PAGAN ADVERSARY (20 page)

Maria Xandreou and her family—oh, many things were said, as you

can imagine.'

Harriet shuddered. 'Yes.'

'Kostas also said many things, accusing his mother of cherishing Alex

as her favourite, of always preferring him. He said that unless his

family agreed to receive your sister as his wife, he would have

nothing more to do with them, that he would leave the next day,

taking with him only what he was entitled to. There were certain

documents, a precious icon which had been a present from his own

godfather, all in the safe in Alex's study—where his mother's

jewellery also was.'

Harriet didn't think she wanted to hear any more, but she knew that,

having started this, she had to.

Spiro went on, 'The following day after he had left, it was realised the

ring had gone. Alex, I think, would have followed him to London,

made him give it back, but this my aunt would not permit. But it was

your sister that she blamed in her heart. She said many times

afterwards that Kostas would never have done such a thing unless this

woman had prompted him.'

Harriet shook her head wretchedly. 'But there was no ruby ring. I

remember the icon, because Kostas sold it when Nicky was expected

to pay for all the things that were needed. But Becca never had any

jewellery except her wedding ring, and her watch. Oh—and a little

gold pendant with a pearl in it that Kostas bought her for Christmas.'

Spiro shrugged. 'Then he must have sold it also. There can be no other

explanation.'

'But what did he do with the money, if so?' Harriet . demanded. 'They

never had any extra cash. Becca was even glad of what I could pay as

rent when I lodged with them.'

'I cannot answer these questions. Again and again I have asked

myself what made Kostas do such a thing, but I have never found an

answer which gave me satisfaction.' His mouth tightened. 'I thought I

knew him too—we were of an age—and I would have sworn it was

not in his character to do such a thing—to hurt his mother so much,

no matter how deeply they might have quarrelled.' He gave her a

sidelong look. 'Perhaps he was ashamed afterwards and kept the ring

somewhere, never daring to show it. In a safe deposit, maybe?'

'I'm sure he didn't.' Harriet was vehement. 'He was upset about the

quarrel with his family, but that was all. And the theft of a valuable

ring from his mother of all people would have preyed on his

mind—made him miserable. I know it would. And he wasn't

miserable. They were both so happy.'

'You are a loyal and affectionate friend, little Harriet.' Spiro smiled a

little. 'But the evidence is— overwhelming.'

'I don't give a damn about evidence,' Harriet said roundly. 'I know

Kostas was no thief, that's all.'

'Well, you and I will not quarrel about it,' he said • hastily. 'There has

been too much sadness and too much anger in the past, and perhaps it

is best that this part of it remains a mystery.'

Harriet didn't think it was best for a moment, but Spiro was her host,

and when he determinedly changed the subject to the changes he had

seen overtake the island since his boyhood, she went along with him.

But the shine had gone out of the day for her.

She was shocked to the core by Spiro's account, because although she

had not the slightest doubt of Kostas' innocence, it was nevertheless a

fact that a very valuable piece of jewellery had vanished, and that

someone must have taken it. And if further enquiries had been passed

over, it followed that Alex and his mother must have had good reason

for thinking Kostas was the culprit.

One of the servants? she wondered. It seemed unlikely. She had

already learned from Yannina that all of them had been with the

family for years, apart from a couple of the young maids who were

recent arrivals— far too recent to be implicated.

She asked herself whether Kostas knew what he was suspected of,

and remembering his bitterness and his reluctance to discuss the rift

with his family, thought it was only too likely.

As Spiro had prophesied, Paleocastritsa was teeming with people

when they arrived. They parked the car and walked along the road

beside the beach, Nicky becoming the proud possessor of a toy

windmill purchased at one of the roadside stalls.

It wasn't an enormous bay, the high brooding cliffs giving an

enclosed effect, but its deep green waters were alive with

wind-surfers, swimmers and water-skiers. There were little

ramshackle wooden jetties too, extending out from the beach where

larger boats plied for trade, offering trips round the sea caves. Harriet

would have loved to have gone on one of these, but Spiro did not

suggest it, and she suspected that such unsophisticated entertainments

were probably beneath him. But he was a good companion, solicitous

for their comfort, insisting that when they reached the sea wall at the

end of the bay they should stop at one of the tavernas there for cold

drinks.

Nicky had an enormous glass of orange and amused himself by trying

to drown the ice cubes with his straw. When he tired of that, he

wandered to the edge and sat gripping the railing, and watching some

children playing with buckets and spades in the sand below.

Finally he announced gleefully, 'That lady's bare!'

Harriet turned quickly and found him pointing at an impressively

topless beauty sauntering along at the water's edge. Spiro snorted

with amusement, his gaze following her with frank appreciation.

'They start early in your family,' Harriet muttered, turning back to her

drink.

'In these days it is unavoidable.' Spiro drank some beer, still looking-

amused. 'You do not approve, Harriet?'

She flushed a little. 'I—I just know that I would never have the nerve

to do it.'

'I am grieved to hear it,' Spiro said politely. 'You will be surprised to

hear that my cousin Alex shares your disapproval, but for a very

different reason. He believes that a woman's, breasts should only be

uncovered for the eyes of her lover, and that she loses much of her

mystery by exposing herself thus to the gaze of any passer-by.'

'Oh, does he?' Harriet was crossly aware that the colour in her face

had become more pronounced and that Spiro was observing this with

interest. 'How very old-fashioned of him!'

Spiro chuckled. 'Shall I tell him you said so—when he returns?'

'He doesn't seem in any great hurry to do so.' Harriet grasped a straw

that might lead the conversation back to the general.

Spiro grimaced. 'I cannot find it in my heart to blame him. If it was

my fate to marry Maria, I too would stay away as long as possible.'

'Nonsense,' Harriet said stonily. 'I'm sure she'll make him a very good

wife. Come away from those railings, Nicky, you're going to bang

your head.'

To Harriet's delight, they got their boat-trip after all, Spiro

indulgently sharing their pleasure as the boatmen s guided his craft

between the gleaming pinnacles of rock, and in and out of the dark

grottoes where sea-urchins and starfish were clearly visible in the

crystal clarity of the blue water, and shoals of tiny fish darted in and

out.

Afterwards they ate at a taverna on the hillside above the bay, sitting

on a vine-covered terrace, sharing a messy but satisfying platter of

shellfish while Nicky made his way solemnly through an omelette.

Spiro introduced Harriet to
retsina,
a clear golden wine tasting of

resin which, after the first few sips, she found curiously palatable.

They finished the meal with coffee and bowls of dark purple grapes,

while Nicky chased butterflies in the garden below, and tried to

persuade a thin and suspicious kitten to play with him.

When the meal was ended, they joined the other sunbathers on the

sand, Nicky relapsing without protest into sleep in the shade of a large

sun-umbrella which Spiro fetched from the boot of the car. Harriet

stretched out beside him and closed her eyes, but she couldn't sleep.

Her mind kept reverting to the things that Spiro had told.hfef earlier.

No matter how hard she tried, it was impossible to keep them at bay.

They were there, like corrosive acid, eating into her contentment, her

peace of mind. She felt as if the shadow of the accusation made

against Kostas had touched her too through Becca, and through

Nicky. How could he grow up in this place among people who were

ready to believe that his father had been a thief?

Was this what invaded Madame Marcos' thoughts each day when

Nicky was with her. Remembering how deeply she had been hurt by

the father, did she hesitate to give unstinting affection to his child? It

seemed an inevitable conclusion to draw, and if it was true then surely

even Alex could be made to see that it was better for Nicky to return

to England rather than be brought up in such a shadow.

Her eyelids flew up as Spiro leaned over her and gently tweaked her

foot. 'You look sad, Harriet, and this is not a day for sadness.' He

paused. 'Do not fret over things you cannot change. Let us swim.'

The water felt gloriously cool and silky against her skin, and it

buoyed up her spirits as well as her body as she swam and turned and

floated, as carefree suddenly as a dolphin while Nicky shrieked and

splashed at the water's edge.

She was more resigned, if not wholly at peace, as they drove home in

the later afternoon, Harriet sitting in the back of the car with Nicky,

his salt-sticky curls reposing on her lap as he dozed.

As the car came to rest by the front door of the villa, Yannina

appeared as if by magic, beaming.
'Kalispera, thespinis.
It has been a

good day,
ne?'

'Very good.' Harriet was smiling as she passed Nicky over to the older

woman's waiting arms. 'Tea, and then bed, I think, Yannina.'

'I think so too,
thespinis
.' Yannina vanished into the shadowy interior

of the house, and Harriet was about to follow when Spiro detained

her, a hand on her arm.

'The day does not have to end here,' he urged. 'Have dinner with me

tonight. We could drive to Nissaki— there is a taverna there

overlooking the sea. Say you will come with me!'

Harriet hesitated, sensing danger. Spiro had established himself

firmly in her good opinion during the day, but that was as far as it

went, or ever could go. There was a note in his voice which warned

her that his interest might be deepening beyond a mere desire for

companionship, and this worried her.

On the other hand, she could not deny that yet another fraught meal

en famille
had very little appeal, particularly as, in spite of Spiro's

assurance, she was wondering how Madame Constantis might regard

her day out in his company.

She said slowly, it sounds marvellous, Spiro, only.. . .'

'Only I must be sure not to get any wrong ideas,' he finished for her,

his face frankly rueful. 'So—who is the fortunate man, because there

must be one. Not, I hope, my cousin Alex,' he added sharply.

Harriet was terrified that betraying blush would confound her, but by

some miracle it did not come, and she was even able to manage a light

laugh.

'Of course not! I'm not a complete fool. Casual womanisers just aren't

my scene. No—there's someone in London. His name's Roy. I—I

expect we'll be married when I go home.'

Spiro sighed, lifting his shoulders in a little shrug. 'Nevertheless,

Harriet, I would very much like to take you to dinner. With no

strings—if that is what you wish.'

in that case, I'd like to have dinner with you. Thank you, Spiro.' On an

impulse, she reached up and kissed him, brushing his swarthy cheek

swiftly with her lips.

He grinned teasingly. is that the most I can hope for?' He bent towards

her, and found her mouth with his. It wasn't a passionate embrace by

any standards, but she was still beginning to pull away—even before

Alex's voice said curtly from the doorway behind them, 'I obviously

intrude, may I suggest you choose a less public place for your

lovemaking?'

Harriet whirled, gasping, her hands flying up to press against her

warm cheeks.

She said shakily and ridiculously, 'Oh, you're back.'

'How perceptive of you.' The harshness in his voice didn't soften, and

the nod he gave Spiro was glacial. 'You have wasted no time, I see,

cousin.'

'Following your own example—
cousin,'
Spiro came back at him

lightly.

Alex's mouth tautened, and he said something in Greek which

brought a dull flush of angry colour to Spiro's face. He started