Stormy the Way (20 page)

'Whatever it is I sincerely hope it soon passes. I've told Martin to come at once.'

'He's able to come - just when he likes?'

'He has some holidays due to him - a few days, that's aH, but he can fly.'

'So he's not exactly a pauper, not if he has the money to fly?'

'He's very thrifty. He doesn't have girls to take about, you see, so he can save a fair proportion of his salary.'

Martin arrived two days later and the moment she met him Tara liked him immensely. He was grave and sincere, good-looking in a mature kind of way. Androula had met him at the quay and after alighting from the car they walked across the lawn hand in hand. Leon was in his study, but he came to the house within five minutes of the young man's arrival. Watching the introduction, and the intense examination of Martin's features, Tara could not help recalling vividly her own experience on meeting the formidable brother of Paul.

'So you're going to marry Androula?' After inviting him to be seated Leon put the question without further hesitation.

'Yes,' replied Martin quietly, 'I am.'

'When?'

The young man frowned a little.

'We'd like to marry at once, but Androula has her studies—'

'We've talked about this, Martin,' she interrupted. 'I'd like to finish them, but I want to get married.'

Perceptively her brother glanced at her.

'So it's only you who wants to get married right away, is it?'

Androula coloured, and looked away.

'Yes,' she admitted after the question had been repeated.

'Please don't misunderstand,' put in Martin in an attempt to ease the situation for Androula. 'I also want to marry soon, but I feel that, later, Androula will regret not having taken her degree, for she really is interested in her work.'

'In other words,' said Leon quietly, 'you're afraid that Androula will eventually realize that she was too precipitate?'

Martin nodded, though reluctantly as his eyes met those of Androula.

Strangely, Leon made no mention of Androula's fortune and Tara knew instinctively that Martin had, by some stroke of good fortune, made a most favourable impression on her husband. Undoubtedly Martin's an- anxiety over Androula's studies, voiced with obvious sincerity, had strengthened his position. He and Leon conversed for some time, uninterrupted either by Tara or Androula, and all the while he seemed to be gaining the esteem of his host.

'I want to marry Androula,' he said seriously, 'but I want also your approval, as I know this is usual in Greece. That's why I came over to see you. I hope that you will consider me a suitable husband for your sister?'

Leon smiled faintly, without humour.

'My approval isn't necessary; you're aware of that.'

'Yes, but I'd be happier if you approved of me.' There was respect in Martin's voice, but no humility. Tara saw at once that this attitude found favour with Leon who, she suspected, would have treated humility with the utmost contempt.

'Perhaps you and I can talk privately, later - after we've dined.' Leon's words brought Androula's head up with a jerk; she glanced swiftly at Tara and her eyes were shining with hope.

'He'll let me have my money!' she was saying when just before dinner she and Tara were chatting together upstairs in Tara's bedroom. 'He's taken to Martin - but I knew he would! Oh, Tara, I am very happy!'

'You've still a long time to wait for your money,' Tara reminded her, adding that she really ought toconsider a long engagement, during which she could finish her studies. Androula frowned.

'I'm torn; I want to be with Martin all the time.' Tara spread her hands.

'You're determined, then, to get married quite soon?'

'If Martin will.'

'You said he too was in a hurry.'

'I know. That was a little white lie.'

'You think Martin will agree to an early marriage?'

'Of course. He will do what I want to do.'

The result of the private talk was one which brought looks of amazement to both girls when they heard of it from Martin the following morning. Leon was absent from the room and Martin informed Androula that Leon had offered him a post in his office in Athens, H he showed promise he would be given a position of authority - even that of manager in six months' time when the present manager retired.

'He - he's offered you that !' Androula seemed quite unable to take this in. 'Imagine Leon becoming so mellowed that he'd go as far as that!'

After the first shock of surprise she was jubilant 'So we'll be able to get married and I shall be able to stay on at the university!'

'That was your brother's idea,' Martin said happily. And. he added on a faintly anxious note, 'I hope I shan't disappoint Leon.'

Tara ventured to speak to her husband on the subject when, the young couple having gone off somewhere together, she and he were in the garden. Tara had gone out earlier with a book, and was rather surprised to be joined by Leon, whose attitude towards her was becoming even more markedly cold, with the impression growing on her that he was still waiting for something ... and waiting with swiftly-increasing impatience!

'You've made Androula very happy.' Tara spoke as Leon took possession of a chair and looked across at her.

'I like the young man,' he said casually. 'I believe that, in time, he'll be a great asset to my firm.'

'This attitude is unexpected—' She broke off, not having meant to voice what were merely her own thoughts. Leon looked at her with a sort of exasperated expression.

'You don't know very much about me, do you?' His voice seemed to hold a bitter edge and once again she had the impression that he was like a man who had been grossly misjudged. Why should she have this idea? It persisted even though there was no explanation for it.

'I haven't had much time to learn,' she pointed out at length.

'Time means nothing. You can learn a lot in five minutes. It would be more correct to say that you haven't had the inclination to learn about me.'

Amazed, she stared at him, and her manner seemed only to aggravate him, because he rose abruptly and said,

'I have to go to Athens tomorrow, and I shan't be back until Thursday.'

He would have moved away, but Tara spoke, impulsively asking if he were going to the city on business. He turned, and stood gazing down at her, his mouth compressed. She was in attractive shorts and sun-top; her tan was almost as deep as his, and the dark hair had been lightened at the front and temples by the sun. His eyes moved and his jaw relaxed. He seemed on the one hand to be fully appreciative of the lovely picture his wife made, while at the same time being possessed of the strongest anger against her. And suddenly he appeared to have reached a decision.

'In Athens I shall be seeing to business, but then I shall be calling on Aegina, where I shall stay for a couple of nights or so.'

'Aegina?' Her eyes closed for one fleeting second as an almost physical pain shot through her heart. 'You - you are staying on the island?'

His eyes glinted in the most extraordinary kind of way. Tara had the staggering impression that nothing would have afforded him greater satisfaction than to subject her to some form of physical chastisement!

'That's what I said, Tara. I have a friend there, so this part of my trip will be for pleasure - not business.' And without giving her time for any further comment he strode away in the direction of the house.

She watched the tall arrogant figure disappear ... and then white-hot fury took possession of her. That jealousy had ignited it she would not deny, although the conscious thought was not pronounced, since she was so consumed by her wrath that all else was vague and unimportant. Rising, she went swiftly into the house. Leon was not about and she went upstairs. Not there, either, and she realized he must have gone to his study, going round the back of the house and the small wooded enclosure that hid the small building from the rest of the garden.

Without even knocking she entered, her cheeks on fire, her small fists clenched tightly by her sides.

'Aegina!' she cried, glaring at him. 'So you're going to Aegina, are you? Well, you can stay there! - for as long as you like! And when you come back I shan't be here. I'm leaving you - for ever!' He was standing at the other side of the large desk and had been staring through the window, but had turned swiftly on her entry. His eyes darkened and narrowed, and their expression should have warned.

But with Tara in her present mood there was no handhold for caution or restraint; her fury crushed all thought of danger. 'You seem to consider me a complete fool, don't you? Well, let me tell you that I know why you go to Aegina - to deep with your pillow friend, that's why! You've slept with her more than once since our marriage—

You, who caused so much fuss over my having Ricky here! You're a hypocrite - and I hate you!' To her dismay she was desperately fighting tears that clouded her vision. She had burned her boats now, and the marriage was ended.

Leon was glowering at her; deep shades of crimson appeared at the sides of his mouth and his eyes glinted like steel.

'I go to Aegina for that reason, do I?' he thundered, striding to her side of the desk. 'It's out at last, is it!' Before she could escape he had caught her arms, uncaring that his unmerciful grip caused her to cry out. 'And about time too! I wondered how long you'd be before tackling me with my infidelity.' Furiously he gave her a shake. 'I've been visiting Helena since my marriage - according to your deductions.
Thank you very much!''

Tara went staggering back as he thrust her from him, tears automatically springing to her eyes at his rough treatment of her. Her heart was throbbing painfully, but as she stared into those dark and smouldering eyes the recollection of an idea came flooding in on her, the idea that her husband cared for her... Dejectedly she had dismissed it, she recalled, deciding it was impossible for him to care.

But now it could not be denied; it occupied her mind to the exclusion of all else and it was some time before the significance of her husband's wrathful words impressed itself on her consciousness.

'You must have been aware - all the time - that I knew about Helena,'

she murmured at last in wondering tones. 'Why didn't you say something? How did you know anyway?'

'Yes,' he admitted between his teeth, 'I've known for some time that she visited you here, that she told you I'd been with her just before your illness—'

'But how did you know?' pressed Tara again, wanting only to hasten the explanation ... and then to see what happened ... For in spite of that glowering expression there seemed to be something far less frightening behind her husband's grim exterior.

'Savvas let it out that Helena had been here. I thought it most odd that you'd said nothing. However, in order to get the picture right I went to Aegina—'

'And stayed the night.' It was out before she could give the matter a restraining thought and it did seem for one terrifying moment that Leon would handle her roughly again. However, apart from an audible gritting of his teeth and the cutting delivery of his words when he spoke, there was nothing to portray a renewal of his fury which during the past moment had been swiftly dissolving.

'I spent a couple of hours only on the island. Then I caught the ferry to Piraeus as I had business in Athens, where I stayed the night -
alone!'

She bit her lip, and after a moment went on to say quickly, 'Helena told you everything - that she was trying to break up our marriage, I mean?'

He nodded.

'Yes, I made her tell me everything,' he replied grimly, his eyes darkening with recollection. 'It was a spiteful act because women of her kind accept, from the start, that when the man they're having an affair with eventually marries they are finished. I sent her a letter a few weeks before our marriage, but it was lost in the post. She knew I'd been on Aegina, looking to some citrus plantations I have there, and was piqued - and puzzled perhaps - at my not having called upon her. After making some inquiries she discovered I was married—'

Leon broke off, spreading his hands in a careless gesture, 'It was then that she decided on that spiteful action, hoping to turn you against me by saying I'd been with her since our marriage.' He was speaking in a more modified voice, but the grimness remained for all that, and Tara knew he had been deeply hurt by her assumption that he had been unfaithful to her. She apologized, in a small voice, and he said, 'If you hadn't been so busy branding me an adulterer you might have found the opportunity of perceiving things which really did exist. I could kill you for harbouring thoughts like that about me,' he added with a returning spark of anger.

Tara scarcely noticed; she was dwelling on his statement that she might have found the opportunity of perceiving things that really did exist. She looked up at him, and gasped as she saw something in his eyes besides the anger which was already flickering out anyway -

something she had never seen before, and which sent her heart thudding madly against her ribs. So he did care! And so much was explained now. She knew why he had appeared to be labouring under a sort of obstinacy, when it seemed that although he could have come out into the open and cleared the air, he was instead bent on playing a waiting game ... waiting for her to denounce him, it now transpired.

Also explained of course was that air of being misjudged. He
had
been misjudged, and thinking about it now Tara did wonder why she hadn't given the whole matter more concentrated consideration, for Leon never once wore the air of guilt. On the contrary, she had, more than once, found it most difficult to believe that he was being false to her.