nobility. He gave the impression always of a cultured gentleman of rather special lineage, and as if that were not enough he possessed the added attributes of good looks and physical perfection, his tall lithe frame—like that of an athlete in perfect form—carrying not one ounce of excess weight.
He was still glowering at her and she returned quietly,
‘I shall never get David out of my system. He’s the man I chose for a husband, the one I knew I could love, and be happy with, for the rest of my life.’
‘You would not have been happy!’ Imperious the tone, and challenging.
Tara’s intention of arguing with statement died on her lips. ‘I give you so much! Why can’t you be satisfied?’
‘There should be love in marriage—that’s why I’m not satisfied!’
He drew a breath of impatience.
You English are so damned sentimental—especially women. Tell me, how long does this so-called love last?’
‘It can last for ever, but you as a Greek wouldn’t understand. Loving and caring are the most important part of marriage.’
‘The physical compatibility? Is that not important?’
‘In a way ... yes—’
‘In a way?’ His straight black brows lifted a fraction. ‘Can you honestly tell me that physical compatibility’s not the most important thing in our marriage?’
‘It’s the only thing in our marriage.’
‘What about the material aspect? Most women would be more than happy with what you have—or can have when I’m sure you’ll not try to run from me. I can give you every luxury—we have a rather special home here, you must admit? We have a yacht, and when eventually you come with me to
Athens you’ll live in a luxury flat and have your own car.’
‘All those, but not love.’
‘Tell me,’ he said, ‘how many of your friends—who presumably married for love—are as idyllically happy as you appear to believe possible?’
She looked at him but said nothing. She was remembering Sue one day rattling off all the couples they knew whose marriages were broken, or about to be. It was frightening, Sue had said, and
Tara remembered saying that she and David were lucky because they both knew that their love would last for ever.
‘Well,’ challenged
Leon, breaking into her thoughts, ‘what answer have you for me?’
She gave an audible sigh and shook her head.
‘Love can last,’ she said doggedly.
‘But you can’t think of any of your friends who are happily married?’ A sort of smooth satire edged hic accented voice and his eyes held amusement. ‘Here in
Greece we have the answer, no matter what you say to the contrary. We marry for physical satisfaction and the production of children. Marriages in the villages are still arranged by parents, who know better than their children what is good for them—’
‘Stop! It’s—horrible to think of arranged marriages!’
Forget love,’ he advised, ignoring the interruption, and be satisfied with what you have. When you stop having these vixenish turns you and I will be very happy indeed’
‘I’ve just remembered that you expressed the wish that I would fall in love with you.’
‘I said life would be more pleasant if you did, but by “love” I didn’t mean some grand passion—the sort some writers are carried away with. To me there is no such grand passion—unless it’s a physical one,’ he added with a hint of amusement. ‘But this deep love one hears about—’ He shrugged it off impatiently. ‘It’s nothing but nonsense.’
‘You’re going to miss a lot in life,’ she stated. But then she added, ‘However, I daresay you’ll satisfy yourself with more sensual pleasures.’
‘You’re a little bitch,
Tara,’ he said softly. ‘I wonder how long I shall be able to accept your poisonous barbs without retaliation.’
Tara said nothing and for a while they ate in silence. But although her husband did not speak there was no mistaking the interest he was taking in her appearance. She had acquired a
He was still glowering at her and she returned quietly,
‘I shall never get David out of my system. He’s the man I chose for a husband, the one I knew I could love, and be happy with, for the rest of my life.’
‘You would not have been happy!’ Imperious the tone, and challenging.
Tara’s intention of arguing with statement died on her lips. ‘I give you so much! Why can’t you be satisfied?’
‘There should be love in marriage—that’s why I’m not satisfied!’
He drew a breath of impatience.
You English are so damned sentimental—especially women. Tell me, how long does this so-called love last?’
‘It can last for ever, but you as a Greek wouldn’t understand. Loving and caring are the most important part of marriage.’
‘The physical compatibility? Is that not important?’
‘In a way ... yes—’
‘In a way?’ His straight black brows lifted a fraction. ‘Can you honestly tell me that physical compatibility’s not the most important thing in our marriage?’
‘It’s the only thing in our marriage.’
‘What about the material aspect? Most women would be more than happy with what you have—or can have when I’m sure you’ll not try to run from me. I can give you every luxury—we have a rather special home here, you must admit? We have a yacht, and when eventually you come with me to
Athens you’ll live in a luxury flat and have your own car.’
‘All those, but not love.’
‘Tell me,’ he said, ‘how many of your friends—who presumably married for love—are as idyllically happy as you appear to believe possible?’
She looked at him but said nothing. She was remembering Sue one day rattling off all the couples they knew whose marriages were broken, or about to be. It was frightening, Sue had said, and
Tara remembered saying that she and David were lucky because they both knew that their love would last for ever.
‘Well,’ challenged
Leon, breaking into her thoughts, ‘what answer have you for me?’
She gave an audible sigh and shook her head.
‘Love can last,’ she said doggedly.
‘But you can’t think of any of your friends who are happily married?’ A sort of smooth satire edged hic accented voice and his eyes held amusement. ‘Here in
Greece we have the answer, no matter what you say to the contrary. We marry for physical satisfaction and the production of children. Marriages in the villages are still arranged by parents, who know better than their children what is good for them—’
‘Stop! It’s—horrible to think of arranged marriages!’
Forget love,’ he advised, ignoring the interruption, and be satisfied with what you have. When you stop having these vixenish turns you and I will be very happy indeed’
‘I’ve just remembered that you expressed the wish that I would fall in love with you.’
‘I said life would be more pleasant if you did, but by “love” I didn’t mean some grand passion—the sort some writers are carried away with. To me there is no such grand passion—unless it’s a physical one,’ he added with a hint of amusement. ‘But this deep love one hears about—’ He shrugged it off impatiently. ‘It’s nothing but nonsense.’
‘You’re going to miss a lot in life,’ she stated. But then she added, ‘However, I daresay you’ll satisfy yourself with more sensual pleasures.’
‘You’re a little bitch,
Tara,’ he said softly. ‘I wonder how long I shall be able to accept your poisonous barbs without retaliation.’
Tara said nothing and for a while they ate in silence. But although her husband did not speak there was no mistaking the interest he was taking in her appearance. She had acquired a
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