Читать книгу Baby Out of the Blue - Annie West - Страница 14

DEMETRI FLEW back to the island late the following afternoon. He hadn’t stayed to hear the final conclusions of the delegates to the conference, making the excuse that, as his father was so ill, he’d prefer to get home.

And, without exception, everyone had understood, but he couldn’t help wondering if they’d have been as understanding if they’d known that checking up on his father encompassed only half the concerns he had. He was equally anxious to see Jane again, to assure himself that she hadn’t been intimidated in his absence.

He didn’t know why he felt this desperate need to defend his estranged wife, but he did. It wasn’t as if she’d be glad to see him. Because, despite the fact that he didn’t seem able to keep his hands off her, he was fairly sure she regretted it just as much as he did.

Nevertheless, when his pilot landed the helicopter on the pad a couple of hundred yards from the villa, he breathed a sigh of relief. Without waiting for Vasilis to swing open the door and let down the steps, he accomplished the task himself and dropped down gratefully onto the tarmac.

‘I won’t need you tonight, Theo,’ he said when the other man joined him. ‘You can go home, if you wish.’ Theo’s parents lived on one of the other islands in the group. ‘Costas will take you.’

‘If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to stay at the cottage,’ said Theo, mentioning one of a cluster of stone dwellings where many of the staff who worked on the estate lived. He set down the two briefcases he was carrying and stowed the steps back inside the aircraft. ‘I’m hoping to see Ianthe, if you have no objections?’

‘Why would I object?’ Demetri raised a hand to the pilot as Costas prepared to take off again. ‘She’s a free woman.’

‘I know that, but—’

‘But what?’

‘Well…’ Theo looked embarrassed now. ‘It’s common knowledge that you and she were once—were once—’

‘Friends,’ said Demetri harshly. ‘We were friends, Theo. Friends! Not lovers, as I’m sure you’ve heard.’

‘But your wife—’

‘She didn’t believe me either,’ said Demetri, his pleasant mood evaporating. ‘Forget it. It’s all in the past now. Perhaps one day Ianthe will tell you who Marc’s father really was. Until then, take my word for it, I wish you—both of you—nothing but good luck. OK?’

‘Thanks.’

Demetri picked up his own briefcase and the two men separated as they reached the house, Theo to circle the villa to where the cottages were situated and Demetri to run lightly up the steps and into the reception hall.

The place seemed deserted, but almost immediately his mother appeared from the direction of the terrace. ‘Demetri!’she exclaimed, evidently surprised to see him. ‘Is something wrong?’

‘Why should anything be wrong, Mama?’ Demetri felt a sense of impatience that was out of all proportion to the perceived offence. ‘I went to the conference as I promised and now I’m back.’ He paused. ‘Where’s my father?’ It was better than asking whether Jane was still here.

Maria Souvakis clicked her tongue. ‘You may well ask,’ she said, and it was obvious she wasn’t pleased with the answer she had to give him. ‘He’s gone for a drive with that woman, hasn’t he? I warned him that it was unwise to overtax himself, but he won’t listen to me.’

Demetri knew exactly who his mother meant, and his relief was so great he didn’t consider his words before saying, ‘I doubt if taking a drive with Jane will overtax him greatly, Mama.’

But then a frown formed between his brows. What was he saying? He wanted Jane out of his life, didn’t he? Encouraging his father to make her visit a pleasant one was hardly the action of a sensible man.

‘I might have known you’d disagree with me,’ declared Maria tersely. ‘After all, you’re the one who brought her here.’

Demetri let that go, but his mother wasn’t finished. ‘Thank goodness, Ariadne has gone with them,’ she continued. ‘She’ll make sure your father doesn’t do anything stupid.’

Demetri blew out a breath. ‘Anything stupid?’

‘Like inviting her to stay indefinitely,’ she explained irritably. Then, as if realising this was hardly the way to greet her son after he’d been away, she tucked her arm through his. ‘Come along. Thermia’s here. We’re having iced tea on the terrace. She’ll be pleased to see you.’

Demetri doubted that. And the last person he wanted to see right now was Ianthe’s mother. Was Ianthe with her? Could he really be that unlucky?

Remaining rooted to the spot when his mother would have drawn him across the hall, he said wearily, ‘Give me a break, Ma. I’m hot and tired. What I really need is a shower and something a little stronger than iced tea!’

‘Nonsense.’ His mother was having none of that. ‘What would Thermia think if you didn’t come and say hello?’

Demetri’s jaw tightened. ‘Is she alone?’

‘Of course not. Ianthe’s with her. And I know she’ll be glad of some younger company.’

Iperokha! Great! Demetri suppressed a groan. Who had invited the Adonides women here? But he didn’t really need to ask. Nevertheless, Theo was going to be so disappointed when he drove into town to find Ianthe wasn’t home.

Contrary to what his mother had said, Ianthe looked less than happy to see him. ‘Demetri,’ she murmured politely after he had greeted her mother. ‘Aunt Maria said you wouldn’t be back before tomorrow.’ Ianthe had always called his mother ‘aunt’ but it was only an honorary title. The two women were actually distant cousins, even if they behaved more like sisters.

Now Demetri cast his mother a sardonic look, but she busied herself taking another glass from the chilled cabinet the maid had placed beside her. ‘You’ll have some iced tea, won’t you, Demetri?’

‘Not for me,’ he said, aware that Ianthe was exchanging a furtive look with her mother. ‘I can’t stay. Now that I know my father’s OK, I’d like to get home.’

Maria straightened, the glass in her hand. ‘But Demetri, you can’t mean to leave without seeing your father?’

‘I’ll see him later,’ insisted Demetri through his teeth. ‘Right now, I’d like to catch Theo before he leaves for town.’

‘Theo is here?’

It was Ianthe who’d spoken, and Demetri saw a look of unguarded anticipation in her eyes.

‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘He’s staying the night in the cottage. D’you want to see him?’

‘Oh, well—’

‘I don’t think so, Demetri.’

Ianthe and her mother spoke in unison but it was Maria Souvakis who had the final word. ‘Why would Ianthe want to see Theo Vasilis, Demetri?’ she demanded. ‘For heaven’s sake, Thermia was just telling me that Ianthe’s had more than a dozen text messages from that young man while you’ve been away. He’s becoming a positive nuisance!’

Demetri arched a brow at Ianthe. ‘Is that true?’

‘That he’s texted me, yes.’

‘I meant the bit about him being a nuisance,’ said Demetri patiently. ‘He seems to think you like his company.’

Ianthe glanced awkwardly from her mother to her aunt and back again. ‘Well—I do—like him,’ she mumbled uncertainly and the older women exchanged an impatient look.

‘So?’ Demetri was getting impatient himself. ‘Do you want to see him or not?’ And when she kept her eyes averted, he added irritably, ‘You’re twenty-three, Ianthe. If you want to be friends with him, no one can stop you.’

‘Demetri!’

His mother, who had seated herself beside Thermia, now looked up at him with horrified eyes, but Demetri had had enough. ‘Well?’ he said, pointedly, and with another anxious look in her mother’s direction, Ianthe got to her feet.

‘Yes, I’d like to see him,’ she muttered humbly, and with a muffled oath Demetri bid a terse farewell to his mother and Thermia, and stepped back into the house with Ianthe at his heels.

They were crossing the reception hall when Demetri heard the unmistakable sound of a car coming up the drive to the house and his stomach clenched instinctively. Oh, right, he thought tiredly, wasn’t this just par for the course? He’d thought things couldn’t get any worse, but they just had.

‘That must be your father and Ariadne and—and your wife,’ offered Ianthe uneasily, and Demetri gave her a wry look.

‘Yes,’ he said flatly. ‘I think you’re right. How wonderful!’

Ianthe’s eyes held an expression of reproach. ‘You don’t mean that.’

‘Don’t I?’ Despite his reluctance, Demetri continued doggedly towards the outer doors. ‘Well, we’ll see, shall we?’

They paused in the open doorway as his father’s vintage Bentley halted at the foot of the steps that led up to the terrace where they were standing. Unaware of being observed, Jane was first out of the car. She’d apparently been acting as his father’s chauffeur with him beside her in the front seat. Now, she hurried round the bonnet to pull open his door, offering him a hand to alight. He did so gratefully, leaning heavily on her arm before rescuing his cane and transferring his weight to it.

‘Thank you, my dear,’ he said with evident warmth. And then he saw his son.

‘Demetri!’ he exclaimed, and Ariadne, who had been getting rather ill-temperedly out of the back of the car, lifted her head disbelievingly.

‘Darling,’ she cried, ignoring Jane and his father. Darting ahead of them, she reached Demetri and, grasping his free arm, she stood on tiptoe to brush her mouth against his. ‘You’re back!’

‘You noticed.’ Demetri’s tone was even, but he was watching his wife and his father making their careful ascent of the steps. Then, with an inward curse, he put down his briefcase and went to help them, leaving Ariadne and Ianthe to exchange an unfriendly look.

‘I can manage,’ said his father irritably, and Jane permitted her husband a contemptuous stare.

‘Hoping to impress your girlfriends?’ she asked but the smile she’d adopted for his father’s benefit turned malicious when she looked at him.

‘Well, obviously I’m not impressing you,’ he retorted, ignoring his father’s protests and taking his full weight on his shoulder. ‘And believe it or not, I didn’t know Ianthe was coming here today.’

‘It’s of no interest to me whether you did or not,’ declared Jane, not altogether truthfully. She directed her whole attention to the old man. ‘Not much further, Leo.’

‘I see that.’ Demetri’s father shook his head. ‘But I’m not an invalid, you know.’

‘You’re not used to climbing steps,’ pointed out Demetri drily as they reached the level surface of the terrace. ‘OK.’ He released his father’s arm. ‘You’re on your own now.’

‘Thank you.’ Leo’s tone was clipped, but then, noticing Ianthe’s anxious expression, his voice softened. ‘Hello, little one. Where are you and Demetri off to?’

‘We’re not going anywhere,’ Demetri answered him, his irritation increasing with every word his father spoke.

‘I’m going to see Theo,’ Ianthe explained nervously. ‘Demetri says he’s staying at the cottage.’

‘Ah.’ The old man nodded. ‘And does your mother approve?’

‘Whether her mother approves or not isn’t relevant,’ said Demetri angrily, and his father gave him a warning look.

‘Just because you do exactly as you like, don’t expect the same behaviour from everyone else,’ he said coldly. He glanced round for Jane. ‘Come, my dear, will you give me your arm?’

Jane looked uncomfortable now, and well she should, thought Demetri furiously. This was not why he’d brought her here, to drive a wedge between him and his father. Dammit, he’d had just about enough of this.

‘I’d like to speak to my wife, if you can spare her for five minutes,’ he said, ignoring Ariadne’s disapproval. They weren’t engaged yet, he told himself grimly, even if it was only a matter of time.

His father sucked in an impatient breath. ‘Can’t it wait, boy?’ he demanded, and that word was the last straw.

‘No, it can’t,’ said Demetri flatly. ‘Jane: will you come into the library? We can talk there.’

Jane glanced about her a little desperately, but she knew she’d get no help from either Ariadne or Ianthe. Leo, after a resigned shrug of his shoulders, had already begun to make his way across the smooth marble floor, proving he didn’t need her help.

‘I—suppose so,’ she conceded finally, with ill grace. She met Ianthe’s anxious gaze. ‘Don’t worry. I won’t keep him long.’

‘Oh, for pity’s sake!’ Demetri gripped her arm just above her elbow and guided her decisively towards the arched corridor that led into the west wing of the villa. Then, as if feeling some remorse for the way he was treating Ariadne, he looked back and added, ‘I’ll see you at dinner, Ari. We’ll have the whole evening to ourselves. I promise.’

Ariadne’s face softened. ‘Endaxi.’ OK. Her tongue circled her pink lips. ‘Saghapo.’ I love you.

Demetri made no response to this, but he could tell that Jane knew exactly what Ariadne had said. Her arm stiffened and, if she could have wrenched herself free of him, she would have done so. As it was, he had to virtually frogmarch her into the book-lined apartment and slam the heavy door behind them.

Only then did he release her, and she quickly put some space between them. She went to stare out of the windows, windows that overlooked a cascade of flowering plants and shrubs falling away below them. From here, the sea looked distant, with acres of woodland marking the boundary of the Souvakis’ property. But the backdrop was spectacular, the sea darkening from aquamarine to deepest sapphire.

The silence stretched, and Jane, who had determined not to be the first to speak, found her nerves growing as taut as violin strings. As always on occasions like these, she worried that he’d somehow found out about the baby. But surely if he had, she’d have heard about it before now.

Hearing the rustle of papers, she felt compelled to turn, half expecting him to be holding a private letter from her doctor. But that was so ludicrous, she couldn’t believe she’d even considered it, and she was a little put out to discover he was riffling through some papers on his father’s desk.

Almost trembling with indignation, she exclaimed, ‘What do you think you’re doing, Demetri? You invited me in here and now you’re apparently reading your father’s mail. If this is some kind of power play, forget it.’

Demetri remained bent over the desk, but he looked up at her through his lashes. ‘It’s no power play,’ he told her, his eyes dropping once again to his task. Then, almost against his will, he added, ‘You seem to have my father under your spell.’

Jane gasped. ‘And that’s what you wanted to tell me?’

‘No.’ At last, Demetri straightened, tossing the letter he had been examining aside. ‘I wanted to ask if you’d received the divorce papers from Carl Gerrard. They should have been with you a week ago, before you left for the island.’

Jane’s nostrils flared. ‘Well, they weren’t,’ she retorted, excusing her answer on the grounds that the papers only arrived four days ago.

Demetri’s brows drew together. ‘You’re sure about that?’

‘That they didn’t arrive a week ago?’ she asked innocently. ‘Oh, yes, I’m very sure.’

Demetri came round the desk to prop his hips against the huge slab of granite that formed its surface and folded his arms. ‘Well, that’s very strange,’ he said, regarding her with disturbing intent. ‘When I spoke to him this morning, he assured me the papers had been sent.’

‘Blame the post office,’ she said, casually edging towards the door. ‘And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to go and freshen up.’

‘Akomi. Not yet.’ He didn’t move but she knew as surely as if he had that she wouldn’t be leaving until he was finished with her. ‘Tell me,’ he continued mildly. ‘When are you planning to return to England?’

Jane wrapped her arms about her midriff. ‘Are you wanting rid of me?’

Demetri’s lips thinned. ‘I simply want to know what you’ve told my father.’

‘And not just about when I’m leaving, I’ll bet,’ she said provocatively. ‘Don’t worry, Demetri. I haven’t told anyone what happened at my apartment.’

Demetri’s nostrils flared. ‘You say that as if it was a threat.’

‘No.’ Jane backed off from a full confrontation. ‘I’m just reassuring you that you have nothing to fear from me.’

‘To fear?’ He seemed determined to have an argument. ‘Why should I fear you, Jane? I’m sure Ariadne wouldn’t be interested in anything you had to say.’

‘You mean, she wouldn’t believe me? More fool her.’

Demetri’s face darkened. ‘Are you saying you regret what happened?’

Jane’s jaw dropped. ‘Are you joking? Of course I regret it.’

‘Why?’ There was an edge of scorn to his tone now. ‘It’s not as if it was anything new for you. According to that witch you call an employer, you and your boyfriend spend a lot of time at your apartment.’

‘That’s not true!’ Jane couldn’t let him get away with that and she wished, not for the first time, that Olga would keep her nose out of her affairs.

‘Why should I believe you?’

‘Because Alex hasn’t even been in my apartment. Don’t judge everybody by your own standards, Demetri. Whatever you may think, I don’t sleep around.’

Demetri’s eyes narrowed. ‘So what do you do together?’

‘It’s none of your business.’

‘Humour me.’

‘No.’ Jane had had enough of this. ‘I don’t ask what you and Ariadne do together. I don’t care so long as it doesn’t concern me. I don’t believe I even asked what you and Ianthe did together.’ Her lips curled. ‘I didn’t have to. I knew.’