His Forbidden Bride (19 page)

'You want something?' She looked up with a start as a harsh voice intruded

on her reverie, and, to her surprise, found Uncle Stavros standing beside

the table.

'Oh—just some lemonade, please.' Sherry, she knew, made jugs of it, fresh

and tangy with real fruit, each day and kept them in one of the kitchen

refrigerators.

He grunted and went off, leaving Zoe wondering, not for the first time, just

what she had done to upset him.

Wel , now was her chance to find out, she decided as he returned with her

tal glass of lemonade and set it down in front of her.

'I've seen you before, haven't I?' Zoe tried her most disarming smile on

him—the one she kept for awkward parents. 'Up in the square the other

day—and this morning.'

He gave a jerk of the head in ungracious acknowledgement, and turned to

leave.

'Excuse me.' Zoe was inspired by her new-found confidence. After al , she

was going to marry Andreas Dragos. 'But is something wrong?'

'
Ne
.' He swung back to her, the heavy brows drawn together angrily. 'You,
thespinis
, you are wrong. You' should not have come here, and it is best you leave soon, before more trouble is made.'

If he'd slapped her, she could hardly have been more shocked.

She said, 'I—I don't know what you're talking about.'

'You think I do not remember—I—Stavros?' He smote himself on the chest

'You thought I would not see her in you, the child of the little Gina?'

Zoe said very carefully, 'If you're talking about my mother, I know that she

stayed here once, a long time ago.'

'Yes,' he said harshly. 'She and that other one, her sister.'

Zoe blinked 'You're saying that Aunt Megan—came here—to Thania, too?'

She shook her head. 'I—I didn't know.'

'There is much that you do not know.' He paused. 'Go,
thespinis
. Go before more harm is done. More sorrow caused.' He leaned down towards her, his

face forbidding. 'Andreas Dragos is not for you.'

She gasped, hot colour pouring into her face. 'I think that's my

business—and his. You can't say that.'

'It is said' For a fleeting second, Zoe thought she saw a glimmer of

compassion in the fierce eyes. 'Now, the matter is closed. Finished.'

He turned and stumped away, leaving Zoe staring after him, too stunned to

chal enge him further.

Her throat was dry and burning, but when she tried to pick up her glass of

lemonade her hand was shaking so much that the liquid splashed onto the

table. And the sharp scent of the lemons was suddenly acrid—nauseating.

She leaned back in her chair, heart pounding as she struggled for

self-command.

She had not been too overwhelmed by unexpected happiness to realise that

her relationship with Andreas might not meet with universal rejoicing. That

there would be those who would think she was not a worthy wife for him,

and who would not scruple to say so.

And reason suggested that there might wel be serious opposition from

Andreas' family, and from his father in particular.

But she had not expected such a direct and personal attack from someone

who was not even a member of the Dragos clan. She wasn't even sure

whether she was being warned—or threatened.

Her immediate thought was—Andreas. She had to see him—tel him what

had happened. Needed him to comfort her—to assure her that she had

nothing to fear.

But it occurred to her, suddenly and shockingly, that she didn't actual y know

how to find him. She presumed that he was living at the Dragos residence,

but even that was not certain. Nor did she know where it was, she thought,

swal owing. This was the man who wanted to marry her, yet she didn't even

have his address or telephone number.

She felt the same sense of unease as she'd experienced just ten minutes

earlier when his Jeep had pulled away. The same desolate conviction that

he'd gone from her life, and nothing would ever be the same again.

Which was ludicrous, she reminded herself forceful y. Because she was

seeing him tomorrow morning at the Vil a Danaë, and then she'd be able to

tel him everything. Pour out her heart, and al the doubts and fears that

were pressing on her.

He'd told her to trust him, and she would have to do so. Trust him to fight for

her, and their future. Because anything else was unthinkable.

She went up to her room, and showered and changed into a sleeveless

dress in blue chambray, trying to banish the taut, anxious face she saw in

the mirror with blusher and eye-shadow, but, al the same, not convinced

she had succeeded.

She rinsed out her bikini, and went to hang it on the balcony rail. As she did

so she heard the loud throb of an engine overhead, and, looking up, she

saw a helicopter swinging low over the port before heading out to sea.

She put her hands over her ears to block out the sound. It seemed too

noisy—almost alien, in fact, for such a smal island. But, no doubt, it was

simply passing over on its way to somewhere else, she thought, glad when

the whirr of the rotors faded, and peace returned.

Most of the guests were already eating when Zoe returned to the courtyard.

She glanced around her, only realising when her heart lurched in

disappointment how much she had been hoping that, in spite of everything,

Andreas would have decided that he could not stay away after all. That he

would be there, waiting for her. And that she'd delayed her own arrival for

that very reason.

But the good news seemed to be that Uncle Stavros was not there either.

As she took her seat Sherry arrived with the menu, and a basket containing

bread and cutlery.

Zoe gave her a determined smile. '
Kalispera
.'

The other girl nodded jerkily, and did not meet her eyes. 'The veal stew is

good tonight.'

'Then I'l have that, please, and my usual red wine.' Zoe kept her tone

equable, but her pulses were jumping.

When Sherry returned with the wine, and the usual bottle of water, Zoe put a

detaining hand on her arm. 'Sherry,' she said in an undertone. 'What's going

on?'

'You tel me. You're the one dating the heir to the Dragos mil ions, as I

guess you know by now.' Sherry positioned herself so that her back was

turned to the rest of the courtyard. Her voice was low and worried. 'For

God's sake, Zoe, have you any idea what you're getting into?'

'I've fallen in love,' Zoe said quietly and simply.

'Then you'd better fal out again, and pretty damn quick,' Sherry said tersely.

She paused, her tone becoming almost pleading. 'Let me call your company

rep on Kefalonia— get you a swift transfer out of here, before you get your

heart broken.'

'You're so sure that wil happen?' Zoe bit her lip. 'Suppose Andreas loves

me, too. What then?'

'He won't be al owed to.' There was an awful finality in Sherry's voice. 'I don't

know what's going on, but I've gathered that much at least, and it's not

good.' She shook her head. 'Hel , Zoe, you don't know the power these

people have—men like Steve Dragos. And believe me, you don't want to

know. Just put the whole thing down to experience, and get out, while the

going's good.'

Her face was suddenly wan. 'Even I've come in for some stick. Stavros's

uncle was here earlier, shouting at him for accepting your reservation, and

saying he should throw you out. Tel ing him that al English women are

nothing but trouble, and that he was a fool to have married one. And he's

always been so sweet to me before,' she added unhappily.

'Oh, Sherry, I'm sorry. He had a go at me, too, earlier.' Zoe straightened her

shoulders. 'But I wil find out what's going on, I promise, and get Andreas to

sort it all out.'

'If he can.' Sherry gave her a quick tight-lipped smile and went off.

Zoe ate her meal without appetite that evening. Her instinct told her not to

wait until the next day, but find Andreas tonight. Let him deal with the

problems that seemed to be mounting up like thunderclouds, before the

threatened storm broke and swept them away.

On the other hand, she didn't want to panic unnecessarily either.

She would have liked another word with Sherry, but it was clear that the

other girl was keeping out of the way, and Zoe could not blame her. She

decided to make things easier by opting for an early night.

She undressed, put on her nightgown, and lay on top of the bed trying to

read, but she was unable to concentrate. The room felt stifling, but there

was a coldness deep inside her that she was unable to dispel.

She felt total y bewildered by the way everything in her life had changed so

diametrical y. Only a couple of hours before, she'd been happier than ever

before, caught up in her own special fairy tale. Now, she seemed to be living

through a waking nightmare, unable to make sense of anything that was

happening to her.

Not one person wished her wel , she realised, her throat tightening

wretchedly, or thought that her relationship with Andreas stood any chance

of survival.

And she had to know why. Was it just the disparity in their social

standing—the fact that he was probably a mil ionaire many times over, and

she was just a teacher? Or could it be the difference in nationalities?

Nothing she could think of was enough to provoke the strength of reaction

that she'd encountered.

She switched off her lamp, and lay, her arms wrapped round her body,

staring into the darkness.

Darling, she whispered silently. My darling. Wherever you are, think of me

now. I need you so much—and I'm so scared.

It was going to be another scorching day, and Zoe was glad to reach the

shelter of the olive groves.

For a moment, she regretted not bringing her bikini and towel. But she was

here to talk, she reminded herself, not swim and sunbathe, so she was

businesslike in a blue denim skirt, and a crisp short-sleeved white shirt.

There would be plenty of time for leisure in the sun later—when everything

was out in the open at last.

She'd brought the deed of gift with her, together with the documentation to

prove who she was. He would probably be angry because she'd said nothing

before, even though she'd had plenty of opportunity, but, she acknowledged,

that was a risk she'd have to take.

If he real y loves me, he'l forgive me, she told herself. And if he doesn't…

Wel , she wouldn't think about that possibility, she thought, shivering.

She'd assumed that Andreas would be there already, waiting for her. She

went eagerly up the terrace steps, but it was completely deserted, and so

was the beach.

He must be in the house, she decided. But when she tried the main door, it

was locked. In fact, there was no access anywhere, she discovered as she

did a complete circuit of the building. Everything was closed up and

shuttered. As if it, too, had turned against her, she thought, then derided

herself for her over-vivid imagination.

She couldn't even say Andreas was late, because they hadn't specified a

time to meet. He obviously had a lot of stuff to catch up on, she told herself,

with a shrug. After al , she had no real idea of his workload. It was one of the

many discoveries about him she was going to make over the

days—months—years ahead.

He'l be here, she told herself. Al I have to do is be patient—and wait a little.

She found a patch of shade, and sat down in it, stretching her legs in front of

her, and fanning herself with her hat.

She took the papers out of her bag, and checked them through. She'd got

copies of her birth certificate and her mother's will for verification purposes.

And once she'd told him the truth about her purpose in coming to Thania,

she would tear all the documents up in front of him. Relinquish all claim to

the house.

She looked at her watch, and grimaced, then took out her ill-used book with

renewed resolution. She couldn't just sit, straining her ears for the sound of

his step, or every moment would drag like an hour.

But the next time she looked at her watch, she realised, startled, that an

hour had indeed gone by. Before too long, she thought, we'l be running out

of morning, and into afternoon.

She got to her feet, and stretched, then went to the edge of the terrace and

stared down at the beach, her eyes searching the crescent of sand in case

he'd arrived there by another route. But she was stil quite alone.

She was conscious of a faint stirring of anger. For a man in love, this was

pretty cavalier treatment. Wel , she decided, she would give him another ten

minutes.

But one ten minutes was soon fol owed by another, and eventual y another

hour had passed, stil with no sign of him.

If she'd been scared the night before, she was frankly petrified now, and

close to tears.

'Oh, where is he?' she asked herself. 'What's happened?'

She snatched up her bag, and walked back the way she had come, fighting

her misery and uncertainty every step of the way.

Stavros was on the phone when she entered the hotel's reception area. She

stood waiting for him to finish his cal , and he rang off, giving her a wary