few phrases only,' she returned guardedly.
'Some words, Yannina, from a book I bought in London.'
'You will soon learn,' the other woman prophesied.
I shan't be around long enough for that, Harriet thought.
At least Nicky's room was a proper size, and beautifully cool. The
walls were washed in a clear blue, and painted with a frieze of toy
animals, and safety gates had been placed firmly across the french
windows leading to the balcony. There seemed to be numerous
brand-new toys about, and Harriet was relieved to see Nicky's rather
battered Paddington Bear leaning against the pillow in his cot. Stick
around, she addressed it silently, you could take lessons in hard stares
from the ladies I've just met!
While Nicky went on with his food, Yannina led her round, proudly
showing her where all his clothes had been put away. There were
more toys in a cupboard too, Harriet noticed. There was also a
bathroom, tiled in blue and white, which Harriet presumed she was to
share. She smiled brightly at Yannina and approved of everything
with a heavy heart.
However tired he might be, Nicky was determined not to go down
without a struggle. He turned sulkily away from Yannina, stretching
demanding arms towards Harriet, saying tearfully that he wanted a
story. It was half a dozen nursery rhymes and one and a half versions
of the Three Bears later when he finally consented to fall asleep.
As she turned away from the cot, Yannina shook her head at her.
'Ah, thespinis, you are so good with him. Good as his own mother,
may God rest her soul,' she added, crossing herself.
Harriet was suddenly close to tears again. It was the first time, she
thought, that she'd heard Becca referred to with kindness by anyone
even remotely connected with the Marcos family.
She said, 'Shall I stay with him for a while.'
'No, kyria .' Yannina showed her with pride the wall- mounted
microphone which would transmit Nicky's slightest cry to her own
quarters. 'It is the time of the evening meal. You will be awaited
downstairs.'
Harriet doubted that, but as she emerged from the nursery, it was to
see Alex striding down the corridor towards her.
She noticed that he was wearing a dinner jacket, and that he was
frowning heavily.
'What have you been doing?' he demanded. 'Dinner is being held back
for you. Did Androula not inform you?'
His eyes went over her impatiently, critically, assimilating her
crumpled, travel worn appearance, and Harriet smothered a sigh.
'I must have misunderstood,' she hedged. 'Was I supposed to change?
I—I've been settling Nicky for the night.'
The frown still lingered. 'Yannina was supposed to do that. It is, after
all, your first evening among us. You must not make the child so
dependent on you.'
'I'm sorry.' Harriet lifted her head defiantly. 'I thought I was merely
doing what was expected of me. If I'm to leave Nicky solely to
Yannina then there's very little point in my being here. Would you
like me to leave?'
His scowl deepened. 'Believe it or not, Harriet mou, I was thinking of
you. Perhaps I expressed myself badly. I only arrived back early this
morning, and I am still suffering a little from jet lag. Is Nicos asleep
now?'
She said, 'Yes.' Then, with an effort, 'His—his room is lovely. I
suppose your mother.
'No,' he said with a faint smile. 'I was responsible for it. Does that
surprise you?'
'A little,' she admitted.
'You thought perhaps that all I wanted was to win. That once I had
control of Nicos, I would lose interest in him.' He shook his head
slowly. 'How little you know of me!'
Perhapsk she thought, but even that little is too much for my peace of
mind.
She tried to smile. 'Well, I'm sure he'll be happy here. I'd better wash
my hands before dinner.'
Alex nodded abruptly. 'Come down as soon as you are ready,' he
directed.
She watched him walk away, wondering for the first time if he had
planned her room along with Nicky's. Could it be his own way of
showing her how
'Some words, Yannina, from a book I bought in London.'
'You will soon learn,' the other woman prophesied.
I shan't be around long enough for that, Harriet thought.
At least Nicky's room was a proper size, and beautifully cool. The
walls were washed in a clear blue, and painted with a frieze of toy
animals, and safety gates had been placed firmly across the french
windows leading to the balcony. There seemed to be numerous
brand-new toys about, and Harriet was relieved to see Nicky's rather
battered Paddington Bear leaning against the pillow in his cot. Stick
around, she addressed it silently, you could take lessons in hard stares
from the ladies I've just met!
While Nicky went on with his food, Yannina led her round, proudly
showing her where all his clothes had been put away. There were
more toys in a cupboard too, Harriet noticed. There was also a
bathroom, tiled in blue and white, which Harriet presumed she was to
share. She smiled brightly at Yannina and approved of everything
with a heavy heart.
However tired he might be, Nicky was determined not to go down
without a struggle. He turned sulkily away from Yannina, stretching
demanding arms towards Harriet, saying tearfully that he wanted a
story. It was half a dozen nursery rhymes and one and a half versions
of the Three Bears later when he finally consented to fall asleep.
As she turned away from the cot, Yannina shook her head at her.
'Ah, thespinis, you are so good with him. Good as his own mother,
may God rest her soul,' she added, crossing herself.
Harriet was suddenly close to tears again. It was the first time, she
thought, that she'd heard Becca referred to with kindness by anyone
even remotely connected with the Marcos family.
She said, 'Shall I stay with him for a while.'
'No, kyria .' Yannina showed her with pride the wall- mounted
microphone which would transmit Nicky's slightest cry to her own
quarters. 'It is the time of the evening meal. You will be awaited
downstairs.'
Harriet doubted that, but as she emerged from the nursery, it was to
see Alex striding down the corridor towards her.
She noticed that he was wearing a dinner jacket, and that he was
frowning heavily.
'What have you been doing?' he demanded. 'Dinner is being held back
for you. Did Androula not inform you?'
His eyes went over her impatiently, critically, assimilating her
crumpled, travel worn appearance, and Harriet smothered a sigh.
'I must have misunderstood,' she hedged. 'Was I supposed to change?
I—I've been settling Nicky for the night.'
The frown still lingered. 'Yannina was supposed to do that. It is, after
all, your first evening among us. You must not make the child so
dependent on you.'
'I'm sorry.' Harriet lifted her head defiantly. 'I thought I was merely
doing what was expected of me. If I'm to leave Nicky solely to
Yannina then there's very little point in my being here. Would you
like me to leave?'
His scowl deepened. 'Believe it or not, Harriet mou, I was thinking of
you. Perhaps I expressed myself badly. I only arrived back early this
morning, and I am still suffering a little from jet lag. Is Nicos asleep
now?'
She said, 'Yes.' Then, with an effort, 'His—his room is lovely. I
suppose your mother.
'No,' he said with a faint smile. 'I was responsible for it. Does that
surprise you?'
'A little,' she admitted.
'You thought perhaps that all I wanted was to win. That once I had
control of Nicos, I would lose interest in him.' He shook his head
slowly. 'How little you know of me!'
Perhapsk she thought, but even that little is too much for my peace of
mind.
She tried to smile. 'Well, I'm sure he'll be happy here. I'd better wash
my hands before dinner.'
Alex nodded abruptly. 'Come down as soon as you are ready,' he
directed.
She watched him walk away, wondering for the first time if he had
planned her room along with Nicky's. Could it be his own way of
showing her how
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