Читать книгу Greek Affairs - Кейт Хьюит - Страница 48

OVER the next two days Sara spent more time with Eleani than alone. She saw Nikos only at dinner. Breakfasts were spent with her grandmother on her private balcony. Lunches were often shared with Spiros and Eleani. She answered endless questions and asked many herself about her mother as a young child and then as a teenager. It was a bittersweet time. The easy acceptance that Eleani showed should have been for her mother. And the awkwardness she felt now around Nikos tore at her heart. They’d meshed so well once upon a time.

She knew she never should have had secret thoughts about them developing some kind of relationship, but she had. Stupidly, she’d fallen in love with the man. Now he ignored her. He used work as an excuse, but she knew he had time enough to spend hours with his grandfather. Doing right should bring a reward, not sever something special. Though she was fooling herself if she thought Nikos would ever consider her as more than an employee who liked learning to dive. Still, her heart ached when she saw him.

On Sunday afternoon she sat with her grandmother on the large upper terrace, enjoying the serenity of the gardens and the view of the Aegean. Clouds built on the horizon, but seemed too distant to take seriously. The breeze from the sea was pleasant and fragrant after skimming across the blossoms.

“Sara,” Eleani said after a quiet lull in conversation. “Spiros and I want you to move here with us.”

Sara turned to look at her in surprise. “I can’t do that,” she said.

“Please. Think about it at least. I missed so much of Damaris’s life. I can never make up for that. But you can have a different life than you’ve known. Stanos left a small fortune. I have more money than I can ever spend, so you would never be a burden. Please. It would mean so much to me to have you here.”

Sara shook her head slowly. “Thank you. I appreciate the gesture. But my home is in London. My friends are there.” Her mother was there as well. Somehow Sara had never thought of leaving London permanently.

“Don’t say no right away. Think about it,” Eleani urged.

“I’ll think about it but don’t believe I’ll change my mind. Perhaps I could come to visit from time to time. We hardly have had time to catch up on everything.” Maybe a holiday, a few months away would give time for Nikos to get over his initial anger. Maybe they’d be able to be friends of a kind again.

She pushed away the thought that by the next time she came to visit, he might be married to Gina. How would she deal with that?

“Of course you must spend holidays here. But think about living here—if only for a year or so. We know lots of people, have visitors frequently. You can go to Thessalonika, Athens, I could show you where Damaris grew up. There is so much to see in Greece. It’s your heritage, after all.”

“I know. I’ll think about it.” Sara was starting to feel pressured. This was not something she wanted. Especially with Nikos already angry at her. He would think she’d planned it all along. Ariana had wanted money; he’d think she did as well.

It was family Sara wanted. Could she turn down Eleani’s offer? She was growing fond of the older woman. Instant love had not sprung forth. But the more she knew about her, the more Sara could see her as a victim of circumstances and her upbringing. Maybe she could not have done things differently regarding her daughter. Sara would never know.

And as Nikos had suggested, she was giving Eleani a chance.

After lunch, at which Spiros also had extended an invitation for Sara to stay, she decided she needed some time to herself. She said she wanted to swim before the clouds developed into rain, and went back to the yacht.

She donned her swimsuit and gathered her things and a book to read on the beach, then went to find the captain to see if she could use the runabout again. He was on the bridge reviewing charts.

Nikos was with him, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. She stopped short at the doorway, thrilled as always to see him. The T-shirt hugged his muscles lovingly. She swallowed, wishing things were the way they once had been.

“Do you want something?” he asked, catching sight of her.

“I wanted to use the runabout if that’s okay. I wanted to go swimming once more before leaving tomorrow.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I thought you’d be staying.”

She frowned and slowly shook her head. “I’m not staying.”

Nikos glanced at the captain and then moved around the high table. “I’ll take you to the cove. You shouldn’t swim alone.”

“I was planning to stay close to the shore.”

“I’ll take you,” he repeated.

The ride in the runabout was in silence. Sara didn’t have anything to say and Nikos was obviously still angry.

Anchoring on the beach, Nikos shut down the engine and looked at her.

“My grandfather said you were invited to remain here with them.”

She pulled her top over her head and shimmied out of her shorts. “Eleani invited me. I said no.”

That surprised Nikos, she could see.

“Why? Isn’t that the entire goal? Get to know your grandmother, spin her a sad tale and end up living the life of luxury? The island has to be several steps up from the flat you shared with your mother in London.”

She wanted to knock him overboard. “That’s your style of thinking, not mine. My goal as you call it was to deliver the letter my mother wrote just before she died. I thought you’d kick me off the island that same day. I have no plans to stay here.”

He looked skeptical. She gave a sound of disgust and stepped over the side of the boat. How dare he think she was looking for an easy berth. She realized then and there he had not really learned anything about her in the days they’d spent together. How could she even think herself in love with such a man? Unfortunately, the heart had its own reasons.

Nikos watched Sara swim away from the boat as if being pursued. Was she spinning another tale, or had she really refused to stay? Was it temporary until she could make arrangements at home or was she seriously not planning to move to the island?

It made sense that his grandfather’s wife would want Sara living with her—Sara was her only grandchild. Eleani was a woman full of love and devotion to her family. She would love to have Sara to spoil and be with. Especially after having missed her entire life up to this point.

Nikos tried to think of other women he knew who would refuse such an offer. Carte blanche on anything. Never having to work again. Shopping, luncheons, parties—who would prefer to work in a hot kitchen?

No, Sara had to be holding out for higher stakes. Maybe she wanted a share from Stanos’s estate that should have gone to her mother.

He frowned, watching her as she swam. That didn’t fit with what he knew about Sara.

They had talked. In-depth discussions of things like families—and promises. He remembered her comment about doing the right thing no matter what. She evidenced a strong sense of honor.

If that carried through, she would not stay. Her quest had been completed.

Did that mean she’d return to London?

Nikos refused to examine why that thought rankled. He had already decided to dismiss her from the job at the restaurant. Now he wondered if that would be wise.

No sense alienating his grandparents. She’d either give it up herself and return to London or change her mind and accept Eleani’s offer.

He stepped off the boat and began swimming after her.

As Sara drew near the curve of the cove, she turned and began swimming back toward him.

When they met, they both stopped swimming.

“Want to go diving?” he asked. Seeing her so close, hair wet around her face, eyes sparkling with the delight she found swimming, he had the urge to kiss her again. How dumb was that?

“I’d love to.” She looked at the sky. “Will the storm hit soon?”

He glanced around, studying the growing gray clouds, still far enough away to be safe. “I think we’ll have an hour or so and still have a margin of safety to get back to the dock.”

“Then I’d love to.”

They donned the scuba gear from the runabout and were back in the water in less than ten minutes, exploring beneath the surface.

Nikos swam a bit behind Sara, to better keep an eye on her. He could tell she continued to find delight in the beauty beneath the sea. She chased fish, explored encrusted rocks on the sea bed and swam near one arm of the cove then pointed up. Surfacing, he followed her up.

She raised her face plate and took out her mouthpiece.

“Can we go a little around the side, to see the rocks?”

“The current’s a bit tricky there. You have to watch for surges. Are you sure you’re up to that?”

She thought about it for a moment. “Have you done it?”

“Many times. Some of the rock formations are amazing. It’s not very dangerous, just be cautious.”

“You lead, I’ll follow you.”

“I’d rather be able to see you.”

“Then side by side?”

“You stay on the sea side, let me be closer to the rocks.” If a surge came, he would be able to manage things better than she would.

“Thanks.” Pulling down the face mask and popping the mouthpiece back in, she dove beneath the surface.

The exploration was fascinating. It had been a while since Nikos had been over this section and seeing it anew as if through Sara’s eyes had him appreciating the beauty even more. He should take time to enjoy pursuits he enjoyed—like diving. He may not like what Sara had done, but he was suddenly grateful to her for rejuvenating his love for diving.

They turned just as a wave surge hit. For a moment Nikos was slammed against a rock, Sara bumping into him. He caught her before she could be swept to the rocks and held her close. The pressure abated and he kicked away, giving a wider berth to the rocky shore than before.

She pointed upward, but he shook his head and pointed back toward the cove and the boat.

In only a few moments they reached the boat.

When they surfaced and Sara took off her face mask and mouthpiece, she looked at him. “That was wild. Are you okay?”

“Fine.” His left shoulder and part of his back burned like fire. He knew he’d scraped the skin, and probably bruised some muscles with the impact. At least it had been him and not Sara.

“You must have hurt something. My bumping into you wasn’t a light tap.”

“I’ve had worse.” He looked at the clouds, now moving swiftly across the sky, some early fingers already overhead. “I say we get aboard and back to the dock.”

She looked up and quickly nodded. “It looks like it’s getting darker by the minute.”

Nikos levered himself out of the water and into the boat, pulling Sara in a moment later. Divesting himself of the air tanks, he winced when the strap rubbed against his shoulder.

“Let me see,” she said, half turning him. “Oh, oh, it’s bleeding. Do you have a first-aid kit aboard? You don’t want that blood getting all over you and everything else.”

“No first-aid kit. It’ll be okay.” It was starting to burn. The sooner they got back, the sooner he could take care of it.

“Wait.” She picked up her shirt, and before Nikos guessed what she was doing, she tore off a strip from the hem. Folding the rest into a large pad, she formed a makeshift bandage and covered the bleeding skin. “I’m not sure this will hold,” she said, trying to tie it on with the strip. “Put your shirt on over it, it’ll help hold it in place,” she said.

Helping him pull on the shirt, her hands brushed against his chest, against his back. Nikos drew in a sharp breath, her touch doing nothing to alleviate the pain of the scrape but raising his blood heat by several degrees. Finally she was satisfied.

“That’ll hold until we get back,” she said. “I think you need to see a doctor.”

“I’ll be fine. Let’s go.” He began to pull the anchor in. It dragged across the sandy beach but came readily. In less than five minutes he had the motor going and was backing away from the beach. The sea was running higher than when they started. Once out of the shelter of the cove, they felt the force of the wind. The water was choppy with large swells breaking every few moments.

He kept the boat on course and they made the dock safely. Two crewmen were there to help tie up. Bumpers had been placed between the Cassandra and the dock as the force of the wind bumped it into the floating dock.

“Brewing up quite a storm,” one of the men said.

“You’re bleeding through the shirt,” Sara said.

“I’ll be okay once I get into the house.” His shoulder was stinging. Still, once he washed off the salt water, he’d have a better idea of how bad it was.

“Go in and get changed,” he said as they walked along the dock.

“Are you going to be all right?” she asked.

He didn’t want her worried, but it was nice to have her so concerned. “I’ll be fine.”

He waited until she hurried up the dock and then headed for the house.

Once under the shower, Nikos knew the injuries were more than superficial scrapes. He’d need help with taking care of them. He dried off, donned a pair of khaki pants and then tried to see what he could do. He saw the blood oozing from a couple of deep cuts. The rocks had been irregular and sharp. If he’d been at the resort, he could have called upon the nurse he’d hired in case guests needed anything.

Sara was wet by the time she reached the house before dinner. The rain had started shortly after she and Nikos returned. She’d showered, dressed and then watched the rain the rest of the afternoon as it poured down. She hoped Nikos wasn’t as injured as he looked. With all the blood smeared around, it was hard to tell.

She’d donned a windbreaker and scarf to try to protect herself from the weather, but it proved futile as the rain was relentless. An umbrella would have been useless with the gusting wind. Finally she reached the front door and was sheltered by the portico. Knocking, she waited impatiently for it to open.

“Miss.” One of the maids opened the door wide and urged her in. “Let me take your wet things. I will bring you a hair dryer,” she said, as Sara took off the windbreaker. Her shoulders were damp, but would soon dry. Her hair was dripping, however.

“I’d appreciate it,” she said.

The maid hurried away just as Eleani came down the stairs.

“Goodness, Sara, you are soaked.”

“The maid is getting me a hair dryer. The rest of me isn’t as wet and will dry soon. It’s really raining hard. How is Nikos?”

“Men! They think they’re above being injured just by thinking that. Two of the cuts are deep. But there was nothing to be done but use adhesive to tape them together. I have some antibiotic ointment so I used that and bandaged the area. He should know better.”

“We didn’t expect the surge in the water.”

“A storm was brewing, anyone could see that,” Eleani said with exasperation.

Sara nodded, feeling guilty that her desire for swimming had cause havoc.

The maid returned holding a hair dryer. “If you wish, you can use this powder room,” she said.

“I can get you some dry clothes,” Eleani said.

“I’m fine. If I can dry my hair, the rest will dry soon. It’s not that cold.”

Shortly, Sara joined Eleani and Spiros in the main salon. He expressed concern about their diving and Sara explained how they’d left the cove. It was at her request, yet Nikos was the one who had suffered.

“Dinner,” one of the servants announced.

“Shall we?” Spiros offered his arm to Eleani.

Sara rose. When she entered the dining room, she did not see Nikos.

“Is Nikos joining us for dinner?” she asked.

“He should be here by now. Probably got tied up on some call.” Spiros turned to the man waiting to serve them. “Check on Nikos for me, would you?”

“At once.”

Taking their seats, they talked desultorily for a few moments until the man returned.

“He’s asleep on his bed. Should I waken him?” he asked.

“No, let him sleep, Spiros,” Eleani said, placing her hand on her husband’s. “It will help the healing. We can send up a tray after we eat.”

“Fine.”

Sara missed Nikos being there, even though the last couple of meals had been uncomfortable with him glaring at her. At least she knew him, they’d shared parts of their lives with each other. It was not the same with the two older people she scarcely knew, and one of whom she still had mixed feelings about. Sara still couldn’t reconcile her grandmother’s actions or lack thereof. Yet the more they talked, the more she grew to know the woman. Eleani had loved Damaris. That much was clear.

After dinner Sara offered to take up a tray for Nikos. Spiros agreed and soon one was brought from the kitchen. She followed the older man’s directions and turned left at the top of the stairs. The house was large, with seven bedrooms, she’d been told. The flat she and her mother had shared would fit in the main salon and leave room to spare.

The door was slightly ajar when she approached. Balancing the tray, she knocked. There was no answer. Pushing the door, she saw Nikos was sprawled across his bed, on his stomach, asleep. She opened the door enough to enter. Setting the tray down on a small table near one of the tall windows, she crossed to the edge of the bed.

“Nikos?” she said softly.

He looked just as formidable asleep as he did when awake. His hair was tousled. He was bare from the waist up and the white bandage was a stark contrast to his tanned skin.

She felt odd watching him as he slept—as if she were intruding. She was also fascinated. Glancing around, she saw a straight chair, which she brought over so she could wait for him to waken. The dishes were covered; they’d keep the food warm for a little while. She wanted to reach out and touch him, feel the warmth of his skin, maybe even lean over and kiss him as if she had the right.

She sat and waited, watching him sleep and thinking of how she might have done things differently. Perhaps it would have resulted in a different outcome. Maybe she could have salvaged their growing friendship, if nothing more.

Sara lost track of time. She was about to leave when he stirred.

“Nikos?” she said softly.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. For a moment she felt cherished. Then his awareness kicked in and his gaze grew hard. “What are you doing here?” He rolled over, groaned softly and sat up. Reaching out, he switched on a bedside lamp.

“Damn, this shoulder hurts more than I expected,” he said, rotating it a bit.

“Don’t start it bleeding again. Eleani said two of the cuts were deep.” She jumped to her feet and reached out as if to stop him. She pulled back her hands when she realized what she was doing.

“I brought you some dinner, but didn’t waken you as I thought you’d need the sleep. It’s probably cold by now,” she said, going to the table and lifting one of the plate covers. Steam rose. “Maybe not.”

He rose and crossed the room. He reminded her of a panther on the prowl. Barefoot and bare-chested, he moved with elegant grace. The play of light and shadows on his skin had her fascinated.

When he reached the table, he took a fork, cut a small portion and popped it into his mouth. Shrugging, he pulled a chair closer. “It’s warm enough and I’m hungry enough to eat anything.”

“I’m sure Dimitri would be happy to warm it up or prepare you something else,” she said.

“Don’t hover. Sit.” He pointed to a chair and took another bite. “It’s fine. I’ve had worse.” He looked at her. “And better.”

“Will we still leave in the morning?” she asked, pulling the straight chair closer to him and sitting.

He nodded. “This storm will blow out by then.”

It was already dark outside. Rain coated the windows.

Sara was content to watch him eat, as she had been to watch him sleep. She was storing memories to last a lifetime. She’d already decided that once she returned to the resort, she’d turn in her resignation and return to England. Her task was done. She wanted familiar people, places. She wanted the love of her friends and the trust she couldn’t have with people who suspected her motives for everything.

So this might be the last time she’d be with Nikos. She treasured every moment.

“Did you eat?” he asked.

“With your grandfather and Eleani,” she said.

“She’s your grandmother, you can call her that,” he said slowly.

She shrugged.

“You know.” He took another bite, ate it slowly then looked at her. “Your mother could have come back and confronted her parents. She didn’t need to try to reconcile by mail. Did you ever think of that?”

“Of course I did. I even asked her several times why she didn’t. It was the family pride. She had as much as her father, I think. And I truly thought she was content enough with life in England. Her getting sick showed me how much she had missed Greece all her life. Even if she hadn’t reconciled with her parents, she could have made a good life for us among her friends and in familiar settings of her former home in Greece. But she refused to even visit.”

“Don’t tell me you never had a vacation or went on a trip,” he said.

“We took lots of trips, to the north of England, to Scotland, Wales.”

“That money could have been spent on airfare to Greece. So since she didn’t, how important was it to her to return to her parents? Maybe her death was just the excuse you needed to come here and meet Eleani and worm your way in.”

Sara took a breath with the shock. She thought they’d gotten past this with the dive and all. Nikos still thought she was after money and nothing else.

Slowly she rose, replaced the chair where she’d found it.

“Good night,” she said with dignity and left the room.

“Sara, wait,” he called, coming after her.

He caught up with her at the top of the stairs, reached out to take her arm to stop her from descending.

“Let me go. You’ve made your position clear over and over. I don’t know why I ever thought you were someone special. You are cynical and jaded and haven’t a trusting bone in your body. You should spend your life alone so you never have to wonder if anyone loves you or only your money. At least your parents have a life that they want—even if it didn’t include you. At least they reached out and tried. You do nothing but hide away in your resort and spurn anyone who tries to get close to you.” She yanked free and almost ran down the stairs.

“Sara, wait,” he called.

She threw open the front door and dashed out, but pulled it shut carefully behind her so no one else in the house would know how angry she was. It was hard to see the wide path in the dark, rainy night, but she could see lights on board the Cassandra and took off almost at a run.

Tomorrow they’d return to Thessalonika and the next day she’d be back home in London. She could hang on that long. She had to. What choice did she have?