The Passionate Greek (20 page)

She woke to glorious sunshine and soaring
joy within her. Everything in her world was wonderful. She had
Nicos and after all the heartache she had her daughter for the rest
of her life. Nothing could go wrong for her now. Humming happily to
herself she picked Electra up from her cot and hugging her close,
crooned, ‘You’re mine forever now.’ Scarcely able to believe that
everything was coming so right in her life she dismissed the small
warning voice that whispered in her ear ‘Don’t be too happy. Life’s
not like that.’

Last night seemed like a dream but the sun
sparkling on the diamond cluster on her left hand had told her it
was all true. Electra clutched at the bright new toy on her
mother’s hand and Melanie, kissing the top of her daughter's fluffy
head, told her, ‘that means we are going to be a real family.’ She
spent the morning with Electra,, relishing the sheer joy of being
with her and not counting the hours when she had to leave her. At
lunchtime she took her on to the terrace and was feeding her when
she heard Nicos’s voice. He was talking to Andreas. ‘I’ll take
lunch on the terrace with my family,’ Melanie heard him say and her
heart soared. My family. She realised how long she had wanted him
to say those words.

He came out and held her close. Kissing her
long and lovingly and whispering in her ear, ‘Why didn’t you stay
with me last night? I woke and you’d gone. You’re never to leave me
again.’

Melanie, at last feeling safe in the cocoon
of his arms, whispered back, ‘I’ll stay with you for however long
you want me.’

‘Forever then,’ he said, looking deep into
her eyes. ‘Forever,’ she agreed, smiling up at him.

Andreas came out pushing a lunch trolley
piled with salads and talking volubly in Greek. ‘He is saying he is
very happy for us,’ translated Nicos, and Melanie realised that by
now the whole island must know the news. ‘I am going to start
really earning the language properly,’ she said. ‘By the time
Electra is talking I need to be fluent for her sake.’ They sat
side-by-side making plans and every so often Nicos leaned over and
kissed her cheek fondly. Melanie thought ‘Life doesn’t get any
better than this. I’m never going to let anything stand in the way
of our happiness again.’

‘I’m going to have to leave you for a couple
of days,’ Nicos was saying. ‘But I’ll get back as soon as I can. I
have some business in Azistan I need to sort out.’

‘Isn’t that where Mikhail and Katerina come
from?’ Melanie asked innocently.

‘I owe him a favor,’ said Nicos, a little
sheepishly. ‘I have a confession to make.’ He gave her a sideways
glance. ‘I wanted him off the boat and away from you so I…’ He
paused and looked around as if seeking for the right word.
‘manufactured a crisis for him,’ he said finally.

Melanie looked astonished. ‘How could you do
that?’

‘Oh, easily,’ he said. ‘I control all the
mineral rights in Azistan. That is the business that Mikhail and I
were involved in so I ….’

‘Don’t tell me’ cried Melanie horrified. ‘A
harmless flirtation and you jeopardised a whole country.’

‘It’s a very small country and it wasn’t
quite that bad,’ he defended himself. ‘and I’ll put things right
for him now. I’ll even make sure he makes a handsome profit.’

Melanie couldn’t help laughing. ‘You are
incorrigible,’ she said.

He looked at her seriously. ‘I owe Mikhail a
bigger debt than that. Without him I might not have come to my
senses.’

* * *

In the afternoon while Electra napped they swam in
the warm sea, lay in the sun on the bathing platform and made
sweet, slow love together. ‘This is how it is going to be for the
rest of our lives,’ he told her. ‘I’ll be away for at least a week
but when I come back we can really start planning our future
together.’

Melanie spent days missing him but living in
a haze of expectation. She couldn’t wait for him to return. The
sound of the motor launch’s engines alerted her after only three
days and she hurried down to the harbor. Perhaps Nicos had finished
his business earlier than he thought and was coming back to
her.

But the passenger wasn’t Nicos – it was
Mark. Melanie’s heart turned over. She hadn’t seen him since that
dreadful night outside the restaurant in London. Anxiety gnawed at
her. What was he doing here now?

Leaping ashore he enfolded her in a bear
hug. ‘Melanie, darling. Found you at last. Had the devil of a job
but here I am.’ Melanie looked at him stupefied. ‘You can’t come
here, Mark. It’s private,’ she said stupidly. ‘Why did the boatman
bring you? He’s not supposed to bring anybody here without
permission.’ She was gabbling incoherently in her surprise and
anxiety. Thank goodness Nicos was off the island so she wouldn’t
have to explain anything to him until she felt he was ready to
listen.

‘You can’t stay here,’ she told Mark. ‘Nicos
will be back soon.’

‘The thing is, my old love, I’m in a bit of
a fix,’ announced Mark, and putting his arm around her and swinging
his small suitcase in the other hand he practically pulled her
along with him. ‘Is that the house up there?’ he asked. ‘It looks
big enough to have a few spare rooms and I’m a bit short of
readies. I was hoping you would be able to help out. Maybe I could
stay on for a few days.’

Panic engulfed Melanie. ‘No,’ she almost
shouted. ‘You have to leave. I haven’t explained anything to Nicos
about you.’

‘Well, I can’t go back now,’ said Mark.
‘I’ll just stay for the night and be off in the morning. That is,
if you can find a bit of cash me a fund me for a bit. I’m
absolutely stony broke as per usual. If I could get my hands on the
trust fund I’d be all right.’

‘Oh, Mark,’ sighed Melanie, ‘If you could
have got your hands on the trust fund there would be none of it
left by now.’ She couldn’t help feeling exasperated with him. ‘Why
is it always me that has to come to your rescue'

She went to find Anna, to tell her that a
guest would be staying the night. Anna pursed her lips but said
nothing. Dinner was served for the two of them that evening, not on
the terrace but in the formal dining room. Anna’s orders, Melanie
suspected. Did she deem the terrace too romantic for this uninvited
guest?

Mark gazed admiringly around the luxuriously
appointed room, his eyes swivelling to the diamond cluster ring.
‘You’re doing all right,’ he said, helping himself to a large
portion of lobster salad and topping up his wine glass. ‘Until I
saw you in London I thought the famous and oh so very rich Nicos
Chalambrous was out of your life after our little debacle.’

Only Mark could describe what happened to
them which such insouciance, thought Melanie ruefully. ‘It wasn’t
all plain sailing between us for a while,’ she said with admirable
restraint. ‘Not surprised,’ said Mark. ‘He didn’t seem to like the
look of me.’

‘I think it would be better if you were gone
by the time he gets back,’ she said diplomatically. ‘He doesn’t
know the full extent of what is between us.’

‘No problem. Not here to cause you trouble.
Just didn’t have anyone else to turn to. You know the way it
is.’

Melanie studied him carefully. The blond
good looks were starting to look a little faded. She saw that he
was beginning to look his age and her heart went out to him.

She put a hand on his arm affectionately.
‘What am I going to do about you?’ she said, but her gaze was
tender. ‘You know the way I feel about you but you and I and I are
going to have to have a very serious talk.’

Mark avoided her eye. ‘Not tonight, eh?’ he
said. ‘I’m absolutely bushed. I think I’ll have an early
night.’

‘In the morning we’ll talk before you
leave,’ said Melanie firmly. ‘We have to come to an
understanding.’

Mark yawned theatrically. ‘I’m really tired
now. I think it’s the heat,’ He trundled off leaving Melanie alone
to ponder on promises made she knew she had to keep come what
may.

Mark slept late. She didn’t see him till
almost twelve o’clock. She found him on the terrace, tucking in to
eggs Benedict, which he had inveigled the kitchen to cook for him.
‘Good morning,’ he sang. ‘It’s nearly afternoon,’ she said wryly.
‘Don’t be cross,’ he said. ‘I’m all packed and I’ll be out of your
way in no time.

‘By the way,’ he said casually, ‘what we
were talking about last night. Do you think you can manage it?
Melanie looked closely at him. She knew him too well. His casual
tone could not conceal the panic she saw in his yes.

‘Oh, Mark,’ she said. ‘Are you in trouble
again?’ ‘A bit’, he conceded. He looked at her pleadingly. ‘Owe the
casino a tidy sum.’ Melanie sighed. ‘Wait here. I’ll get my check
book.’ She went up to her bedroom and came down to find Mark pacing
the terrace. ‘How much?’ she asked. He named a sum that made her
gasp. He looked shamefaced. ‘It won’t happen again. I know I’ve
said it before but I really mean it.’

‘It will clean me out,’ she told him. ‘It’s
all the money I have.’

‘But Chalambrous is loaded, isn’t he?

Melanie glared at him. ‘Don’t even think
about it. I will never ask Nicos to give me money to clear your
gambling debts. Is that understood?’

Mark looked chastened. ‘I’ll pay you back,’
he promised. ‘I know what you must think of me but I can change. I
know you think I won’t. I’ve let you down so many times. I know you
suffered terribly because of me. I came here to get money out of
you. Melanie will come through for me. She always has. That’s what
I told myself.’

He ran his hands distractedly through his
blond hair. ‘Maybe I’m growing up at last, but I’m sorry for what I
did too. I’ve been doing some serious thinking. The truth is I feel
ashamed.’ Melanie threw him a look both loving and sceptical.

‘Don’t look at me like that,’ he said
gruffly. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you. I’ve had so many
disappointments in my life. Please don’t
you
turn against
me. I couldn’t bear it.’ Suddenly she realised he had tears in his
eyes. Dear feckless Mark. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for
him. She went to him and hugged him close. ‘I’ll always look after
you just as I promised and I’ll always love you.’

She had no warning, she didn’t hear him
come. But she found herself wrenched from Mark’s embrace and swung
round to face Nicos, his eyes blazing fury. ‘So this is the man you
will always love,’ he sneered. ‘I was stupid enough to believe it
was me. I suppose I should consider myself lucky that I found out
the depth of your deception before it was too late.’

She looked at him horrified. ‘How can you
say those things? You don’t understand.’

‘I understand the evidence of my own eyes
and ears. That’s enough for me.’

‘Listen to me', she began desperately.

‘I’ve listened to your lies once too often.
I don’t want to hear any more. Get off my island and take your
boyfriend with you.’

Mark who had stood like a stone, a mixture
of guilt and consternation on his face, came to sudden life.

‘Boyfriend!’ he spluttered. ‘I’m not her
boyfriend. I’m her brother.’

Melanie didn’t hear him say it. She had fled the
terrace, tears pouring down her face. She flung everything she
could find into her suitcase, pausing only to snatch the ring from
her finger and fling it in the bathroom sink. She couldn’t bear to
see Electra one last time. She would have to live with the memories
of her. At the harbor she called one of the fishermen over and
asked him to take her to the mainland. The man took one look at her
white shocked face and said ‘Are you ill, Missy? The launch would
be quicker.’

‘No, cried Melanie sharply. She wanted
nothing more to do with anything belonging to Nicos Chalambrous.
She would pay the fisherman for the trip and make her own way.
Swamped in misery the bus journey to Athens was a haze. She
couldn’t think clearly. All she knew was that she had to get away.
At the airport she used her bankcard for a ruinously expensive
single ticket to London.

‘Sorry, Mark,’ she mentally threw at him.
‘I’ll have to find some other way to pay off your debts now.’

On the flight she tried to marshal her
disordered thoughts. Would she have kept her promise if she had
known the high price it would extract from her? She had held the
hand of her dying father and he had said, ‘Give me your word you
will take care of Mark. He has a small trust fund from his mother
that if he is careful will take care of him financially. I know he
has his weaknesses but I always told his mother I would care for
him. He’s not strong like you. He will need you. He’s no good on
his own. Promise me.’ ‘Of course, I will.’ She had assured him and
he had looked into her eyes with loving trust. At that moment she
would have promised him anything… She had kept her word and the
price she had paid had been higher than he could have ever
envisaged. She had gone to jail for Mark and lost her daughter
because of him. But she knew in her heart that she would do it all
over again. It was a vow she couldn’t break.

The seat belt sign came on and the plane was
making its approach to land. Melanie was forced into
practicalities. She’d need somewhere to stay and she would have to
find a job. Suddenly she remembered Mark’s flat. Did he still own
it or had he lost it to the casinos? She just hoped the terms of
the trust would mean he had been unable to sell it. She would make
it her first port of call. She knew where Mark kept the spare key
and with any luck it was still there. She slipped past the porter
in his cubbyhole and took the lift to the third floor. She found
the key on the ledge over the door. Not a very original hiding
place. If he had sold the flat its occupants were going to get a
surprise. But opening the front door she found Mark’s usual
disarray and his clothes hanging in the main bedroom. So far so
good she thought