‘No, Sofia did admit that herself. But she loves’—Charlotte put her fingers up to form air quotes and added in the tiniest hint of the Spanish accent that Sofia had inherited from hermother—‘“The soft fabrics and bits of bling that make Greek clothes so special.”’
Maddie laughed. ‘That wasn’t a bad impression. Perhaps you’ve missed your vocation. Stand-up comedy, here we come.’
‘Hardly.’
‘It’s her money. She works hard enough for it. Thank goodness we haven’t had all those urgent work calls interrupting everything like we usually do.’
Charlotte crossed her fingers.
