The Passionate Greek

by Catherine Dane

  Nicos came forward to meet her and for a moment she saw that old familiar flash in his eyes quickly extinguished. He led her to where his guests sat on soft cushioned armchairs round a table with an array of drinks. The man who got to his feet was not the late middle aged overweight businessman she had been expecting. This man was little more than forty, slim and really quite handsome with pale blue eyes and close cropped greying hair. Melanie did a quick calculation. Of course, Katerina was not yet 20, this man could easily be her father. Nicos introduced them simply; Mikhail meet Melanie. The man looked approvingly at her and shook her hand warmly. Katerina gave her a perfunctory ‘hi’.

  Dinner was served in the luxuriously appointed dining saloon. Throughout the meal Mikhail paid more and more attention to Melanie and she could see it was rattling Nicos. Mikhail was regaling her with tales of his youth in his own country of Azistan and making her laugh. Nicos quickly changed the subject to the ports of call the ship was to make at the various islands on their route.

  ‘I’m looking forward to getting to Piraeus,’ said Mikhail. ‘Perhaps this lovely young lady would like to visit the Acropolis with me. I have always wanted to see it.’

  Nicos looked daggers. ‘We may not be going near Athens on this trip,’ he said, and Melanie wondered if he had quickly rearranged the schedule. ‘He doesn’t want me but he’s still jealous,’ she thought resentfully.

  She excused herself as soon as she could after dinner to Mikhail’s obvious disappointment. ‘Let me escort you to your cabin,’ he said full of courtly politeness. Nicos, Melanie saw to her satisfaction, had trouble containing himself... She thought of accepting Mikhail's offer just to annoy Nicos but quickly discarded the idea. Mikhail at her cabin door might be more trouble than it was worth.

  ‘There's really no need,' she told the Azistani.' I insist you stay,' and saying hasty ‘goodnights’ she made a diplomatically swift exit.

  Back in her cabin she wondered why she had n’t encouraged Mikhail. Nicos had forfeited his right to her fidelity by the mere fact that he hadn’t believed in it. But her heart wasn’t it. ‘I will always belong to him,’ she acknowledged sadly to herself. ‘Whatever he does, whatever he says, I am bound to him, no matter how much I tell myself I want to be free.’

  The next morning she took Electra to the ship’s pool to play. None of the guests were around, but an hour later Mikhail appeared. ‘Come and sit beside me,’ he said, patting the sun lounger next to him. ‘I have to get the baby back to her cabin,’ Melanie demurred. ‘The baby looks happy here. Stay,’ he insisted.

  Melanie, not wanting to appear rude, perched on the edge of the seat with Electra in her arms. 'Five minutes chat and then I‘m off,' she promised herself, not entirely comfortable with the way Mikhail was eyeing her in her bikini.

  But he was very entertaining and in spite of her reluctance to spend time with him she found herself still in his company some half an hour later. He had taken Electra from her and was jiggling the baby on his knee while she squealed with delight.

  Melanie wasn’t sure what alerted her to Nicos’s presence but the air seemed to have chilled around her. He was standing motionless at the entrance to the pool area looking across at them stony faced. Mikhail, following Melanie’s gaze, called out a jovial, ‘Hey, Nicos, come on over.’

  Melanie reached for Electra with a hurried, ‘I really need to be going now,’ and made to leave. Nicos hadn’t moved and the only way out was past him. As she reached him he said. ‘I see you’ve found another man friend.’

  ‘I was simply being polite to one of your guests,’ she said icily. ‘He is certainly not ‘my man friend’ as you so charmingly put it and if that was the case it is certainly no business of yours.

  ‘It’s my business when you are with my daughter,’ he snapped.

  ‘My behavior when I am with my daughter is no concern of yours. But if it were then I should point out that I am quite certain that the way I conduct myself is beyond even your reproach.’

  She swept past him, all outranged dignity. ‘Put that in your pipe and smoke it,’ she felt like saying, and had to giggle to herself. ‘Did I sound wonderfully pompous?’ she whispered to her uncomprehending daughter. ‘Do you think your daddy could have been just the teeniest bit jealous?’ The thought gave her undeniable pleasure.

  Chapter Thirteen

  By the afternoon the ship had steamed into their first port of call and anchored in deep water some distance from shore. Melanie took Electra up on deck to watch the sailors’ activity. Not long after the big ship moored a deafening roar rent the calm. Mikhail and Katerina had taken to the water on jet skies. They circled expertly at break neck speed laughing and calling out to each other. Melanie lifted Electra higher to watch the fun. Mikhail saw them and gave a cheery wave.

  Minutes later he had brought his jet ski back to the boat and was calling Melanie down. She shook her head laughing. Cupping his hands round his mouth he called ‘I’m coming up to get you.’ Moments later he was standing next to her on the deck.

  ‘You have to have a ride,’ he insisted. ‘It’s wonderful fun.’ ‘I can’t,’ protested Melanie. ‘I have to look after the baby, and anyway I’m not dressed for the sea.’

  But Mikhail was not to be dissuaded ‘Go and put your swimsuit on. I’ll wait for you,’ he insisted. 'The stewardess can take care of the baby. She can hold her up so she can watch her mummy. Baby will love it.’

  Melanie was tempted. It did look enormous fun. ‘I’ll do it,’ she decided. ‘It’s time I had some fun.’ She hurried down to her cabin and quickly changed into her bikini. She rang for the nursery stewardess who happily took Electra in her arms and they went up on deck together.

  Mikhail was waiting, already seated at the controls while a sailor held the bobbing craft close to the ship’s side. Melanie lowered herself on to the passenger seat and held on tight. ‘Don’t go too fast,’ she shouted into Mikhail’s ear over the sound of the engine. He didn’t answer but to her relief he set off at a sedate pace. Before long she was enjoying it so much she heard herself shouting, ‘Faster, faster,’ as Mikhail expertly manoeuvred the boat in ever-speedier circles.

  When he finally brought the Jet Ski back to the boat she was breathless and flushed with excitement. ‘No need to ask if you enjoyed it?’ laughed Mikhail, eyeing her bikini clad figure appreciatively. ‘We must do it again tomorrow.’

  ‘That would be wonderful,’ she said, and spun round searching the deck for Electra. But it was Nicos she saw. She caught a black look before he strode passed her and greeted Mikhail with what Melanie was sure was false bonhomie.

  He had put a companionable arm around his guest and was ushering him along. Melanie heard him say, ‘Come up on the top deck and have a drink?’ Mikhail looked around for Melanie. ‘Only as long as the lovely lady comes, too.’ Nicos couldn’t disguise his thunderous look. ‘Don’t you have to see to the baby?’ he said curtly to her. But Mikhail wouldn’t hear of it. ‘Nonsense,’ he boomed. ‘What do you have a nursery stewardess for? I insist she comes with us.’

  Melanie tried to protest. ‘I need to change out of this bikini,’ she said feebly, but Mikhail wouldn’t be dissuaded. ‘No, you mustn’t do that,’ he said laughing. ‘I am enjoying the view too much.’

  Melanie thought Nicos was going to explode. He said nothing but rang the bell for the steward. ‘Fetch Ms Melanie a towelling robe,’ he barked.

  Melanie, for all her discomfort, wanted to smile. ‘He may not want me but he doesn’t want me getting attention from another man,’ she concluded. Up on the top deck Nicos made sure Mikhail and Melanie were as far apart as possible and made a concerted effort to exclude her from the conversation by talking business. As soon as she could she made her escape. ‘See you at dinner,’ Mikhail said, and gave her a knowing smile, that Melanie could see was not lost on Nicos.

  That evening, getting Electra ready for bed, Melanie pondered on the day’s events. Nicos liked to win, she knew that. ‘Maybe I’ll give
him a contest,’ she thought mischievously. ‘I might just flirt a little with Mikhail over dinner and see how he likes that.’

  But Nicos had made his plans. Her cabin steward knocked on the door at that moment and announced that Mr Nicos and his guests would be going ashore for dinner and he understood that Miss Melanie preferred to stay on board with Electra. 'How subtle, thought Melanie. He doesn’t want me along tonight.’

  The next morning neither Nicos nor Mikhail appeared at the pool, much to Melanie’s relief but Katerina put in an appearance. ‘My father and Nicos have been talking business all morning. It’s very boring,’ she complained. ‘That’s all they did at dinner last night, too. Now Daddy is talking about having to cut short the cruise. Some silly crisis or other.’ She flung herself down on the sun bed furthest away from Melanie and closed her eyes.

  Out on the deck with Electra after lunch Melanie’s attention was caught by frantic activity. Two crewmen were speedily loading a mountain of luggage into the ship’s launch. Once it was all stacked Mikhail and his daughter appeared and descending the ladder took their places. Melanie watched mystified as the engines roared into life and it seemed just a few minutes later she saw they had reached the harbor and they are their luggage were deposited ashore.

  Back in her cabin Melanie couldn’t contain her curiosity. On the pretence of asking for cold drinks she rang for the steward. ‘Was it the two guests I just saw leaving?’ she casually asked him. ‘Yes, Madam,’ he replied. ‘I believe urgent business caused Mr Tatachencko to cancel the rest of his cruise.’

  Now what, she wondered? Would the Athena steam post haste back to Skiapolos with Nicos and she avoiding each other all the way home? The ship was certainly big enough. But the steward was handing her an envelope. ‘From Mr Nicos,’ he said politely. Melanie waited till he was out of the room before tearing it open. ‘Please have dinner with me tonight,’ she read. ‘I will quite understand if you refuse but you will make me very happy if you accept.’ The words danced before Melanie’s eyes. What did he want with her this time? She didn’t feel like another confrontation with him. He was probably just going to order her straight off the island as soon as they docked.

  Yet his note sounded conciliatory. She read it again. She wasn’t mistaken. All afternoon she debated. ‘I won’t go. I won’t dance to his tune. But what’s the harm in finding out what he’s up to this time?’ She argued back and forth with herself. ‘You’re just looking for an excuse. You want to go.’ And she knew she did. In spite of herself her heart lifted at the thought of seeing him alone again.

  He was standing at the drinks trolley, his back to her when she reached the upper deck. He turned at her approach and said, ‘Thank you for coming. I wasn’t sure you would.’

  ‘I wasn’t sure I would, either.’ She was determined not to let him have it all his own way, but he made no reply.

  ‘Champagne?’ he asked her, the bottle poised over a crystal flute.

  ‘Are we celebrating?’

  ‘I don’t know yet.’

  Melanie was perplexed. The scene was undeniably romantic. Candles set around the terrace provided the only illumination, a bowl of blush roses scented the air. Where had they come from on this hot Greek summer night? Whatever she had expected from the evening it wasn’t this.

  She took his proffered glass and walked to the rail looking out over the dark night sea.

  ‘I have something to ask you?’ his voice came from behind. She turned back to him unsure where this was leading.

  ‘I want you to marry me.’

  Whatever she had expected from the evening it wasn’t this. Shock and disbelief chased each other through her mind and must have been mirrored on her face because he took the glass from her hand and led her to a sofa.

  ‘I’ve shocked you. I didn’t mean to.’

  ‘Why?’ she stuttered, her thoughts in complete disarray.

  ‘When I saw you with Mikhail I realised I couldn’t bear for anyone else to have you. You belong to me.’

  ‘You can’t marry someone because you’re jealous of anyone else having them.’

  ‘I don’t want to live my life without you. Isn’t that good enough?’ he asked.

  ‘I’m not sure it is,’ she said slowly. ‘You don’t trust me now. Would being married to me make you trust me more? I think we both know it wouldn’t. You would watch me for every little sign that I was being untrue to you. What you believe to be my past won’t ever leave your mind.’ She was twisting her glass round and round in her hands. ‘I’ve told you before what I need from you doesn’t seem yours to give.’

  ‘Don’t be so sure,’ he urged her. ‘Think how happy we were in London. We could be happy like that again.’

  ‘No, Nicos. Something or someone would come along to set you against me again. Even on our happiest days it would be there in the background, like a train crash waiting to happen. I could never be truly happy, nor could I make you happy.’

  Nicos looked devastated. ‘Don’t make up your mind now. Think about it. We could be a family.’

  A family. His words wrenched her heart. ‘You have never believed that I could offer Electra stability. I would always be aware of that.’

  ‘I would have enough stability for both of us.’

  ‘You see,’ she pointed out. ‘You still don’t believe that I could offer her a stable upbringing, only that you could.’

  He cast his eyes down. ‘I didn’t mean it to sound like that.’

  ‘But it’s what you believe,’ she said, ‘and I would always know that. Marriage might work between us for a time, but your doubts would eat away at it.’

  ‘You can’t be certain,’ he said.

  ‘But I would need to be,’ she responded. ‘I would need to know that you trusted me implicitly and you don’t.’

  'Once you have time to think about it you might see that it will work. We can make it work. For Electra’s sake we should try.’

  Electra. She had been thinking with her heart when she should have been thinking with her head. Marriage to Nicos was the key to keeping her daughter.

  Later as she lay sleepless in her cabin she turned Nicos’s proposal over and over in her mind. He had said he didn’t want any other man to have her, he had said he didn’t want to live without her but he had never said he loved her. Did he love her or did he just not like to lose? What had he said to her once? ‘I win. I always do.’

  Could she be with him day in and day out and not resent that however loving he might appear on the surface, deep down he harbored deep suspicions of her. Could any marriage survive that?

  A whimper from the baby alarm alerted her early the next morning. In the nursery she picked up her newly wide-awake baby and cuddled her. As she held her close, inhaling the warm soft baby smell of her, she knew that any sacrifice she made for her daughter was worth it.

  ‘I can have you with me always and all I have to do is say ‘yes’ to Nicos. I was mad to think of doing anything else.’

  The ship's mighty diesels were starting up. They were homeward bound. When they got to Skiapolos she would tell him of her decision. Unlike the slow, meandering journey when they had set off for the trip the ship was at full throttle, the speed of their progress bringing her swiftly closer to the time when she would commit herself to Nicos.

  As if sensing she needed to be alone with her thoughts she saw nothing of him during the journey. He remained holed up in his on board office and she spent the hours with Electra, playing in the pool or walking the deck.

  She didn’t see him when they docked, either. Instead the steward handed her a brief note from him suggesting they meet for dinner on the terrace at eight. He would obviously expect his answer then.

  As the time approached Melanie grew increasingly nervous. She was going to accept his proposal but there were things she needed to say to him, ground rules she needed to lay down.

  He was waiting for her, pacing up and down on the terrace impatiently. As soon as she appeared he came to
her and said, ‘Well, what’s your answer?’ His directness floored Melanie. She had expected they would sit down together, share some champagne, be served dinner before embarking on a serious discussion on what their marriage would entail.

  Her instinct in the face of his demand was a resounding “No”, but the thought of Electra held her back. ‘We should talk about it first,’ she said breathlessly.'

  ‘What’s there to talk about,’ he said. ‘Either you marry me or you don’t.’

  She turned away from him towards the end of the terrace. He followed her and swung her round, holding her by the shoulders. ‘I need to know. Is there someone else?’

  She stared back at him, her face clouding over. ‘You tell me we can be happy, that we can work things out between us. Yet, even when you are asking to marry me you still ask me that.’

  He dropped his hands from her shoulders and walked to the edge of the terrace, staring out to sea. He stood motionless for some time as if deep in thought. Melanie watched him, refusing to be the one to break the silence. Finally he turned to her and said, ‘Let me begin again. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?’He looked beseechingly at her. In spite of her resolve never to be charmed by him again Melanie’s heart melted.

  ‘I will marry you but only on the condition that you never again refer to what you perceive as my past,’ she said.

  But it was almost as if he hadn’t heard her. A look of joy crossed his face. ‘I will make you happy,’ he promised.

  ‘You have to understand,’ she insisted. ‘If you marry me you do it unconditionally. I won’t make excuses to you for what you see as my past behavior. If you can’t trust me to be a good and faithful wife to you in the future then I don’t want to marry you.’

  She had said what she came to say. She knew that if he hesitated she would walk out, even though it meant losing her daughter. She might regret it for the rest of her life but would Electra want a mother who wasn’t true to her principles? Would she, when she was old enough, understand? Melanie couldn’t be sure. She only knew that when it came time to make the final decision she had to be true to herself. Nicos took her on her terms or not at all.