Читать книгу Greek Affairs - Кейт Хьюит - Страница 69

‘DO YOU need help?’ Edward Jameson asked, pausing in the act of untying the rope that moored his yacht at Mikrolimano harbour. He raised one questioning eyebrow at the skinny determined boy standing by his boat.

‘No.’

Edward pursed his lips and surveyed the still waiting boy-man in front of him. He couldn’t be more than ten or twelve, and he looked like a scarecrow. His shirt and ragged trousers were too short for his long, scrawny arms and legs; it appeared he’d grown quickly and a lot. He also looked hungry, although from that determined glint in his silvery eyes he would never admit it.

‘Do you want something, then?’ Edward asked mildly. He spoke in Greek, for he doubted a Piraeus gutter rat like this one knew any other language. He looped the rope around one weathered wrist and waited.

The boy took a breath, puffing his thin chest out, and said, ‘Actually, I was wondering the same thing about you.'

Edward let out a short admiring laugh. ‘Were you?’

‘Yes. I can do lots of things.’ The boy spoke in a determined rush. ‘I can wash your boat, carry messages, pump out the bilge water … I don’t charge much.'

‘Really?’ He shook his head slowly. ‘Shouldn’t you be in school?’

Without a flicker of guilt or regret, the boy shrugged. ‘I’m done with that.’ ‘How come?’

Another shrug, and this time there was a flicker of something … sorrow? Fear? ‘I have a family to support.'

Edward choked back an incredulous laugh as he realised the boy was serious. ‘What kind of family?'

‘A mother and three sisters. The youngest is just a baby.’ He folded his arms and gave Edward a level look. ‘Now, are you going to hire me?'

There was no reason to hire a boy like this, Edward acknowledged. He was a millionaire, and he didn’t need cheap labour—and inexperienced at that. Yet something in the boy’s eyes—the utter determination to gain work, to survive—made him pause. ‘Yes,’ he said slowly, ‘I believe I am.'

The boy allowed himself only a second’s quick, triumphant grin before shoving his hands in his pockets and lifting his chin. ‘When shall I start?'

‘Does now suit you?’ Edward asked, suspecting that it did.

‘Sure. If you really need me.’

‘I think I do. Tell me your name first, though.’

He threw his shoulders back. ‘Demos Atrikes.’ Edward gestured to him to come aboard, and nimbly, his eyes bright with anticipation, he did.

He stood in the centre of Edward’s multimillion-pound yacht and only betrayed the level of his admiration by lightly touching the burnished wood of the railing, stroking it as if it were silk. Then he dropped his hand, tucking it back in the pocket of his trousers, and fixed Edward with a firm stare. ‘What do you want me to do?'

‘Tell me about your family first,’ Edward said. ‘Do you have to work so badly?'

Demos shrugged; no response was needed. It was, Edward thought sadly, all too apparent.

‘They need me,’ Demos said simply. ‘So I’m here.’

Edward nodded. He knew what the choices were for a boy like this. The docks, the factories, or else the gangs. ‘I need you to scrub the deck,’ he finally said. ‘I hope that’s not too dirty a job for you?’ he added, and Demos eyed him scornfully.

‘I’ll do anything,’ he said, and Edward knew he meant it.

Edward watched as Demos set to scrubbing the deck, sluicing the boards with water and washing them with determined thoroughness. His shoulderblades poked through the back of his thin shirt like chicken wings, and the back of his neck burned red.

Edward worked him all day, knowing Demos would accept no less. When he finally presented him with a wad of drachma notes, Demos flicked through them with a hungry yet expert eye and nodded once.

‘I’ll be back tomorrow?’ he said, and there was only a slight waver of uncertainty in his voice.

Edward nodded. ‘Yes, I’m sure I’ll need you then.’ He’d think of something.

Demos nodded, and hopped easily off the yacht, walking barefoot down the dock, attracting a few irritated looks from the sleekly satisfied yachties. Yet he was utterly indifferent to their contempt.

Utterly above it.

On the cool, salt-tanged air Edward heard his jaunty whistling, and for a moment he looked like any other young Greek boy, loitering about the docks to gaze at the boats and have an afternoon’s pleasure.

Then Edward’s gaze drifted to the set of his shoulders, his ragged clothes, the drachma notes stuffed down his shirt where no one could steal them, and knew this boy was different.

He thought of the boy’s words—‘I’ll do anything’—and wondered sadly if one day he would have to.