The Innocent's Surrender (14 page)

For a moment she was silent, then she said reluctantly, ?I?ve never been to any of the islands. Thio Basilis did not care to leave Athens, but in the real heat he used to send us down to stay near Nauplia.?

She paused again, then said slowly, ?However, I think Thia Theodosia once had a house on a place called Alyssos. Do you know it??

?Yes,? Alex said quietly. ?I know it.?

?I remember Stavros and Andonis used to talk about holidays there when they were young boys, even before Irini was born,? Natasha continued. ?But Thio Basilis obviously preferred the Peleponnese, and she would never argue with him.?

?A jewel among women.? There was an odd harshness in his voice.

?Yes, she is,? Natasha said defiantly. ?And if you?re about to be unpleasant about her for some reason, then think again, because I love her dearly.?

Also because she has a better opinion of you than you?ll ever deserve
?

He said drily, ?I do not have to be reminded of your affection for her,
matia mou
. It is, after all, the only reason you are here with me now. So I should be grateful to her, even if you are not.?

His smile this time was brief and almost remote. ?Now I am going to take my shower. I have asked Mac to join us for dinner,? he added. ?I hope you do not object.?

?Oh, no,? Natasha denied hurriedly. ?That?s?fine.?

?Or at least more agreeable than my company alone,? Alex said smoothly. ?Until later, then, Natasha
mou
.? And he sauntered into the bedroom.

She realised she had been holding her breath, terrified that he might insist she join him. But it seemed she was temporarily off the hook.

And told herself she should be grateful for any small mercies he might be prepared to show her.

He rejoined her in the saloon some half an hour later. He was wearing narrow-legged khaki trousers and a black shirt, open at the throat, with its sleeves turned back to the elbow, and he brought with him the faint but delicious scent of the cologne she?d noticed before. And he was very obviously clean-shaven once again.

?So we are moving,? he said. ?On our way to Mykonos, to begin with. After that, who knows??

?I see.? She sent him a swift, nervous glance. ?Are?are we going to have dinner on deck??

?It is a beautiful evening,? he said. ?Do you have some objection to eating out of doors??

?No, none at all.?

?I wondered,? he went on. ?Because Mac told me you had not ventured out of the suite since you came on board.?

?Perhaps I?m embarrassed,? she said tautly. ?After all, every single person on the boat must know exactly why you?ve brought me here. Do you realise what it?s like for me to be?paraded like this??

?If we had remained in Athens, you would have been under the scrutiny of a much larger audience,? he said, shrugging. ?You will get used to it in time, as I have been obliged to do.?

He paused. ?Would you like a drink? I am going to have ouzo,? he added, walking over to a side table with an array of bottles and glasses. ?Will you join me, or would you prefer something else??

?Water, please,? she said. ?Non-sparkling.?

?A symbol, perhaps, of the evening ahead of us?? he enquired sardonically, uncapping one of the bottles of Loutraki water and filling a tumbler.

?Perhaps,? she returned coolly. ?However, alcohol tends to send me to sleep, and I?m sure you wouldn?t want that.?

He gave her a dry look. ?You are all consideration,
agapi mou
. Yet somehow the thought of you warm and drowsy with your head on my shoulder has an appeal all its own.?

?For you, Kyrios Mandrakis,? she said. ?But not for me.?

?Let us rather say?not now, perhaps, but on some future night. At least, that is what I shall hope for.? Alex poured his own drink, and raised his glass. ?To you,
matia mou
,? he said softly. ?You are?so very beautiful.?

?You must think so,? she said. ?Or I wouldn?t be here.?

The dark brows lifted. ?Am I not allowed to pay you a compliment?? he asked. ?Is that another taboo??

She shrugged. ?You?ve already had me,? she said. ?So you don?t need to waste time on meaningless flattery.?

She drank some of her water, aware that he was watching her, his mouth curling in faint amusement.

?Is it permitted to tell you that the dress is very becoming,? he said, ?and ask if you like it??

?Yes,? she said. ?Of course. It?it?s absolutely lovely. And all the other things too.? She added stiffly, ?You?re?very generous.? Which was no more than the truth, she thought unwillingly. And this was probably the most glamorous and expensive garment she?d ever possessed. ?But I?m not really used to clothes like this.?

?I would be surprised to learn that the Papadimos family dressed you in rags,
pedhi mou
.?

?No, oh, no,? she said quickly. ?But Thia Theodosia was very strict, so I hardly ever went out in the evenings. Therefore, I didn?t need dresses like this.?

?But you appeared at one social event, at least.? He drank some ouzo. ?We were once at the same embassy reception.?

Her head turned sharply. ?You remember that??

?Why not?? It was his turn to shrug. ?Don?t you??

?You were?pointed out to me,? Natasha admitted tautly. ?Because of your companion,? she added hurriedly. ?You were with a model called Gabriella. She was incredibly famous just then. And amazingly beautiful.?

?Also very thin,? Alex said, deadpan. ?I hope you have a better appetite,
agapi mou
. It is wearying to eat with a woman who regards even a lettuce leaf with suspicion.?

Natasha took another hurried gulp of water, aware that only a couple of hours before she?d had a wild notion of going on hunger strike in order to force him into releasing her, and had abandoned the idea only because she was already so ravenous, having given up on breakfast and only picked at her lunch, that she could have eaten her own shoe.

She said, ?I think someone must have told Thio Basilis that you were there, because next day there was a row, and I wasn?t allowed to accept any more invitations from Lindsay.?

?My poor Natasha,? he said softly. ?How much I have to answer for.? He paused. ?But perhaps the dress needs something more. A necklace, maybe,? he added, his dark gaze lingering on the bare hollow of her throat, then moving down with undisguised appreciation to the untrammelled thrust of her breasts against the covering silk.

?I never wear necklaces,? she said swiftly and untruthfully. ?I?I don?t like them.?

?Ah,? he said, totally undeceived. ?So clothes you accept because you have no alternative, but other gifts are forbidden. Is that it??

She said, stumbling a little, ?Not always. Because you did make me another gift this morning, when you gave me that letter. And I?m?grateful.?

?What did you do with it?? He stared into his glass, frowning a little.

?I?I tore it up.?

?And threw it away??

She shook her head. ?Not yet. It?s still in my bag. When I get the chance, I?ll burn it.?

?Then fetch it,? Alex directed quietly. ?And we will dispose of it now.?

When she returned with the envelope, he was taking a metal dish and a box of matches from a cupboard. She tipped the fragments onto the dish, and watched as he set fire to them. Saw them flare up then curl into soft grey ash.

He said quietly, ?So,
pedhi mou
, it is gone. Now put it out of your mind. It is no longer between us.?

She flung back her head. Her voice was shaking. ?How?how can you possibly say such a thing? How can I forget the way you treated me because of it? Do you think?do you really imagine, Kyrios Mandrakis, that striking a match and burning a few scraps of paper could ever be sufficient recompense for what you?ve done to me??

?No,? he said. ?Yet I hoped it might at least be the beginning of a new understanding.?

?Then you?re fooling yourself. Because it will always be between us. Always. And if you think otherwise, you?re sadly mistaken.?

?So it would seem.? His tone was almost casual. He finished his drink and put down the glass. ?But it is an error that need not spoil our dinner.? The smile he sent her did not reach his eyes. ?So, shall we go??

To Natasha?s surprise, dinner was not as much of an ordeal as she?d anticipated.

The setting, she admitted unwillingly, could hardly be faulted. The table had been set on the main deck under an awning, and shone with silver and crystal. And a few feet away the restless Aegean rippled and glittered in its own wide ribbon of moonlight.

The food was magnificent, beginning with a platter of spiced meat in filo pastry, stuffed vine leaves, fresh anchovies, tiny garlicky sausages, little cheese pastries, tomato and oregano tartlets and cubes of sharp feta cheese.

This was followed by tiny chickens simmered in wine, served with green beans and potatoes saut?ed in olive oil, accompanied by a refreshingly dry white wine, while a creamy dessert fragrant with cardamom and honey completed the meal.

Admittedly, Mac Whitaker?s cheerful presence helped relieve some of the tensions of the situation, although Natasha was frankly startled to find that the two men were on Christian-name terms. She could not imagine Basilis Papadimos ever allowing such familiarity from any of his own skippers, even those who?d worked for him for years.

Much of the talk between them seemed to relate to an extensive refit of the
Selene
which had not long been completed, so she wasn?t required to contribute much to the conversation, which suited her just fine.

On the other hand, could the yacht possibly be old enough to warrant such expenditure? she asked herself, bewildered. It seemed unlikely. It was no wonder Alex could afford to acquire the Arianna line, along with everything else. Bucephalus Holdings, she mused, must have money to burn.

?So, Miss Kirby.? Mac Whitaker turned to her over coffee, interrupting her reverie. ?How do you feel now about Alex?s moonlight goddess??

She stared at him, sudden colour flaring in her face. ?I?I don?t understand.?

?Heck, have I got it wrong?? He looked at Alex, spreading his hands in mock-dismay. ?Didn?t you tell me that
Selene
was the Moon Deity in the old myths? And that you?d picked the name on purpose??

?Yes,? Alex said, his dark eyes quizzical as he observed Natasha?s blush. ?You are quite correct. And, on reflection, I think I made entirely the right choice.? He covered her hand with his. ?Don?t you think so,
pedhi mou
??

Anger warred with embarrassment, and won. ?Actually, no,? she said, her voice a chip of ice, as she removed her fingers from his clasp. ?I think Circe would have been a much more appropriate name. After all, wasn?t she the goddess who turned men into swine??

She saw a look of shock flicker across Mac Whitaker?s tanned face, but Alex seemed totally unfazed.

?So the story says,? he returned softly. ?But it took just one mortal man to outwit and tame her. Something that you should perhaps remember, Natasha
mou
.?

?Which sounds like my cue to be elsewhere,? Mac remarked to no one in particular, pushing back his chair. ?I wish you both goodnight.?

When they were alone, Natasha said defiantly, ?Well, say whatever you have to say.?

Alex studied the tips of his fingers. ?You don?t think you might find your situation easier,
matia mou
, if you diverted your energies into pleasing me instead of attempting to cause me irritation??

?Easier for you, no doubt.? She lifted her chin defiantly. ?This may come as a surprise to you, Kyrios Mandrakis, but I have no plans to degrade myself by setting out to ?please? you, or any other man, for that matter, because I belong to myself, and I always will, however long I may be forced to spend on that well-worn mattress of yours.

?So, you?re going to have to take anything you want from me, because I don?t intend to give anything.?

He shrugged. ?Then that is your choice. It does not, however, affect any of mine which were made long ago.?

He paused. ?But your description of my bed is out of date, Kyria Natasha. If you had been listening over dinner, instead of inventing ways to annoy me, you would know that the entire master suite has been involved in a complete overhaul, which was finished only a week ago. And that everything in it?every fixture and fitting, every item of furniture?is now brand-new.?

He added levelly, ?Including, of course, the bed, which I hope you will find comfortable.?

The smile he sent her was cool, even impersonal. ?So, shall we go inside?and find out??

She had tried to make the meal last as long as possible, eating slowly and even asking for another pot of coffee. Anything to delay the moment when she would have to be alone with him.

But now it was here, she thought as she got to her feet. As she made herself walk beside him, without protest, back to the suite.

And she had no arguments to use, or trump cards to play. She never had. He wanted her, and that was all there was to it.

She heard the door close, shutting them in together, and waited rigidly for whatever was going to happen next.

He said, ?I am going to have some brandy. Do you wish to join me??