Desire

by Anne Hampson

  Desire

  By

  Anne Hampson

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  'So It Was All Lies.'

  'You were never with my brother… or any other man, for that matter.' Slowly the words came, and so very quietly.

  'Come here, Kim.'

  'You—you frighten m-me,' she faltered. 'Please go away and—and leave me alone.'

  'I said come here.'

  She took another faltering step backwards and it was when her hand touched the door that an incredible transformation took place within her. 'Don't stand there giving me orders! The marriage suited you as much as it suited me, so what's your complaint?'

  'My complaint's the deceit—'

  ANNE HAMPSON currently makes her home in Ireland, but this top romance author has travelled and lived all over the world. This variety of experience is reflected in her books, which present the ever-changing face of romance as it is found wherever people fall in love.

  Dear Reader:

  Silhouette Books is pleased to announce the creation of a new line of contemporary romances—Silhouette Special Editions. Each month we'll bring you six new love stories written by the best of today's authors— Janet Dailey, Brooke Hastings, Laura Hardy, Sondra Stanford, Linda Shaw, Patti Beckman, and many others.

  Silhouette Special Editions are written with American women in mind; they are for readers who want more: more story, more details and descriptions, more realism, and more romance. Special Editions are longer than most contemporary romances allowing for a closer look at the relationship between hero and heroine with emphasis on heightened romantic tension and greater sensuous and sensual detail. If you want more from a romance, be sure to look for Silhouette Special Editions on sale this February wherever you buy books.

  We welcome any suggestions or comments, and I invite you to write us at the address below.

  Karen Solem

  Editor-in-Chief

  Silhouette Books

  P.O. Box 769

  New York, N. Y. 10019

  Other Silhouette Romances

  by

  Anne Hampson

  The Dawn Steals Softly

  Payment in Full

  Enchantment

  Second Tomorrow

  Fascination

  Shadow of Apollo

  Man of the Outback

  Stormy Masquerade

  Man Without a Heart

  Where Eagles Nest

  Copyright © 1981 by Anne Hampson and Silhouette Books,

  a Simon & Schuster Division of Gulf & Western Corporation

  ISBN: 0-671-57119-2

  First Silhouette Books printing December, 1981

  Chapter One

  There was a frown on Kim Rosswell's wide forehead as she put the finishing touches to her pale gold hair, fixing a diamante stud that was meant to be functional as well as decorative, as it held back an unruly lock which invariably persisted in falling onto her forehead.

  Dendras was becoming overinvolved, too emotionally intense. She had considered him a mere boy, not yet of an age to fall in love, but she strongly suspected that tonight he would talk about marriage, and her frown deepened at the idea of hurting him. They had met in the most improbable circumstances when their cars had been locked in a car park belonging to a bank. Kim had to smile at the young man's dismay as he stood staring through the iron railings of the gate, reading the newly erected notice: 'This car park will close at three-thirty.'

  Of course, both knew they should not have made use of the park in the first place, and Kim was also aware that the gate was usually locked at half past four each afternoon. Never had she known it to be closed before then, but she surmised at once, as she read the notice, that too many people had been using the park which, quite naturally, was reserved exclusively for the bank's clients.

  'What are we going to do?' The young man's brow was puckered and there was a quiver in his accented voice. 'I've been doing some research on this town and there was nowhere else to park my car. I have to be back at the university by half past five.'

  'You'll not be able to have your car until after ten o'clock tomorrow morning.' Kim herself was resigned. She lived only a couple of miles from town and could either walk or take a bus. 'You'll have to use a taxi and come back tomorrow.'

  He had sighed and moved away. The following morning they met again, each approaching the car park rather furtively in case there was someone waiting to reprimand them for their illegal use of the park. But as luck would have it, they both drove off without incident, only to meet again in a coffee shop an hour later. It was natural that they should nod and smile, and as the cafe was crowded, they found themselves sharing a table.

  'It's fate,' declared the young man after spontaneously offering his name. 'How about having lunch with me?'

  Kim hesitated, but not for long. She liked the dark eyes, the frank open face of the olive-skinned young man, and as she was on vacation for a week, she had no commitments. Dendras, on the other hand, was sup-posed to be fully engaged on his research, which was connected with the architecture of the town, but, he said, there was no real pressure. And so they lingered over their coffee, then sauntered around medieval Chester, where Kim was able to point out buildings of particular interest.

  'How long have you been at Liverpool?' she asked conversationally, and learned that he was in his final year at the university. 'Why aren't you studying in your own country?' she had enquired.

  'I live on an island and we haven't the educational facilities. I could have studied in Athens, but my friends at Liverpool and I wanted to be there, too. It was an idea to which, fortunately, my brother—who is also my guardian—made no objection, so here I am.' He had gazed at her with undisguised admiration later, as they sat opposite one another at the luncheon table, and within the next hour or so she had learned a great deal about Dendras Christou and his elder brother, Vidas. The latter was a stern, unbending man from what Kim could gather, arrogant and rather too aware of his position as owner of a vast citrus- and olive-producing estate and also the Castello Astura, a renovated Venetian castle situated on the breathtakingly beautiful island of Malindos in the Aegean.

  'The castle and estate belong entirely to your brother?' Kim looked puzzled as she asked the question. 'You haven't a share in them?'

  'Father left them to him because he's the elder. Vidas and I are stepbrothers,' he added inconsequentially.

  'And your brother isn't married, you said?'

  'He's thirty-five and up till now has shown no interest in marriage.' He stopped rather abruptly, colour mounting into his cheeks. Kim smiled to herself, aware of the reason for his embarrassment. It was a well-known fact that Greek men were the most amorous in the world, so it did not require much imagination to guess that Vidas Christou would not be living the celibate life.

  Dendras had asked Kim to go out to dinner with him on the following Saturday and she had agreed; this led to other dates, and now, after almost three months of pleasant friendship, Kim was again meeting him for dinner, her intention being to put an end to the affair before he became even more deeply involved. As it was, his feelings must be hurt, but not overmuch— certainly not as severely as they would be were she to continue seeing him.

  She took a last look in the mirror before turning away to pick up her wrap and the evening bag of white satin and sequins, which matched the ankle-length dress she wore. Full-skirted, yet cut on simple lines, it enhanced her slender fi
gure, clinging to her small breasts and waist, then flowing out towards the hem in gentle, exquisitely cut folds. Being white, it lent her delicate features an ethereal quality, which was made even more pronounced by the colour of her hair. In contrast, her eyebrows and lashes were dark, her eyes an unusual colour of smoke blue that seemed at times to change to green. Her full generous mouth was tilted at the corners, her throat white and long above gracefully sloping shoulders, which at present were bare, the gown being held up by-straps no more than a quarter of an inch wide.

  She was not surprised by the look of deep admiration that leapt to Dendras's face when they met in the lounge of the Grosvenor Hotel in Chester.

  'How beautiful you are!' Dendras's hands were extended to take hers and she coloured despite her composure, for several people were amusedly witnessing the effusive way in which she was being greeted by the dark young man with the foreign voice. 'Kim, I—'

  'Shall we order drinks?' she broke in swiftly, leading him gently by the hand towards a low sofa at the far end of the lounge.

  'I wanted to call for you.' His voice was petulant as he sat down beside her. 'Why won't you let me come to your home?'

  'Because I don't think my parents would approve of my going out with anyone so young.' She had hoped to impart her news in a way that would mitigate the pain as much as possible, but now she doubted her ability to do so.

  'I'm almost twenty-one—two years younger than you. It's nothing.'

  'It's far too much,' returned Kim gently. 'The man should be older than the woman—in a serious affair, that is.'

  He looked at her through bewildered eyes. 'This isn't serious, then?'

  'No, Dendras—'

  'I was going to ask you to marry me,' he broke in desperately. 'Oh, Kim, you must know that I love you!'

  She swallowed the hard little lump that had lodged in her throat, cursing herself for not ending the affair weeks ago.

  'It's only calf-love,' she began, still in the same gentle tones, but before she could add anything Dendras was asking, 'What is calf-love? I have never heard the expression.' .

  She explained, watching him shaking his head.

  'I love you properly,' he stated. 'I'm old enough to know my own mind, Kim.'

  'Have you ever stopped to consider whether or not your brother would approve of me?'

  There was a tense pause before Dendras said, 'I—I've asked him for his consent to—'

  'You—!' Kim's eyes widened. 'You've gone as far as to seek his approval of our marriage?' This was much worse than she had suspected, and Kim more than ever blamed herself for allowing the friendship to continue as long as it had.

  'Yes, I've been asking him for weeks, phoning almost every day, pleading with him to let me get married but he was adamant—until Thursday, when at last he gave in and said I could marry you.' Dendras swallowed convulsively and Kim suspected it was a nervous gesture even before he turned his head away, hiding his expression from her curious gaze. She stared intently at his profile, her pulses quickening for some reason she failed to understand. Why was he blushing, looking decidedly guilty and avoiding her gaze?

  'What made him change his mind?' Kim's tone was unconsciously short.

  'I… er… suppose he realised I was determined.'

  'He did?' Kim's eyes still searched his profile. 'Your argument must have carried a great deal more weight on Thursday than at any other time.'

  'Of course, or otherwise he'd not have agreed to my marriage.' The air of guilt was still present and it brought the obvious question from his companion.

  'What did you say that was so different from what you'd said before?'

  Silence, with Dendras shifting about uneasily in his chair. He looked at her, opened his mouth as if he would blurt something out, then closed it again.

  'Aren't you going to answer my question, Dendras?' she prompted him, but he only sighed and shook his head, his whole manner betraying extreme discomfort.

  'I didn't say anything different—'

  'Dendras,' broke in Kim gently, 'you must have done.'

  'I expect he became exasperated and decided to give his consent.' His voice was defiant now, but he again avoided Kim's eyes. 'Vidas hasn't much patience at the best of times and my perseverance must have broken down what little he had.'

  Although she was aware that he was lying, Kim could not for the life of her imagine what Dendras could have said to make his brother change his mind. 'You do realise you're being vexingly mysterious,' she just had to say.

  'Mysterious?' he asked with well-feigned surprise. 'What makes you say so?' The tone of defiance reed and so did his guilty colour.

  'From what little I've gathered about this brother of yours, I'd not have expected him to change his mind once it was made up.' Not unless Dendras had said something which had completely altered the whole aspect of the situation, she mused, a frown creasing her brow.

  'I've just said he hasn't much patience.' There was a sulky edge to the tone and a pout on his lips as he added, 'I can't see the reason for your attitude, Kim.'

  A deep sigh escaped her and she decided to let the matter drop, and in any case, the waiter was coming to take their order.

  As soon as the drinks were brought one of the restaurant waiters appeared with the menu, and for a few minutes Kim and her companion were silent. But suddenly he lowered the large, leather-enclosed menu and said, with a distinct catch in his voice, 'I was very serious about wanting to marry you, Kim. Please think about it, at least, before you give me a definite refusal.'

  She shook her head, biting her lip with vexation at her own stupidity in not making a break long ago, yet admitting that continued self-blame was both futile and unprofitable. 'I'm not in love with you, Dendras, so there's no sense in my even thinking about marriage.'

  His face closed; she noticed the throbbing of a nerve in his jaw and wished with all her heart they had never met. Fate, he had called it! Fate could be relentlessly cruel at times.

  'I feel utterly lost,' he owned. 'I—I thought you liked m-me.'

  'Liking isn't loving,' she pointed out. 'Of course I like you, but there can be nothing serious between us—'

  'You're too hasty,' he accused, his dark eyes misted, proving without doubt just how young he was, for it was plain that he was coming dangerously close to tears. 'Don't tell me this is… is the end.'

  Reluctantly, she nodded her head.

  'It is,' she answered, wondering how they would get through the meal. 'Perhaps we should not have dinner after all, but say good-bye now.'

  'No! I must see you again—I must!' His mouth twisted and for a space he was unable to speak. 'Have dinner with me,' he begged at last, a plea in his eyes. Kim shook her head; it was a gesture of impatience rather than a denial. But it seemed to bring him to his senses; she saw him straighten up to square his shoulders. He pulled himself together and said, 'I'll not mention it again this evening, Kim, I promise. Let us enjoy our meal as we always have.'

  'All right.' She was gratified to note his response to her smile, aware that he was determined to throw off his dejection, and so they were able to chat over the meal in the usual carefree and pleasant way. She had already learned much about his home on the island of Malindos—the lovely renovated castle so tastefully furnished and so magnificently situated on a wooded plateau overlooking the Aegean Sea. She knew it was mellowed with age, its interior boasting all that was luxurious and elegant, suggesting, as it should, an air of gracious living. And now Dendras was telling her about the grounds, his descriptions so vivid that she could almost see the way the morning sunshine on the dew lent a star-spangled effect to the mile-long avenue of plane trees leading up to the imposing front entrance of the castle, their branches closing overhead. She could easily imagine the masses of gaudy, opulent hibiscus bushes, the ancient, massive carob dominating the view from one of the windows of the main dining salon, the crystal spray of the fountains and the marble goddesses standing guard beside them. She learnt that Dendras's m
other kept house for her stepson, running it with a sort of rigid efficiency.

  'Father stipulated that Mother must remain at the Castello, as its mistress, until Vidas marries,' Dendras said, and there was an undercurrent to his voice that caused Kim to sense that Vidas was not at all happy with the terms of his father's will.

  Dendras changed the subject before Kim could ask any questions and she heard about the landscape of the island, which despite its small size was mountainous and even barren in parts. But it was said to be one of the most spectacularly beautiful islands of its group, rivalled only by Rhodes in the variety of colour and vegetation. Even the barren parts lent beauty, rising as they did above the valley, their high summits clear-cut against the sky.

  'Have you ever been to Greece?' Dendras's voice had become more noticeably accented, owing to the enthusiasm he felt as he described his island home to the girl whose interest had been well and truly caught.

  'No, never,' she replied, wondering if she would ever have the money for a trip to the country that had intrigued her ever since, as a small girl at school, she had pored over colourfully illustrated stories of Jason and the Golden Fleece, and Odysseus outwitting the sirens. For her, Greece would always have the same fascination as it had then; it was a fabled, mystic land of pagan gods and fearless heroes, of history and culture, its ancient peoples having brought civilisation to the Western world. 'One day perhaps I shall visit it,' she added at length. 'Malindos sounds particularly intriguing and beautiful.'

  'Many Greek islands are just as beautiful, but in a different way. If you ever come to my island…' His voice trailed off as shadows touched his eyes. But when presently he spoke again, there was nothing in his voice to betray his inner feelings. 'You must go to the lovely bays along the southern coast. They are often deserted because our island is not geared to tourism like some of the larger ones.' He described the Halthea Valley, much of which was owned by his brother, who grew fruit and olives for export. 'In another, narrower valley you would see the remains of many Venetian castles which might one day be restored like ours. At the head of this valley, on the cliff, is another magnificent castle owned by a Greek who married an Irish girl.'