should warn you that I'm also
having lunch with Grandfather, so your company wil not be required. In fact, I'm
surprised that you're stil here.'
He smiled. 'Perhaps I don't frighten as easily as you think, Eleni. And I have every
intention of remaining here until your grandfather asks me to leave.'
'Bravado, Mr. Leandros.' Helen forced herself to speak coolly. 'You're hoping that
concern for my grandfather's health wil keep me quiet, and that you can— brazen
things out somehow.'
'You may tel your grandfather whatever you wish, Eleni. Your little threats have no fear
for me.'
'You're very sure of yourself, aren't you?' she snapped angrily. 'Wel , remember this, Mr.
Leandros. No one is indispensable.'
She turned and went back into the room behind her, pushing the door shut with
unnecessary force, furious with herself for having been drawn into another con-
frontation with him.
She crossed the room and went out into the hal , pausing irresolutely as she tried to
decide what to do next. Somewhere near at hand a woman was talking, her voice high-
pitched and voluble. She was speaking in Greek, so Helen could not understand what
she was saying, but her tone was sharp and almost hysterical.
Every so often there was a long pause, and Helen realised she was listening lo half of a
telephone conversation. She also realised that if anyone came into the hal , they would
find her standing there apparently eavesdropping, and she Hushed a little and moved
towards the stairs, intending to return to her room and wait until her grandfather sent
for her.
She heard a distant tinkle of a receiver being vehemently replaced, then a door to the
left of the one she had just emerged from was wrenched open, and Thia Irini came into
the hal . She was dressed in black from head to foot as she had been last night, and
she carried a handkerchief which she was jerking through her fingers.
She stopped as soon as she saw Helen, and a heavy frown descended on her brow.
'Ti thelete?' she demanded, her attitude no more friendly or welcoming than it had been
when Helen first arrived.
Helen spread her hands. 'I'm afraid I don't understand,' she said quietly.
She was surprised to see an expression of relief pass quickly across the older woman's
face, and wondered if Thia Irini's half of the recent, conversation had included any
uncomplimentary remarks about herself.
At last Thia Irini said slowly, 'Something—you want?'
'Not real y.' Helen shook her head. 'I just wondered where everyone was, that's al .'
Thia Irini shrugged in an uncomprehending manner, but Helen had the strangest
feeling that she understood her much better than she wanted to admit.
She wanted to cry out, 'What's the matter? I'm my mother's daughter and she never
spoke of you with anything but affection. Why don't you want me here?'
But she remained silent. Damon Leandros was enough of an enemy for her to
cope with at the moment. Perhaps Thia Irini was simply concerned for her brother's
health and considered her arrival as an unnecessary disturbance. Maybe when she
realised that Helen was only there as an act of reconciliation, she would soften and
become more amenable.
I certainly hope so, Helen thought rueful y, as she gave her great-aunt a rather strained
smile, before turning away.
As she reached the gal ery she met the nurse.
'Ah, thespinis.' The woman smiled and nodded at her. 'You slept wel , I think, and so
did Kyrios Michaelis. We must thank you for that. Today he is so wel , so happy.' She
laughed. 'He wishes to show you everything, I think—the vil a, the grounds. It wil be
difficult to make him rest.'
'Oh, dear,' Helen pul ed a slight face. 'The last thing I want is for him to over-exert
himself. I wil be careful.'
'But yes, thespinis, no one would doubt that. It warmed the heart to see you' together
last night. Kyrios Leandros was much moved, that I could see.'
Helen was about to declare tartly that she was wholly indifferent
having lunch with Grandfather, so your company wil not be required. In fact, I'm
surprised that you're stil here.'
He smiled. 'Perhaps I don't frighten as easily as you think, Eleni. And I have every
intention of remaining here until your grandfather asks me to leave.'
'Bravado, Mr. Leandros.' Helen forced herself to speak coolly. 'You're hoping that
concern for my grandfather's health wil keep me quiet, and that you can— brazen
things out somehow.'
'You may tel your grandfather whatever you wish, Eleni. Your little threats have no fear
for me.'
'You're very sure of yourself, aren't you?' she snapped angrily. 'Wel , remember this, Mr.
Leandros. No one is indispensable.'
She turned and went back into the room behind her, pushing the door shut with
unnecessary force, furious with herself for having been drawn into another con-
frontation with him.
She crossed the room and went out into the hal , pausing irresolutely as she tried to
decide what to do next. Somewhere near at hand a woman was talking, her voice high-
pitched and voluble. She was speaking in Greek, so Helen could not understand what
she was saying, but her tone was sharp and almost hysterical.
Every so often there was a long pause, and Helen realised she was listening lo half of a
telephone conversation. She also realised that if anyone came into the hal , they would
find her standing there apparently eavesdropping, and she Hushed a little and moved
towards the stairs, intending to return to her room and wait until her grandfather sent
for her.
She heard a distant tinkle of a receiver being vehemently replaced, then a door to the
left of the one she had just emerged from was wrenched open, and Thia Irini came into
the hal . She was dressed in black from head to foot as she had been last night, and
she carried a handkerchief which she was jerking through her fingers.
She stopped as soon as she saw Helen, and a heavy frown descended on her brow.
'Ti thelete?' she demanded, her attitude no more friendly or welcoming than it had been
when Helen first arrived.
Helen spread her hands. 'I'm afraid I don't understand,' she said quietly.
She was surprised to see an expression of relief pass quickly across the older woman's
face, and wondered if Thia Irini's half of the recent, conversation had included any
uncomplimentary remarks about herself.
At last Thia Irini said slowly, 'Something—you want?'
'Not real y.' Helen shook her head. 'I just wondered where everyone was, that's al .'
Thia Irini shrugged in an uncomprehending manner, but Helen had the strangest
feeling that she understood her much better than she wanted to admit.
She wanted to cry out, 'What's the matter? I'm my mother's daughter and she never
spoke of you with anything but affection. Why don't you want me here?'
But she remained silent. Damon Leandros was enough of an enemy for her to
cope with at the moment. Perhaps Thia Irini was simply concerned for her brother's
health and considered her arrival as an unnecessary disturbance. Maybe when she
realised that Helen was only there as an act of reconciliation, she would soften and
become more amenable.
I certainly hope so, Helen thought rueful y, as she gave her great-aunt a rather strained
smile, before turning away.
As she reached the gal ery she met the nurse.
'Ah, thespinis.' The woman smiled and nodded at her. 'You slept wel , I think, and so
did Kyrios Michaelis. We must thank you for that. Today he is so wel , so happy.' She
laughed. 'He wishes to show you everything, I think—the vil a, the grounds. It wil be
difficult to make him rest.'
'Oh, dear,' Helen pul ed a slight face. 'The last thing I want is for him to over-exert
himself. I wil be careful.'
'But yes, thespinis, no one would doubt that. It warmed the heart to see you' together
last night. Kyrios Leandros was much moved, that I could see.'
Helen was about to declare tartly that she was wholly indifferent
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