Dark Avenger

by Alex Ryder

  The maid nodded and said with stiff formality, ‘I’ll see to it, Mr Spirakis. How long will our guest be staying with us?’

  ‘At least a month.’ He fixed his green eyes on Carrie as if expecting an argument, then he smiled thinly. ‘We still have some unfinished business to attend to, don’t we, Carrie? It’s now more important than ever that it’s brought to a final and satisfying conclusion. I think you’ll agree, Carrie.’

  ‘Have I any option?’ she asked resignedly. ‘I’ve no doubt you’ve something nasty in mind as usual for Jimmy unless I do. We’re back to square one again, aren’t we?’

  ‘Yes. It appears so, thanks to your brother’s stupidity. However, we can discuss your future more comfortably over dinner this evening.’

  Dejectedly she followed the maid out of the room. About the only crumb of comfort she could think of was Nikos’s instruction that she was to be treated with respect and consideration. Well, she’d just have to wait and see but, judging from the frosty expression on the maid’s face, the prospects looked bleak. Apart from Nikos everyone she’d seen so far had looked as if they’d like nothing more than to hang her up by her thumbs.

  The house had seemed large from the outside but inside it seemed even larger. She’d need a map to find her way around here, she thought. Or maybe she’d be kept under lock and key with a guard at the door as they’d done with Jimmy.

  At last she found herself being ushered into a large, comfortably furnished bedroom and as soon as they were both inside the maid shut the door firmly behind her then heaved a huge sigh of relief. ‘It’s safe now. No one can hear us in here.’

  She blinked at the maid. ‘Pardon?’

  ‘Sofia. Please call me Sofia, Carrie. I’m your friend. The only one you have here.’ Miraculously the surly expression had been replaced by a conspiratorial yet friendly smile. She gestured round the room. ‘Will this suit you? There are plenty more to choose from.’

  Feeling slightly bewildered, Carrie muttered, ‘It’s very nice.’ She frowned at the maid. ‘Look, Sofia… what did you mean about not being heard?’

  The maid snorted. ‘The less they know the better.’

  ‘Know about what? And who are they?’

  ‘All of them,’ the maid said enigmatically. ‘Don’t trust them. Any of them. They’ll trick you into telling them what they want to know.’ She changed the subject quickly. ‘Where are your things?’

  This was getting unreal, thought Carrie. ‘What things?’

  ‘Your cases? Your clothes?’

  ‘I don’t have any. Just clean jeans and T-shirts aboard the boat.’

  Sofia frowned. ‘You can’t have dinner with Nikos if you’re wearing jeans,’ she protested. She opened the door, peered outside, then beckoned. ‘Follow me. We’ll find you something really beautiful to wear.’

  Carrie hesitated then sighed. No doubt she’d get to the bottom of this behaviour sooner or later. She followed the maid along a corridor until they came to a massive oak door. Sofia pulled a key from around her neck and inserted it in the lock.

  When they were inside, she was led into a smaller room off the main one and Sofia slid aside a huge mirrored door to reveal a wardrobe.

  Carrie stared at the racks of suits and dresses in awe. Tentatively she touched a shimmering creation in black silk and said, ‘You’re right. These are beautiful. Whom do they belong to?’

  ‘My, Helen, of course. This is her private suite. She has good taste, yes?’

  Carrie withdrew her hand as if she’d been stung. ‘Helen’s! I can’t wear any of her stuff.’

  Sofia looked hurt and puzzled. ‘Of course you can! You’re Jimmy’s sister, aren’t you? She’d want you to have them.’

  ‘Would she?’ It was beginning to dawn on her what the trouble was here. Sofia was assuming that she knew.. .knew what? Of course! She should have realised right from the start. Taking a deep breath, she said, ‘Helen is in love with Jimmy, isn’t she?’

  The maid blinked at her in astonishment. ‘They’re mad about each other! Didn’t you know?’

  Carrie felt like hugging her. ‘No, I didn’t. But believe me, Sofia, you’ve lifted a load off my mind. Up till now I’ve assumed that it was just a casual affair Jimmy had had. I had no idea how serious it was.’

  ‘He didn’t tell you? His own sister? He didn’t tell you about Helen?’ The maid’s voice was a gasp of disbelief then she nodded slowly. ‘Helen must have forbidden him to tell anyone. Even you. She was afraid of what they’d do to her if they found out.’

  Carrie grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the settee. ‘I want you to tell me all about it, Sofia. How they met…how long they’ve known each other.’

  Sofia launched herself into the story eagerly. ‘Once a week I used to accompany Helen on a shopping trip. She used to look forward to it because it was the only chance she ever got to get away from this house. We’d go shopping and have a meal and Helen loved being able to act like any other girl for a change. Sometimes we went to the beach or the cinema—’

  Carrie broke in gently, ‘How did she meet my brother?’

  ‘Oh.. .yes. That was about six months ago. Our car had broken down and Jimmy fixed it. Oh, Carrie, if you’d seen the way they looked at each other! I’d never seen Helen so happy. They met every time Jimmy was in port after that. We’d drive into town then I’d leave them and—’

  ‘What happened when she found out that she was pregnant?’

  Sofia’s face darkened. ‘They tricked her into telling who the father was. They said they’d invite him to the house to discuss the wedding arrangements.’

  ‘Nikos did that?’ she asked sharply.

  Sofia shook her head. ‘Nikos was away on business at the time. It was those other pigs. His uncle and his cousins. Helen told them when Jimmy was due back so they waited…’

  She didn’t need to hear the rest. She could guess what they’d told Nikos when he’d returned. They’d engineered the whole thing and while they’d lain in wait for Jimmy Nikos had come to the Miranda seeking vengeance.

  She was almost afraid to ask the next question but she had to know. ‘You say that they’re all pigs, Sofia. Does that include Nikos?’

  The maid put her head to one side and regarded her thoughtfully then smiled. ‘Are you in love with Nikos?’

  ‘No. Of.. .of course not.’ Her denial didn’t sound very convincing. Not even to herself.

  Sofia kept smiling. ‘If you say so. But you needn’t worry. Nikos is a hard man but he’s honest. And he treats the staff well.’

  Carrie tried to tell herself that it didn’t matter one way or the other but it did and she felt a little better. ‘Look,’ she said, ‘I don’t think that Nikos really knows how much Helen and Jimmy love each other. If we tell him—’

  Sofia looked at her in horror. ‘No! You can’t!’

  ‘But.. . surely he would want his own sister to be happy?’ she asked, puzzled.

  Sofia gave a bitter laugh. ‘You are English so you wouldn’t understand about these things. If it was as easy as that don’t you think that Helen would have told him herself?’

  Carrie sighed. She suspected that Sofia was right. Women here weren’t allowed to have minds of their own. They were to be seen but not heard and God help any stranger who came along and tried to steal one.

  Sofia laughed suddenly. ‘They think that they are so clever but Helen and I fooled them. We helped Jimmy to escape and they still don’t suspect a thing.’ She glanced at the door as if still afraid of being overheard then went on, ‘They were keeping Jimmy in a room in the servants’ quarters. The room next to mine, as a matter of fact. The walls there are thin and at night Jimmy and I could whisper to each other and pass messages. He told me of his plan to get out but he needed a rope to tie up the guard. I got that for him.’

  Carrie heaved another sigh of relief. ‘So it isn’t true that he tied and gagged Helen and forced her to go with him?’

  Sofia scoffed at the idea. ‘Of course
not. Helen was already outside waiting for him. They went down to the harbour and stole a boat. As far as I can find out those fools haven’t yet discovered that one of their boats is missing. They seem to think that Jimmy made for the main road and managed to steal a car.’

  ‘So where are they now?’ Carrie asked breathlessly. ‘Do you know?’

  Sofia shook her head vigorously. ‘I didn’t want to know. What I don’t know I can’t be forced or tricked into telling. But Jimmy said that you’d know where he’d gone.’

  Carrie thought for a moment then she smiled. ‘Yes. I think I do.’

  ‘Then be careful they don’t trick you into telling them,’ Sofia warned. She got to her feet and went over to the wardrobe. ‘Now then…it will be time for dinner soon. We must choose something very special for you.’

  They were alone in the dining-room. She had finally decided on a low-cut dress in red silk. It had still been wrapped in tissue paper in the box. Helen had bought it on the spur of the moment, Sofia had told her, but had never had the nerve actually to wear it. Across the candlelit table Nikos looked devastating in a white dinner-jacket.

  The meal was delicious. Of that she had no doubt. The trouble was that she’d been too nervous really to appreciate it. They’d eaten in silence and when the servant had taken the last dish away Nikos poured her another glass of wine and smiled thinly. ‘You won’t get drunk on this stuff, Carrie, so you needn’t look so alarmed. It’s almost non-alcoholic’

  She took the glass from him and muttered, ‘Good. I don’t want to wake up with any more raging headaches.’

  He raised his own glass to her in a silent toast then remarked, ‘That dress suits you. Where did you get it?’

  She’d already decided on the lie but it still came uneasily. ‘I think it belongs to Sofia. She’s been very good to me.’

  His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. ‘Yes. She’s a good girl. She and Helen are very close. More like sisters really. And I’ve got a feeling that our little Sofia knows more about this affair than she is letting on.’

  She affected a look of surprise. ‘That’s not the impression I got. She’s very concerned about Helen. At least she’s not blaming me for what happened— unlike some of the other people around here.’

  ‘You’ve nothing to fear from anyone in this house,’ he said grimly. ‘You have my personal assurance of that.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it,’ she murmured. She remembered the young one with the colourless eyes. Theo. He’d been slavering at her like a hungry wolf while Nikos had been tearing them off a strip. Even the older one, the uncle, had looked like a snake ready to strike.

  Nikos toyed with his glass for a moment. ‘There are too many puzzling aspects to this affair. I’m going to get to the bottom of it.’

  ‘How do you mean, puzzling?’ she asked innocently. ‘I thought you’d made up your mind that it was a straightforward case of kidnapping. Jimmy took Helen and intends exchanging her for me. That’s what you told me.’

  He gave her a smile completely devoid of humour. ‘Your brother overcame the man who was supposed to be guarding him and managed to tie him up. Then he apparently made his way silently and unobserved all the way through the house to Helen’s suite. Then he tied her up and gagged her in case she screamed, slung her over his shoulder like an old carpet and walked brazenly out of the front door.’ He raised a sceptical eyebrow. ‘It’s the sort of scene you might see in a very bad B movie. Wouldn’t you agree?’

  She shrugged. ‘So what are you suggesting?’

  ‘I was hoping that you might have some ideas to put forward,’ he drawled.

  This was exactly what Sofia had warned her about. He suspected Sofia and he suspected that she had confided in Carrie and now he was asking all these casual questions, trying to trick Carrie. ‘Why should I know anything about it?’ she countered uneasily.

  ‘A woman’s instinct?’ he asked nonchalantly. ‘You should know better than anyone what your brother is capable of.’

  ‘I know that he isn’t capable of kidnapping someone,’ she said hotly. ‘The very idea is ridiculous. He’s not that kind of man.’

  Nikos stared at her intently. ‘Are you suggesting then that Helen went with him willingly?’

  She returned his stare with a look of defiance. ‘Perhaps she did.’ Then she added acidly, ‘She’s your sister. You should know better than me what she’s capable of.’

  His green eyes continued to interrogate her. ‘You wouldn’t even like to hazard a guess as to where your brother might have taken her?’

  She gave a good imitation of a sigh of exasperation. ‘Are you going to sit here quizzing me all night? I’ve already told you that I don’t know anything.’

  He went on relentlessly, ignoring her complaint. ‘You mentioned that he had friends in Piraeus. Do you think he might have taken Helen there?’

  She smiled at him coldly. ‘It’s possible. Do you want the address? Then you can send one of your trained apes to find out.’ That would suit her fine, she thought. If her guess was right then Jimmy hadn’t gone anywhere near Piraeus.

  He sipped his drink and regarded her thoughtfully while she had to sit there giving the performance of her life in maintaining an air of injured innocence. She was sure he could read her mind and he was going to keep this up until she cracked under the strain. Damn the man! Nothing would have given her greater pleasure than to tell him the truth but the consequences for Sofia would be dire. And would Helen and Jimmy ever forgive her for betraying them? It was up to her now to protect them until they were either out of the country or legally married.

  Finally he sighed. ‘You told me once that you were a terrible actress, Carrie. Well, you were right. I know you’re lying to me. Now if you really want to help your brother you’ll give us your full cooperation in finding him. The quicker he’s caught the better.’

  ‘I still don’t know anything,’ she muttered grimly.

  ‘He won’t be harmed.’

  She gave a snort of derision. ‘Do you expect me to believe that after the threats you’ve made?’

  ‘Forget the threats,’ he said irritably. ‘They were made in the heat of the moment. All I’m interested in now is the safe return of my sister. This humiliation has gone on long enough.’

  Humiliation? So that was it! That was all he was worried about, she told herself bitterly. His injured dignity. The knowledge that once the news leaked out the Spirakis family would be a laughing-stock throughout the country. In a land where macho pride reigned supreme how could they ever again command respect when it was discovered that they couldn’t even keep their women in line?

  Barely able to contain her anger, she snapped back at him, ‘You’re very good at dishing out humility but it’s a different story when you’re on the receiving end, isn’t it?’ She paused for a moment, calculating the risks, then decided they were worth it, if only to find out his reaction. ‘Perhaps your precious sister did leave with my brother of her own accord. For all anyone knows she might even have helped him escape. Perhaps she’s in love with him. Have you thought about that? I mean…she is going to have his child, after all.’

  His face remained impassive and only the whitening of his knuckles on the glass betrayed his anger. ‘Of course I’ve thought about it. And that’s why I want her back before she does something even more foolish.’

  ‘Foolish?’ she echoed in disbelief. ‘What the hell’s foolish about falling in love? It happens all the time. People can’t help it. In fact, they like it.’

  They glared at each other in silence then he spoke in a flat, calm voice, ‘Love is for fools. It’s an indulgence that our family can’t afford. Helen is a Spirakis and she knows where her duty lies.’

  She felt like throwing something at him but contented herself with an abrasive volley of heavy sarcasm. ‘Of course! How stupid of me! I was forgetting. She’s betrothed to someone else, isn’t she? Someone more.. .acceptable.’ She stressed the last word with contempt.

  His dar
k eyebrows rose a fraction. ‘You seem to find that concept strange.’

  ‘I do,’ she agreed acridly. ‘In fact I find it ridiculous in this day and age. No one should be forced into a marriage.’

  ‘Ah, yes!’ His laugh was dry and mocking. ‘I too was forgetting. You’re the starry-eyed idealist. I should have thought that you’d have learned your lesson by now. Aren’t you the one who agreed that it was better to bow to the inevitable?’ His tone hardened. ‘Power and privilege has its price, Carrie. Helen has always known that. Marriages of convenience are nothing new. Not even in your own country. The English aristocracy have been doing it since the Norman conquest.’

  She eyed him in despair then exclaimed, ‘For God’s sake, Nikos! She’s only a kid. She’s not a company asset. Do you really expect her to forgo her chance of love and happiness just to consolidate the power of your family? It’s…it’s…’ She searched for a suitable word to express her outrage, found it then spat it out, ‘It’s bloody grotesque, that’s what it is.’

  His displeasure was almost tangible, rolling across the table and swamping her like an icy wave. ‘No one here is remotely interested in your opinion. How we regulate our family affairs is our business and no one else’s. Our rules have served us well over the years and we don’t take kindly to strangers coming here and creating confusion and discord.’

  It wasn’t so much his anger that dismayed her— she was used enough to that by now—rather it was his unshakeable, rock-solid belief in his own rightness. There was no possible way she could ever pierce that armour of unyielding arrogance.

  Sighing with frustration, she scowled at him. ‘Even if Helen doesn’t like the man you’ve chosen for her…even then, you’ll still force her to go through with it?’

  ‘She has no reason other than wilful stubbornness not to like him,’ he asserted with infuriating certainty. ‘Ari Palandrous is a well groomed young man from an impeccable background. The son of a well known and influential banker.’