Mac must have overheard because he came up behind his wife, wrapped his arms round her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. Ralph was on the other side of the pool, deep in conversation with Katerina about something.
‘Did I hear you say skinny-dip?’ Mac asked with a grin. ‘Can I watch?’
‘You must be joking!’ Hannah said sharply, shaking him off.
He wasn’t to be deterred that easily, though.
‘Aww! Why not?’ The whiny childish voice he used was probably supposed to be funny. ‘I’ll hide behind a tree. You can’t stop me.’
But Hannah wasn’t amused and remained silent, scowling at him.
‘I’d be careful if I were you,’ Jessica piped up all of a sudden.
Mac’s focus shifted and his eyes narrowed. ‘Why’s that?’
‘You know what happened to the hunter, Actaeon?’
He shook his head. ‘No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.’
‘When he saw the goddess Artemis bathing naked, she was so angry she turned him into a deer and he was torn to pieces by his own hounds.’
‘That’s terrible!’ Edie said, with a nervous laugh. ‘A bit over the top of her, don’t you think?’
Mac ignored the comment and remained fixed on Jessica, who held his gaze.
‘It’s different if it’s your wife,’ he said slowly and deliberately. ‘I’ve seen it all before, remember.’
Jessica didn’t flinch. ‘I think you’ll find the law disagrees with you. A woman’s body is her own, whether or not she’s married. Spying on your wife without her consent is still voyeurism.’
Mac’s mouth twisted and his eyes darkened. Edie’s pulse started racing. The mood had taken an unpleasant turn and she stared hard at Ralph, who was still talking to Katerina, willing him to sense something was wrong and come to her rescue.
She was about to call him when Mac gave a loud, unexpected laugh. There was no humour in it, but the tension lifted. Katerina must have heard and started making her way towards them.
‘Follow me! I’ll quickly show you the rest of the villa, then I’ll leave you to settle in. You must be tired after your journey.’
Edie took a deep breath and waited for Ralph before trailing after the housekeeper. He must have picked up on his wife’s anxiety because he caught her eye and mouthed, ‘You OK?’
Nodding, she mouthed ‘Yes’ back. She’d have to wait till they were alone to tell him what had happened.
She was thankful the upstairs didn’t disappoint. At least one thing was going right. All the bedrooms were simply but tastefully decorated with linen blinds in shades of orange, red and blue, original paintings and wooden floors scattered with rustic, woven rugs.
Two of the rooms had balconies and stunning views, while the third was slightly smaller, though still a double with an en suite, and it looked out over the back garden.
‘I’ll take this one,’ Jessica said, plonking her backpack on the bed.
‘Are you sure?’ Edie asked, relieved. If she were the only single person in the group, she’d have done the same, but she wasn’t certain about Jessica.
While the others unpacked, Edie and Ralph went back downstairs with Katerina, who handed over a spare set of keys.
‘Don’t forget your supper’s in the fridge,’ she said.
‘We won’t,’ Edie promised. ‘Thank you.’
‘You might like a cup of tea and one of mykalitsouniapastries,’ the old woman went on. ‘They’re made with thyme honey from our local mountain bees. It’s very good for you, you know. It protects the heart and kidneys and it’s an antiseptic, too.’
‘How amazing!’ said Ralph, who had a sweet tooth. ‘I can’t wait to try it.’
They were standing just inside the front door now and Katerina appeared to be on the point of leaving. Without any warning, however, she suddenly stopped and looked up intently at Ralph then Edie, pausing on their features, taking her time with each of them, as if seeking something out.
