Stormy the Way (6 page)

'Then you are different from the other Englishwomen whom I have met.'

'You've met many?'

'Two cousins of mine - Nicos and Gosti - were married to Englishwomen,' he replied abruptly. And as Tara made no comment,

'Both are now divorced; their wives cared for nothing except money.

It was clear that they had, in each case, married for the wealth which they knew they would be able to share.'

Her chin went up.

'What makes you so sure of this?'

'My cousins are joint owners of a Greek shipping line.'

'I still think the fault might have been with your cousins - or at least one of them. It's a strange coincidence that both their marriages failed.'

'How like a woman to shift the blame,' he commented with a cynical curve of his mouth. 'Right from the first, both these women began feathering their nests. I warned Nicos the moment after I had met his wife, but he refused to listen. Costi needed no warning; his wife revealed her true colours almost immediately.'

'So you are not particularly partial to Englishwomen?'

For the first time he seemed reluctant to be as outspoken as previously.

'I may not count courtesy as one of my virtues, Tara, but rudeness has never been one of my vices.'

Tara. ... He had spoken her name before, but she had not noticed how attractively it rolled off his tongue, his accent, thought slight, enhancing the sound. Were the tones a little more gentle... or tender, then the name could have an exciting, stimulating ring— Once again she cut her thoughts, shocked by them. Better beware, for it seemed very much as if this man, disagreeable as he undoubtedly was, could affect her senses in a way that was not at all right - for a
nice
girl.

That's a tactful answer,' she said with a faint smile, 'but it's obvious that you have an aversion to Englishwomen.'

'I'd not go as far as that. Shall we say, I haven't much interest in them.

On this island we meet the tourists - or at least we see them,' he amended. 'The girls are free with their favours, and our men like this, simply because our own girls are good girls.'

'It's a very strong statement to say that all our girls are promiscuous,'

she protested. 'I know some of them are, but so are girls from other countries.'

'Western countries,' he supplemented, as if he just had to, and Tara spread her hands in a gesture of agreement.

'But you did say you approved of me as a sister-in- law?' she said anxiously after a moment.

'I did, Tara.' The sudden change of tone startled her just as she had been startled at the sudden change in him a few hours earlier when after the rather trying interview he had ended by saying his brother had made an excellent choice. Was he playing with her? A frown leapt to her brow and was instantly erased before he should notice it.

So strange that he should be objectionable one moment and appear to relent the next. But what sort of a game could he be playing? Chiding herself for such absurd suspicions, Tara managed to cast them aside.

'I said that I must approve,' Leon continued, 'because of your obvious devotion to Paul.'

A lean hand was raised to his mouth as he yawned, and his thick black eyelashes were lowered. It was impossible to see his face clearly, but Tara felt instinctively that his expression was far from pleasant.

The days passed, days that could have been idyllic had Ricky been here with her, Tara thought on more than one occasion. With Paul -

well, it was not unpleasant, but die was several times on the fringe of boredom. They had so little in common; Tara was mature, she was well-read and highly intelligent, and although Paul was far from unintelligent, he was at the same time so immature that he would utter stupid remarks. It would not have been so bad had they been able to remain with the others, but for the sake of appearance they had to go off together at times. To her own astonishment and disbelief Tara found that the only times when she was really content were those on which she found herself alone with Leon. Dazed on first realizing this, she had sat down weakly on her bed, staring out of the window with the look of one just emerging from a dream. The man was too attractive ... but it wasn't that altogether, she decided, receiving yet another shock as the truth hit her that his forceful personality, his air of mastery, even his contempt for women - all helped to increase the magnetism of his personality. What on earth had come over her! She must be quite out of her mind to allow the man to affect her like this!

It must stop, she sternly told herself... and within half an hour she was with him on the beach, his brother and sister having gone off to the cafe for refreshments. Leon was on shorts only, while Tara was in a bikini, her slender body already brown from almost a week of exposure to the sun, for she and Paul had come down to the beach every morning, and in the afternoons all four of them would invariably sunbathe on the lawn.

'One week gone already.' Tara had to speak, for Leon was gazing steadfastly out to sea and the silence was becoming oppressive. 'How quickly time flies when you're happy.'

He turned from his contemplation of the calm blue waters of the Gulf, and his black eyes flickered over her brown body.

'You're happy - completely happy?'

'Of course! I'm with Paul, so I must be happy. I'm going to miss him dreadfully when I leave.'

'You'll be meeting when he returns to England to resume his studies.'

'Oh, yes - but I mustn't take up too much of his time,' she said with a specious smile. 'It would never do for me to interfere with his studies.

Those must come first, much as I would like to have Paul to myself all the time.' Paul and Androula were seated on two beach chairs, outside the cafe, and Paul waved. Tara's eyes lit up with love and tenderness as she waved back. She had made a slight turn of the head just so her companion could have a good view of her expression.

'Very commendable,' responded Leon, stretching out and leaning back, supported by his hands. 'You're going to make an ideal wife, Tara. My brother is lucky indeed.'

She blushed, and forgot all about her earlier suspicions that this man might be playing a game with her.

'You're kind, Leon,' she murmured, 'Oh, I'm going to be so very happy with my new relations!'

'I'm sure you are,' with smooth affability, and then, T hope it will not be long before we meet your family.

When will your parents be returning to England?'

'Not for some time yet.'

'When they do, you must bring them over - and your brother and his wife.'

'Yes - yes, it will be lovely having all the family together.'

'We attach a great deal of importance to family ties here in Greece,' he told her. 'We rarely move any great distance from our parents - if our parents are living, that is. Ours are dead, as you know.'

'Yes, Paul has told me all that.' A pause and then, 'Don't think I'm not concerned about leaving my family, Leon, because I am. But my love for Paul is so great that I can't help but put him first. And as he lives in Greece, then I must leave my people, and my home.'

He had been gazing out to sea again, but he turned and shot her a glance, and he moved slightly towards her as if impelled by some force that had taken hold of him unawares. His tones were deep, accented, and warm in an unexpected way which sent her nerves and senses out of control.

'I have said my brother is lucky ... yes, he is more than lucky—' Leon stopped abruptly and turned away, clearly unwilling for her to see his expression. 'Yes, he is lucky. ...' Spoken to himself, these last words, and Tara scarcely caught them. But she did manage to catch them and she bit hard on her lip. How very strange! To utter words like that, to himself, as if in a brooding regretful way. What did it mean?

Bewildered, she caught at her lip again, some intense emotion gripping her and holding her fast even though she made an almost frantic effort to break free. She was trembling, and questions pressed, insistent, demanding answers which she was unable to give. Last evening... He had come far too close as they left the table, and his hand had brushed hers; later, when they had all been saying their good nights, his eyes had lingered on her face, and in their depths lay a strange shadow, as if he were brooding on some inner problem.

And now.. .. After moving closer to her in that half- intimate way, he had uttered those words, breaking off at first, and avoiding her eyes, then whispering them again, as if they had to be repeated.

Paul and Androula returned and flopped down on the sand.

'This is a very pleasant way to spend one's time.' Androula smiled at Tara, then looked across at Leon. 'We must take Tara across the channel to Galata, and on to Troezen - to the ruins, I mean. We haven't taken her anywhere yet.' This last to Paul, who was occupied in watching two delectable Scandinavian girls with long plaited blonde hair and pale bodies which gave evidence of their having only recently arrived on the island.

'What? - er - I didn't catch it, Androula?'

'We must take Tara to one or two places before she leaves. Perhaps you want to go alone - just the two of you?'

Fortunately Leon had missed his brother's interest in the two blondes, and catching his eye Tara gave him a warning look. It was no use her playing her part so effectively if he were going to act in a way that would be likely to arouse Leon's suspicions that all was not plain and above board. In case Paul had not-received the message given silently she said, pouting a little,

'Darling, you're a long way from me. What are you thinking about?'

He jerked then and smiled lovingly at her.

'Sorry, dearest, I was watching that man with the boat out there. He seems to have sprung a leak - or something.'

'A leak?' blinked Androula. 'What are you talking about? He's quite unconcernedly making for the shore.'

'Oh - is he? I must have been mistaken.'

Tara drew a deep breath. Paul was not at all clever.

Androula went on about the trips which she thought Tara ought to take, but nothing definite was arranged. She was perfectly happy relaxing like this, she declared, and added,

'This lovely island's enough for the time being. I can do lots of sightseeing after Paul and I are married.' Her eyes caught those of Leon; his brief glance held the most odd expression before, frowning heavily, he turned his head away, and began talking to Paul.

'Yes,' Androula was saying, 'I suppose you can. Well, we'll see later on. There's time left, if you do decide you want to explore.'

That evening Androula went out to dine with some, friends living at the other side of the island; Paul had had a headache all day and in the end decided to go to bed.

'He's fast asleep,' Leon informed Tara after going up, just before dinner, to see how he was. 'I'm afraid, Tara, that you will have to be content with my company. Will you mind very much?'

Warning lights -
red
lights! - leapt into her consciousness. There was no particular reason for this, as Leon's face wore a rather bored expression and his whole demeanour was one of indifference. 'Of course not,' she smiled, but thought to add, 'I'm sorry about Paul. It isn't anything serious, is it?'

He eyed her frowningly. 'You're very anxious about him.'

'Naturally,' with a quiver in her voice. 'When someone you love is ill—'

'He isn't ill!' roughly, with the boredom dropping from him instantly.

'He stayed out in the sun too long, that's all.'

Bewilderedly she stared at him. 'I'm sorry. I was worried, you see.' He shrugged, but for one fleeting second she saw a sceptical expression in his eyes. Was it possible that he didn't believe her? What an enigmatical person he was! These changes of mood; these odd glances - sometimes appearing to hold suspicion, deep and strong, then at other times they would be clear indications of his approval of her as a member of the family. Paul had even remarked on one occasion, snatching a few minutes alone with Tara as they walked home from the beach,

'He likes you no end, Tara! I knew he'd approve; I told you right at the beginning, didn't I? There's not much doubt about his allowing me to have my money.'

Tara had recalled Leon's saying he might let Paul have his money on his marriage, but naturally she had kept this from the boy. In any case, she was now fairly optimistic that she had so successfully played her part that Leon would not hesitate to let Paul have his money on his twenty-first birthday.

'As there are only the two of us,' Leon was saying, 'I think we shall eat in the small verandah room. It's cosier.'

'Yes...' Red lights again, brighter this time. 'Y-yes, it will be cosier.'

Where was she going? More important, what was she hoping for?

This dark formidable Greek with the pagan eyes was not the man to fall in love - he was too hard and unfeeling, his contempt for women was too strong - especially Englishwomen. Besides, who would want to find herself under his domination? Not she! That was for sure!

The meal was eaten under shaded ceiling lights, with candles on the table and flowers beautifully arranged in an ornate silver urn. Music floated, softly, and from the open window scents and sounds of the Grecian night drifted romantically in. Had some amorous lover arranged it all it could not have been more perfect, more seductive ...

more nerve-activating than this. She was in a strange world of unreality, and when for a fleeting moment the face of Ricky intruded into her vision it was frowningly thrust out, incongruous in so faultless a setting.

'Tara, my dear, you're not taking your soup.' Soft as falling snow on a drowsy hill the tone, the accented first word breathed almost silently, but caressing. She swallowed as emotion surged.