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‘When I first returned I thought to make it my home again,’ he said slowly, ‘but we can forget that now. I have the flat at Paphos which suits my bachelor habits very well, and I occupy a suite at the Crescent Beach which is quite enough for me for the time being.’

The hilly, picturesque road claimed his attention for a moment, giving her time to digest what he had just said, and it seemed that he was telling her quite plainly that he had no intention of marrying until the woman he loved was free. Somehow, she would have expected nothing less of him.

‘I’m sure everything will turn out—right for you in the end,’ she answered automatically, but how could it when Lara was so desperately and tragically involved?

‘I hope so, too’ he agreed, ‘but it seems that I have a long way to go. Keep the hotel for the time being, Anna, but remember my offer and perhaps we might be able to co-operate a little more. There’s going to be vast changes at Candy’s Place, for instance, and if we don’t work together that might be unfortunate. On the other hand, the excavations could very well prove an asset if we shared our responsibilities.’

‘It looks as if we haven’t much choice in that respect,’ she told him, thinking how much happier the situation would have been if he hadn’t loved someone else. ‘Our decision will rest with the authorities, I suppose, though it might be fun sharing in the dig.’

‘It would be tremendous fun and lots of interest for our guests. Yours are more the type who would want to help and not spend all their time frying themselves in the sun.’

‘There would be interest from the Crescent Beach, too,’ she said. ‘It would be something quite different for most of them.’

He looked down at her for an instant, at her hair flying behind her in the breeze and the sparkle of enthusiasm in her eyes.

‘The old Anna,’ he said beneath his breath.

When they passed Stroumbi she thought of the others following behind them, glad that her mother seemed to be happy enough on the estate for the time being, glad, too, that she had the friendship of John Malecos to shield her from too much domination by Helena, who was accustomed to rule.

Andreas had abandoned the mountains and had come straight back by the main highway, skirting Paphos to reach the coast road and a clear run into Limassol.

Driving along Makarios Avenue to avoid the busier town centre he suggested abruptly, ‘I want you to come to me if anything goes wrong, Anna. It’s what you would have done if things had been different.’

‘Spoken with true brotherly concern!’ she acknowledged, trying to sound indifferent.

‘If you like,’ he agreed, turning on to the coast road.

‘It could work both ways,’ she suggested. ‘If you ever needed my help ’

'I would ask for it,’ he assured her.

She looked out across the bay.

‘The sea is quite rough,’ she observed to ease an awkward pause. ‘The wind must have got up after we left Polis.’

‘It looks nasty,’ he agreed. ‘We may be in for a stormy night.’

When they reached the Villa Severus most of the guests had left the beach and the sun-umbrellas were flapping in the wind.

‘Paris should have put them down as soon as the wind got up,’ Anna said, frowning. ‘He’s not generally so careless, but perhaps he told Hannibal to do it and between them they forgot.’

Andreas turned the car in at the gates.

‘Don’t come down,’ she said. ‘I can manage quite well from here.’

He drove on without taking her advice, slowing as they reached the front of the villa where the pick-up was parked, together with several hired cars.

‘Will you come in?’ she asked. ‘I’ll fix you a drink,’

He got out from behind the steering-wheel to reach for her case which he had put in the back of the car.

‘Only for a minute,’ he said. ‘We’ll talk some more in the morning when we've had another look at the excavations.’

Ahead of them the doors stood open and Paris came towards them across the hall.

‘We wondered when you would come,’ he said, looking at Andreas. ‘There’s been a telephone call.’

‘For me?’ Andreas looked surprised.

‘From the Crescent Beach,’ Paris said. ‘Would you get in touch with them immediately?’

Andreas shrugged his shoulders.

‘I would have liked that drink,’ he said.

‘It may be nothing important,' Anna suggested, ‘and you could phone through from here.’

He nodded.

‘In my office,’ she said. ‘I’ll take a quick look round out here to see that everything is in order.’

He went towards the office, closing the door behind him, and she walked quickly across the loggia where most of her guests were still sitting at the tea tables contemplating an unfriendly sea. A word here and there was expected of her, but she was back in the hall when Andreas reappeared in the office doorway.

‘Andreas!’ She was at his side in a moment. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘There’s been an accident.’ He was looking beyond her, his composure utterly shattered, his expression frozen in shock. ‘Philip,’ he said. ‘He’s been drowned. Remember Susan saying they were going for a last swim ’

Anna stood gazing at him for what seemed an eternity. ‘I know what this must mean to you,’ she acknowledged, at last, recognising his friendship with both Lara and her husband. ‘You will go back, of course, to be with Lara.’

‘Right away,’ he said between his teeth. ‘This is terrible.’

‘Do you want me to come with you?’

He hesitated. ‘There wouldn’t be any point, unless you are worried about Mama. She wasn’t there, by the way. She had gone back to the estate with John Malecos and Marty before it happened.’

‘How could it have happened?’ Her voice seemed to fade away. ‘He was such a strong swimmer ’

‘Cramp,’ Andreas said grimly. ‘It can attack anybody and perhaps the sea had turned rough as it did here. I don’t know the details.’

‘Can I make you something to eat before you go?’

He shook his head. ‘There isn’t time, but you could do something for me over at the Crescent Beach.’

‘Anything—you know that.’

'I have an agent coming at six o’clock. Could you see him and explain? He’s from Lemmington Travel and I can’t get in touch with him because I don’t know where he’s staying. Tell him as much as you need to and ask him to leave an address. I’ll be in touch.’

‘Would you like me to give him a meal over here?’

‘No need. He can eat at the Crescent. I forgot all about him when I phoned through there just now, but I suppose he’s important. My God, Anna, I feel as if I’m going out of my mind and I don’t know what this will do to Lara. She was on the beach when it happened. She didn’t go in a second time.’

‘Do you know if Nikos and his mother were there?’

‘Apparently Nikos got him out so we have that to thank him for, at least.’

‘It must have been some sort of seizure.’

‘I think so.’ He kissed her on the cheek as they reached the door. ‘Thanks for coping,’ he said.

When he had gone she tried to pull her thoughts together, but it was no use. Nothing seemed real except this appalling tragedy and the stark agony on Andreas’ face. He must be wishing now that he had never left Khrysokhou Bay, although he could have done no more than Nikos had done to help, but he could have been with Lara.

For the next few hours she seemed to move in a dream, doing everything automatically, meeting the spruce young agent from Lemmington Travel as Andreas had requested and explaining to him as best she could, and coming back to the Villa Severus to wait for the expected telephone call from Polis, which seemed as if it never would come.

It was ten o’clock before the office phone rang, sounding in her ears like the knell of doom.

‘Yes, Andreas?’ she asked, but it was John Malecos at the far end of the line.

‘Andreas asked me to call you,’ he said, ‘and I wanted to reassure you about your mother. She’s very shocked, of course, but we have managed to get her to rest for a while.' He paused. ‘Otherwise, there is nothing more to be done,’ he added. ‘We are all very upset, as you can imagine, and Andreas has taken Lara and Martha back to Pedhoulas to the villa. Tomorrow there will be an inquest, I expect.’

It was like something out of a bad dream with all the details hopelessly obscure.

‘You’re back at the estate,’ she guessed. ‘Will you stay there overnight?’

‘I’ve been invited,’ he said. ‘Yes, I think I’ll stay.’

‘Thank you, John,’ she said, putting the receiver back on its rest.

It was two days before she saw Andreas again. He came to the door of the office while she was busy typing menu cards, standing there without attracting her attention until she had typed the final card, and when she looked up she could see what the last two days had done to him. He looked haggard and sad, and most of his habitual assurance had disappeared.

‘You haven’t slept,’ she guessed, rising to meet him. ‘Sit down for a moment and I’ll get you something to drink.’

‘Tea will do,’ he said, thrusting a hand through his thick black hair as he sank on to the settee beside the window. ‘I had to come.’

The confession seemed utterly natural in the circumstances because he had told her only two days ago that they must depend upon one another in a crisis. She ordered the tea.

‘I’ve come to ask you a favour,’ he said. ‘Will you go to Lara? I’ve brought her down to the Crescent because Pedhoulas was too full of memories for her.’

‘Do you want me to go across now?’ She put the menu cards to one side.

‘If you will. I have to go to Limassol right away. It’s a nasty business getting everything straightened out, but at least I can save her that bit of it.’ Paris came in with a tea tray set for two. ‘I don’t think she has realized it yet, although she is quite level-headed in other respects, and we’re playing it down a little because of Martha who was just getting to know Philip again. It’s a damnable shame—such an utter waste! He knew he hadn’t long to live, but I don’t think he wanted to go that way. It’s a devil of a shock—the utter suddenness of it—and it will be a while before Lara can come to terms with it.’ He left the cup of tea she had poured for him on the side table untouched. ‘It’s knocked me for six and I don’t know what to say to her. I can’t even offer her advice.’

‘Not now,’ Anna agreed, ‘but she will need you in the end.’

‘I think she needs another woman to talk to at the present moment.' He looked through the open window to the sea. ‘Susan’s no good. I think she would only irritate Lara with her trite observations about life and death. You would listen.’

‘I’ll do what I can, you know that.’ She put a hand on his shoulder, longing to take him into the comfort of her arms. ‘Finish your tea and I’ll see you when you get back from Limassol.’

He stood up, watching as she crossed the hall to make her way along the beach.

When she left the shelter of the loggia the wind buffeted her, a tiresome wind sweeping in across the bay, warm but irritating, blowing the loose sand in her face. Beyond the breakwater the waves followed each other in endless procession to dash themselves against the stone barrier which protected the small pleasure craft, while along the line of the horizon the sky was already dark.

The Crescent Beach was full of people, laughing and relaxing on the sheltered terraces where the wind could not reach them, people on holiday waiting for the next meal or the next drink or even the next romance. Anna knew that she would not find Lara there and hurried inside.

A white-uniformed porter met her in the vast entrance hall. ‘Can I help you, madam?’

‘Would you ask Mrs Warrender if she would see me? I’m from the Villa Severus, next door,’ she explained.

‘I thought I recognised you.’ His white teeth flashed in a charming smile. ‘Mrs Warrender has gone to her room. I’ll phone her.’

While she waited Anna thought how different the two hotels were, each with its own idea of service. The Crescent Beach was everything a four-star hotel should be with its highly trained staff in their immaculate uniforms, but it was strangely impersonal, while the Villa Severus still remained a home.

‘Mrs Warrender will see you, madam. Will you go straight up? Her suite is on the first floor—number 407.’ In the lift Anna wondered what she could possibly say to Lara in this crisis in her life. Words were inadequate, pity impossible, although she felt both pity and sympathy for this older woman who had suddenly been brought face to face with tragedy in this traumatic way. Lara could never have expected such a swift ending to her married life even if the thought of her eventual freedom had crossed her mind when she had found herself in love with someone else.

The lift came to a silent halt on the first floor, the doors sliding open to reveal Lara’s suite straight ahead. It was a life of absolute luxury, she supposed, to which Lara had become accustomed over the years, but now she might even be regretting it when it had kept her from establishing a true home until recently.

She knocked on the door.

‘It’s open. Come in!’ Lara sounded tired. ‘I’ve rung down for some tea. You’ll wait for a while?’

She had been half-way to the door and now she turned to lead the way back into her sitting-room with the light full on her face. Anna held her breath. Like Andreas, she looked as if she had not slept for days. She was still immaculate, but the signs of strain were everywhere, in the tell-tale lines about her mouth and in the deeper sadness of her eyes.

‘Andreas asked me to come,’ Anna said. ‘It seemed better than phoning once I knew you were here.’

Martha came through from an inner room, a much subdued Martha who had only a wan smile to offer her mother’s visitor.

‘Susan wants to play tennis,’ she said half-heartedly, picking up a racquet from a chair.

‘I think you should,’ Lara said. ‘There’s time before dinner and you’ve been sitting in a car for most of the morning. Find Susan and tell her we’ll be staying here for a day or two.’

When her daughter had closed the door behind her she turned to Anna. ‘I find it difficult to think,’ she confessed, ‘especially about the things that concern us most, and sometimes I wonder when I’ll wake up out of this dreadful bad dream. It has all happened so swiftly, Anna—so cruelly. Philip thought he had a year, at least, to live as a family again, That’s the bitter bit, not being able to offer him sanctuary in the end. We were both so happy about the idea of Pedhoulas and our villa in the mountains where he had always wanted to be, and as it turned out he had little more than a week. I brought him from Rome when the doctors said they could do no more for him, but I know he wanted that year more than anything else. He wanted to see Martha grow up—he wanted her to appreciate the things he liked even though he had always worked too hard to enjoy them himself. It was the kind of man he was.’