Under a Greek Moon
Page 10
‘Yes, for the good of the family. That matters to you, surely?’ his mother purred.
Demetrius gave nothing away, looking at his mother coolly.
‘Come, my son, it is time for you to take your place at the head of the business. It is time for your father to retire.’ She looked at her husband with steel in her eyes, daring him to disagree with her.
‘Oh, yes, you’re right,’ Aristotle said weakly, ‘I’m getting too damn old for this.’
‘So, Demetrios, are we agreed then?’
‘Mother …’
She walked to the bar and pulled out a bottle of chilled champagne from the cooler. ‘Let us celebrate.’
She popped the cork and poured out three tall flutes, handing the first one to her son. ‘Let’s drink to the future: your future and the future of the business. To a grand dynasty.’ She handed Demetrios a glass and tipped her own to him. ‘What do you say? To the future? Stay for dinner this evening and we can talk some more.’
He looked at her coldly, and as she clinked her glass to his, it felt like a door was slamming shut.
Chapter 12
Shauna was excited as she left the post office in Ithos. On arriving to the island, she’d sent a postcard to Roxy, telling her to write to her at the poste restante on Ithos as soon as she knew when she would be arriving. It seemed like a lifetime since her friend had left Monaco for a French adventure with Thierry, and Shauna knew they would both have so much to tell each other. She couldn’t wait for Roxy to meet Demetrios, she knew they would like each other.
She ripped open the airmail letter and scanned the page quickly but was surprised when there were only a few scribbled lines:
I’m leaving France and Thierry and heading your way. Will be there sooner than we said. Don’t leave without me. Roxy XXX
Shauna wondered what on earth this could mean. Maybe there’d been a falling out between them? Roxy could be quite intense and full of enthusiasm; she’d thought all along that Thierry was too old for her. Whatever the reason, Shauna couldn’t wait to be reunited with her friend. Life on the boat had been amazing and Demetrios was … She smiled, remembering how his touch made her feel. She’d longed to be able to talk about how much he meant to her, how special he was, to let someone else in on their secret romance, someone who would be happy for her.
They had spent every day of that first week on Ithos together, and even after the crew came back from leave they had continued to sneak away whenever they could, taking the small boat out to their private island. She felt as if there had never been a moment when she hadn’t known him – he seemed to fill up every part of her, her heart and her mind as well as … She felt that familiar flutter in her stomach at the thought of their lovemaking, the way he explored every inch of her body and encouraged her to be adventurous.
The town clock in the village square chimed and Shauna was astonished to see that it was four o’clock already. She had completely lost track of the time. She’d taken the steep walk to the foot of the mountain that dominated the village to drink in the view. Since arriving, the place had stolen her heart almost as much as Demetrios had. Time seemed to stand still here, as if nothing had changed in centuries. The local farmers still loaded up their donkeys with fresh produce for the weekly market. Old ladies dressed in black sat on their doorsteps, shelling white broad beans; younger women sat chatting to one another as they fixed their husbands nets. The younger locals would gather in the village square of an evening, their flirtatious laughter ringing out through the cobbled streets. The scent of wild jasmine filled the air, while bright red geraniums struggled to gain a toehold through cracks in the paving stones, and the pink bougainvillea that was so typically and unmistakably Greek flourished everywhere you looked. Ithos really was a magical place.
Shauna took a seat outside one of the small tavernas and wrote a postcard to her parents. She didn’t tell them about Demetrios; she wasn’t ready to admit to them that she was rethinking her entire future. She’d been wondering whether she should apply to defer her studies in Manchester for a year, so she could stay on with Demetrios. She’d even fantasized about how it would be if he came to Manchester to be with her. She smiled to herself, struggling to see Demetrios slumming it in student halls. Would he do that? She frowned, realizing that she was running away with herself. He had told her he loved her, and she believed him. No doubt they would talk about it over the coming weeks.
Of one thing she was certain, though: there was no way she was ready to go home yet.
Shauna took the gangway in giant leaps. Demetrios might be a little cross with her as she was back later than she’d said, but she’d placate him with the new bikini she had bought with the wages she had saved. It was silver, with little strings at the side of the bottoms – they could have fun untying them …
There was no sign of him on any of the decks, so she hurried to his suite. He wasn’t there either, and the place had a strange, empty feel about it. She looked into the wardrobe and his clothes and belongings were gone. She pulled open his T-shirt drawer, which was empty too, apart from a white envelope. Shauna lifted it out to look inside. There were two First Class tickets to New York. What could that mean? She knew he loved the city, but he hadn’t mentioned anything about a trip.
She looked around, puzzled now, and then she saw a postcard on the bedside table. A sick feeling washed over her. She didn’t want to pick it up or to read what was written on it, but she found herself drawn to it all the same. The picture on the front was of the harbour at Ithos; just an ordinary postcard that any tourist might buy to send home. She turned it over and recognized his handwriting and read the words Demetrios had written:
My dear Beauty
Always have hope. We have our dreams. Remember our souls will always burn brighter.
Don’t wait for me …
Shauna gasped, a wave of anguish gripped her. Was he saying goodbye? Before she could even process that thought, she heard a footstep outside. Relief flooded her, her imagination was running wild, of course, that would be him now. He’d take her in his arms and tell her off for being silly.
But instead of the face that made her heart sing, it was Jeremy who appeared at the door. His face was set hard, no smile for her, and none of his cheery banter.
‘Shauna, I’ve been looking for you. Please collect your things. There is no easy way of saying this, so I won’t try and cushion it for you – you’re fired.’
Shauna’s heart beat furiously in her chest. ‘I … what do you mean … I haven’t done anything wrong.’
‘I’m afraid that’s not true, is it? We have rules about the crew abusing their position and you’ve been seen skiving off when you should have been working to conduct an illicit liaison with a member of the Theodosis family. It’s strictly off limits, and I’ve been instructed to dismiss you.’
She could barely get the words out. ‘By whom?’
‘By me.’ A beautiful woman in her late forties or early fifties entered the cabin. There was no mistaking the family resemblance, this was Elena Theodosis, Demetrios’s mother.
‘Pack your things and get out,’ she said, her voice cold and harsh.
Shauna stood her ground. ‘I won’t go until I see Demetrios. He won’t let this happen.’
The woman took a step towards her, her eyes flashing. ‘Demetrios does as he is told.’ She eyed Shauna as if sizing her up. ‘You are different from his usual type. A pretty thing, but just one of many, I am afraid. You think you are something special to him, but you are wrong.’
‘You’re the one who’s wrong. Demetrios loves me.’ Shauna felt her voice crack, she felt so vulnerable, so alone in that moment. Where was he, how could he abandon her to this cruelty?
The woman turned to Jeremy. ‘Get her out, will you? Give her money if necessary, but I want her off the island tonight.’
Shauna’s tears were flowing now but she could feel her anger rising. ‘I don’t want your money. I don’t want anything from you.’
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‘Suit yourself …’ She took a step closer, and Shauna could smell the woman’s expensive perfume – Chanel or Givenchy. Something classic. ‘Your tears are very sad, and I would feel sorry for you if only I hadn’t seen this happen so many times before. But Demetrios has his priorities, and this little holiday romance isn’t one of them.’
With that she turned away and left Shauna with Jeremy, who jerked his head and told her, ‘Time to pack up.’ If he felt any remorse, he didn’t show it as he marched her to her cabin, the postcard still gripped tightly in her fingers.
He stood in the doorway, arms folded, as Shauna began to fill the small rucksack with her belongings. After a minute or two he stepped in to gather her belongings for her, helping more from expediency than kindness, because she found herself unable to stop crying.
They were interrupted by Chantelle. ‘What the hell is going on here?’
‘Stay out of this, Chantelle. Elana wants Shauna off the boat and that’s all there is to it. You know the rules.’
‘Sure, I know the rules – but where is your fucking decency, Jeremy?’
‘That doesn’t come into it.’
‘Get out, Jeremy. Mama Theodosis will get what she wants, but we’re going to do things my way. So off you go, and leave this to me.’
Jeremy looked as if he was going to erupt with anger, but he kept his lips tight and turned on his heel. Chantelle took Shauna in her arms and held her tightly.
Shauna was so grateful for this woman’s kindness that fresh tears fell down her cheeks.
‘Oh, chérie, I told you this could happen, but you didn’t want to listen.’
‘He said he loved me.’
‘And maybe he does a little, but he is not free to do as he wants – as you are now finding out.’ She lifted Shauna’s chin to look at her. ‘This is the first time your heart has been broken, it probably won’t be the last, but you’ll never forget it. One day the pain will be gone, and you will have these precious memories.’ She took an embroidered handkerchief from her pocket and dried Shauna’s tears with it. ‘When you are older and wiser, like me, you will learn that the love that is cut short is the more precious because it never truly dies.’
Shauna hung her head, certain that there would never come a time when she would want to remember this feeling. ‘Please, let’s just go.’
‘Yes, darling …’ Chantelle looked around her to check they had packed everything, ‘One day you will want to look at this, too.’ She tucked the postcard into Shauna’s rucksack.
Shauna took one last look around, knowing that whatever dreams she’d had of love and the future were now just ashes.
She stood on the jetty, waiting for the tourist boat that ferried visitors to and from the island to arrive. This would be the last boat of the day and Shauna did not want to miss it. Chantelle had walked with her to the jetty and spoken to the harbour master, who told her that it was only minutes away.
Still struggling to hold it together, she heard a voice in her head. This time it was her mother rather than her da, telling her, Dry your tears and hold your head up, Shauna O’Brien. Never give them the satisfaction.
When the boat came into view, Chantelle enveloped her in a hug. She’d tried to force some money on her, but Shauna had refused. ‘I still have some of my wages left,’ she insisted.
‘I am so sorry, Shauna. The crew of the St Helena will miss you, and you deserve better. Jeremy will find it hard to get anyone to work for him for a while now, but unfortunately it won’t change anything. It’s Mama and Papa who pay his wages, not Demetrios.’
They hugged once more, Chantelle waving sadly as she headed back to the yacht. More than anything, Shauna wanted to get as far as possible from this place. The last couple of hours had been the worst of her life. In spite of everything, she’d kept hoping Demetrios would show up and tell her there had been some mistake, that none of it was true, he loved her and they were going to spend the rest of their lives together.
She scanned the harbour, and even looked up into the hills where she could just make out the high turrets of the Theodosis villa poking through the trees. Maybe she should go up there now and confront him? How could he be so cowardly and let his mother do his dirty work for him?
She turned back towards the jetty as she heard the horn blast of the little ferry. At this time of day, there were few tourists; unlike the morning boats that came in loaded with day-trippers, this one carried islanders home from work on other islands, or backpackers who were hoping to find a beach where they could sleep under the stars. As the boat approached, she spotted someone waving on the deck. Shauna blinked, unable to believe her eyes – it was Roxy, and she was jumping up and down, waving madly. It was as if the universe had heard her pain and sent her a friend.
The boat pulled into the jetty and Shauna saw Roxy push her way through, drawing protests from the other disgruntled passengers, some of whom gesticulated at her and shouted in Greek.
Oblivious, Roxy leapt off the boat and grabbed Shauna in a fierce hug. It seemed like ages before they let go of each other. And when they did, Roxy said, ‘How did you know I was on this boat?’
‘I didn’t.’
Roxy shook her head and the two of them looked at each other for a moment. It was then that Shauna realized there was something different about her friend. Roxy’s eyes were dark from lack of sleep and she’d lost weight.
Her own troubles forgotten, Shauna asked, ‘What’s happened Roxy? What’s wrong.’
‘I can’t—’ Roxy’s eyes darted around the jetty and the boat. ‘Not here, I’ll tell you later, when we get to …’ Her eyes alighted on Shauna’s rucksack and she frowned.
‘I’ve been given my marching orders,’ Shauna told her.
‘Says who?’
‘It doesn’t matter. But I’m afraid it means I won’t be giving you the grand tour of Ithos. This is the last boat of the day and we need to be on it when it leaves.’
Roxy shrugged. ‘Doesn’t bother me, I only came because you’re here. Go on, lead the way, I’m right behind you.’ They hoicked their bags on their shoulders and boarded the ferry.
As the boat pulled away and the island retreated into the distance, Shauna thought of everything that had happened. In a matter of a few weeks her life had changed – she had changed. She had fallen in love and allowed herself to dream of a future. Now she could see that Demetrios was right – the rich weren’t like other people; they didn’t have hearts. At least she knew that now and wouldn’t fall into the same trap again.
She turned away from Ithos and vowed that she would never return.
Shauna and Roxy sat side by side on the deck, drinking from cold bottles of beer that they’d purchased on board. The sun was low on the horizon and seemed huge to Shauna, a giant orange ball that looked as if it was melting into the sea as it slowly dipped below the horizon.
Roxy sipped at her beer and listened in silence as Shauna described the emotional rollercoaster her life had turned into since they’d last seen each other. ‘I can’t believe that Demetrios would do that to you. You sure big Greek mama didn’t strong-arm him into it?’
‘Even if she did, what sort of man would let his mammy rule his life in that way? No, I was just stupid, I should have realized the sort of man he was when I saw how badly he treated Normandie. He’s a selfish spoiled bastard.’ Inside, Shauna knew she still loved him and part of her always would, but right now she needed to hate him, to convince herself she was better off without him. Otherwise the pain would eat away at her until there was nothing left. No more tears for Demetrios after today, she resolved to herself.
‘Enough about me,’ she said. ‘What happened with Thierry? Something bad, right?’
Roxy looked away. Shauna remained silent, waiting. She could see her friend was struggling to find the right words.
‘Thierry …’ Roxy laughed bitterly. ‘Well, turns out he was also a liar, but much worse too.’ She gulped down another mouthful of beer.
She seemed to be steeling herself. ‘One night, a bunch of musicians turned up and there was this real party vibe. Everyone was dancing – it was fun … for a bit.’
‘Go on,’ Shauna gently encouraged her.
‘You know me – I don’t take drugs, ever. But I think someone spiked my drink. I started to feel woozy, like I couldn’t speak properly, and my legs didn’t seem to work. I’d been chatting to Thierry and some of these other old guys he was with. They seemed OK, but I couldn’t understand half of what they were saying. The next thing I remember, Thierry was saying, “Let’s get you to bed, chérie, you are tired, no?”’
‘I had to lean on him to stand up, it didn’t feel right – it wasn’t that feeling you get when you’re drunk, it was like I was … helpless. He took me into one of the bedrooms. It wasn’t the one we were sharing, and I remember there was already someone in there. But it’s so fuzzy.’ Her voice cracked. Shauna could see she was finding it hard to go on, so she put one arm around her, then reached over with the other and squeezed her hand.
‘I lay on the bed and I could feel this other guy move onto the bed and start to touch me. I wanted to shout out or scream but I couldn’t, it was like my voice wouldn’t work. Then he was on top of me and I think I passed out. The next thing I remember is waking up, and I wasn’t wearing any clothes. I could see this other guy asleep; he was older than Thierry, with thinning grey hair.’ She choked back a sob.