James smirked. No doubt, his employer was headed for The Black Cat for consolation. It was his favourite hangout; a dive bar in the basement of an old residential building that was frequented by all sorts of social filth, being the sort of place eager to satisfy any kind of secret vice. Its dancing girls, mostly foreign ones, sold more than their time on the floor, and the drinks came with special rolled up cigarettes and delicate-looking, North-African hookah’s.
“Shall I wait, sir?” he asked when he pulled up outside the gloomy façade of the dive, although he knew the answer already.
“Go! I’ll be late!” snapped Charles. He slammed the door and strolled towards the dim-lit entrance, never once glancing back. Every fibre of his being ached by then for the promised luxuries that awaited in the bowels of the decrepit, old building. He couldn’t wait to numb his senses with sweet-scented tobacco and the experienced female touch. His frustration and anger were bound to perish once again in the face of high intoxication and sexual rapture. His head pounded with a strong headache as he crossed the low threshold, as the stench of alcohol and a cloud of cigarette smoke engulfed him.
Exasperated, he rubbed at his temple. They’ll pay for this, both of them! Laura should have known better than turn me down! He took a seat in a quiet corner, away from the dance floor and locked eyes with one of his regulars.
The girl batted her eyelids with a knowing smile and strode to him eagerly, the sleepy glaze in her eyes rendering his legs alive with the desire to stand and take her upstairs at once. If only Laura were half as eager to be with me! He straightened his back and gritted his teeth, the memory of the insult still raw inside.
The voluptuous girl sat on his knee and gave him a long, passionate kiss, but in his mind, he still thought only of Laura. Her rejection had only made his determination stronger. Such blind resolve was enough to turn love into hate, compassion into cruelty.
He gave the dancing girl a meaningful stare, and she stood, taking him by the hand to lead him upstairs. In the following hour, his sexual frustrations found release, but his hurt pride would take a little longer to find satisfaction. Naturally, by the time he got in a taxi to return home, in his head, he was already scheming, trying out all probabilities.
Charles was like a machine, driven by his own desires to no other end, but the one he had intended from the start. He was never going to stop until he got what he wanted. He knew from experience that sooner or later, the right opportunity always presents itself. Money came in handy in these cases, and thankfully he always had lots to spare. But he also had Harold; his trusted valet. Thanks to him, he would easily find out when the time was right, and then he would simply pounce for the kill. Yes! Charles already knew that day, that he was going to make Laura his, eventually. It was just the details he would need to work out; that was all.
THE END
Thank you for taking time to read The Ebb, book 1 in The Lady of The Pier trilogy. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth helps me continue to write books, and I’d be most grateful to you. Thank you for your kind consideration, Effrosyni Moschoudi
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Acknowledgements
I wish to thank my husband Andy for his patience and moral support and for being my tower of strength, as I pursue my writing dream. Also, heartfelt thanks to Deborah Mansfield, my precious sister-in-law and Desktop Publishing Goddess, for creating my book covers. Thank you Debs, for your patience and generosity! Tons of thanks are due in equal merit to each of my amazing beta readers: Kerry Hall, Jenny Twist, Danica Cornell, MM Jaye and Nicholas Rossis. They’ve provided me with a wealth of feedback that helped me turn a rough piece of coal into a polished diamond. I would never have done it without you guys, and I feel tremendously blessed to have you. Special thanks go to Nicholas Rossis for helping me format this book, being the formatting wizard that he is. Last but not least, I offer my gratitude and sincere thanks to the following Twitter and Facebook friends in no particular order, for their ongoing support: David Wind, Nikki Anne Schmutz, Maria Savva, Angel Sefer, Kasper Beaumont, Flaming Crystal, Kathy Poulos Gregory, Karen Oberlaender, Sheri Wilkinson, Tina Tomlinson, Wendy Ewurum, David Njoku, Marjory McGinn, Elle Boca, Cheryl Michaelides, Dr. Glen Hepker, Philip Catshill.
A note about the Greeks
The Greeks love their terms of endearment and use them generously in everyday speech. Especially in Corfu, some of them are used quite frequently when addressing a loved one. For example, ‘psyche mou’ or ‘kyra mou’ are used noticeably by Corfiot grannies and mothers. A term of endearment that is met all over Greece involves the word ‘mou’ (my) that is used after the name. For example, ‘Sofia mou’ (my Sofia) or the diminutive: ‘Sofoula mou’ (my little Sofia).
Other than the excessive use of terms of endearment, the reader may also find strange, the reference to ‘pretend spitting sounds’ in the book. This is a common custom in Greece, where people make a spitting sound in order to ward off the evil eye while complimenting someone. It is not an actual spitting action, but a sound that imitates it. It is made by exhaling with the mouth nearly closed, while tapping the end of the tongue continuously on the upper lip. Often, instead of making this sound, Greeks will just say ‘ftou’ repeatedly, which doesn’t mean anything but simply represents the sound of spitting.
Glossary of Greek terms
For your convenience, I’m listing here some of the Greek words/phrases that I mention in the book, along with the translation.
Agape mou = My love (term of endearment)
Agie Spyridona! = Saint Spyridon! (Corfiots express surprise or wonder with this quick invocation to their beloved patron saint).
Bira = Beer
Efcharisto = Thank you
Ela katse! = Come (and) sit!
Kalimera = Good morning
Karavi = Ship
Kyra mou = My lady (term of endearment)
Me ya = (Enjoy) with health (It is a wish that Greeks make to people who have acquired something new, be it a new car, new shoes or even a haircut).
Meze = The appetizer(s) that Greeks have with ouzo. It can be simple things like a cut up tomato with olives and bread, or cooked dishes like cheese pastries, prawns, fried courgettes, fish etc.
Panagia konta sou = May the Virgin Mary be with you (a wish commonly used by Corfiots for loved ones when they address them).
Pappou = Granddad
Parakalo = Please
Po-po = This is just an exclamation, used to show surprise or wonder.
Psyche mou = My psyche (term of endearment).
Thia = Aunt (the vocative case, i.e. when addressing them, will be the same).
Thios = Uncle (the vocative case, i.e. when addressing them, will be ‘Thie’).
Yassou = hello/goodbye (informal greeting - literally means ‘health to you’)
Yiayia = Gran
About the author
Effrosyni Moschoudi was born and raised in Athens, Greece. As a child, she often sat alone in her granny’s garden scribbling rhymes about flowers, butterflies and ants. Through adolescence, she wrote dark poetry that suited her melancholic, romantic nature. She’s passionate about books and movies and simply couldn’t live without them. She lives in a quaint seaside town near Athens with her husband Andy and a naughty cat called Felix. Effrosyni is a proud member of the writer’s groups, eNovel Authors at Work, ASMSG, and The Fantasy & SciFi Network.
Her debut novel, The Necklace of Goddess Athena, is an urban fantasy of Greek myths and time travel that’s suitable for all ages. The book is a #1 Amazon bestseller.
Her historical romance, The Lady of the Pier – The Ebb, is an ABNA Quarter-Finalist. Visit her website to find out all about The Lady of the Pier trilogy:http://www.effrosyniwrites.com
/> A note from Effrosyni
To write this novel, I’ve drawn heavily from my experiences as a youngster, holidaying in my grandparents’ house in the seaside village of Moraitika, Corfu. Although the novel is a work of fiction, it’s peppered with autobiographical elements. To see stunning pictures of places described in this book, check out my guide to Moraitika here: http://bit.ly/1IPwNPv
Moraitika is a greatly loved holiday spot. Over the years, I’ve met many people, mainly British, who’ve been coming back annually for decades and call Moraitika their second home. If you fancy a beach holiday on a Greek island, give Moraitika a try. You’ll be glad you did!
I’m always delighted to hear from my readers and highly value any comments. I’d love to hear from you!
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Also available
The second part in the Lady of the Pier trilogy:
She won't find peace until she finds redemption. But it’ll take more than love; it’ll take two worlds, to merge into one.
BRIGHTON 1938
Laura and Christian enjoy a blissful summer, while Charles watches from a distance, waiting for the right time to intervene. This time, he’s prepared to do something truly vile as to leave nothing to chance. WWII breaks out, and Laura does her best to settle in a new life, having paid a terrible price. Will she find happiness at last, or will the past continue to haunt her?
CORFU 1988
Sofia arrives in Vassilaki brokenhearted over Danny. Just as a new boy comes into her life, the strange dreams start anew. Now in Brighton, she meets Danny again, but he blows hot and cold. When she sees a female apparition on the West Pier, she finds out the locals call her ‘The Lady of the Pier’. Is this the woman in her dreams and why is Sofia the only one who can see her?
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myBook.to/ladypier2
Excerpt from The Lady of the Pier – The Flow
“Mother, could I have a word please? Excuse me, ladies,” said Charles as soon as he approached. Susan Fenshaw was lounging on a sofa at the time, chatting with two elderly women that seemed about to nod off.
“Of course, dear.” Lady Fenshaw excused herself to her old friends and followed Charles to a corner of the room where they could talk privately.
“I would like to speak to you about Laura, Mother.”
“Oh, isn't she heaven? Thank you so much for bringing her here tonight. What a treat for us all she’s been with her marvellous singing!”
“Yes indeed, quite right! Anyway, I was wondering if you could ask her to stay overnight. I thought it would be lovely to have her here tomorrow for the picnic.”
“Oh, what a splendid idea! Of course you should ask her!” she said patting his hand.
“Mother, I would like you to ask her please!” Charles huffed and ran a hand through his hair with exasperation. Whenever she drank a few glasses, it became impossible to communicate with her. “It’s quite important, that you ask her,” he repeated. This time, he managed a feeble smile.
His mother tilted her head. “Why is that, dear?”
“I think she has plans for tomorrow to see friends.” Charles was certain Laura was seeing Christian. The very thought made him nauseous with annoyance, but he tried to clear it from his mind so that he could focus. Laura was a clever girl; he needed to set a perfect trap. She should enter it totally unaware of any danger, and who would be better to set it for her but his innocent-looking mother?
“Well if she has plans…” said Lady Fenshaw with a shrug from her shoulders, breaking his reverie.
“You don’t understand, Mother!”
“What is it, dear? What is troubling you?” Unsettled, she reached out to caress his cheek with a tender hand, as if he were a child.
Charles didn’t resist it but rather accepted it with gladness. It often perturbed him, the thought that although he had all the luxuries he ever wanted, it all became tiresome sooner or later. Yet, tenderness was always the one thing he never got enough of.
“It’s important to me, Mother. It’s important that she stays. Can you please do me a favour and go ask her for me? She won't have the heart to say no to you. Please convince her to stay. It will make me very happy, Mother. Do you understand?”
“Good heavens, Charles… you have feelings for her?” His mother’s eyes opened wide when it dawned on her that her son had finally fallen in love.
“Yes Mother,” he said, taking her hand from his cheek to kiss it. “Will you please do me this favour?”
“Leave it with me, darling.” She patted his hand and gave him a sweet smile, then followed his eyes and spotted Laura across the room. When she turned to go to her, Charles watched, but before Laura could catch his eye, he turned around and left the room.
There was an evil gleam in his eye when he stood outside in the courtyard lighting his cigarette. Mother is bound to do the trick. He was so close to the prize now that his fingers had started to itch. At last, it’s time to reap the benefits after all this waiting! I’ll teach a lesson to that stinking peasant, who thought he could ever win one over me!
***
When he returned to the drawing room ten minutes later, Charles found his mother and Laura sitting together. Laura wore a distinct expression of discomfort, and he smiled to himself. She looked downhearted and apprehensive, like a cornered animal looking in vain for a way out. And so, the trap had been set.
“Hello Laura! James is ready to go when you are,” he said breezily.
“Oh, that won't be necessary, dear,” replied his mother, winking at him secretly from Laura. The young girl was gazing at Charles with a forlorn look on her face at the time. She wouldn’t have caught his mother’s playful wink, not in a million years.
“Oh? Why not?” he asked, feigning ignorance.
“Your mother has kindly asked me to stay for the picnic tomorrow,” Laura finally said, trying all she could to sound excited about it, but he could tell it wasn’t so.
“I thought you had plans! Are you sure?” he asked, tilting his head with mock concern.
“No, it’ll be fine. Can I just make a telephone call please? I’ll get a neighbour to notify Maggie I won’t be home tonight.”
“Yes, of course Laura. Please, follow me,” he said eagerly, beckoning with a fluid movement of his hand.
He led her to the library where he pulled a face of dismay. “I’m so sorry, Laura. I tried to tell Mother you had plans for tomorrow, but she wanted to ask you anyway. In the end, she looked so excited about the prospect, that I just didn’t find the heart to insist and put her off asking you.”
“It’s quite all right,” replied Laura, with a little wave. She felt too obliged to Lady Fenshaw to allow herself to show even a hint of her frustration. Besides, it was only a day. “I’m
looking forward to the picnic. It’s awfully nice of her ladyship to invite me.”
Charles issued her with a tight-lipped smile and shut the door to give her privacy, then returned to his mother with long, triumphant strides to bow before her with a wide grin on his face.
“You’re a cunning woman, and I love you for that,” he said, kissing her on the cheek.
“Anything for my boy,” she replied, relishing his affections. Such gestures didn’t come often, neither did his happy spirits, and it was wonderful to see him cheerful for a change. She was hoping Laura had feelings for her son too, somehow. It would be wonderful if they were to be married, and it didn’t matter she wasn’t of noble descent. Neither was she, after all.
Times had changed. Nowadays, love often transcended social classes, and that was widely acceptable. Besides, she was in her late sixties now. She no longer had the luxury of time to wait for her son to find the right girl. This is why, by the time Charles left her to check on Laura back in the library, she was already fantasising about cots, tiny clothes, and baby skin that smelled of talcum powder.
The Ebb Page 30