Page 83 of Villa of Secrets

‘That’s right. I had to hit his target from three metres, all day long. Then four metres. And five. Until I could get nine out of ten shots at fifteen metres.’ She snorted. ‘He was such a character, but a good teacher.’ She shook her head slowly. ‘Poor Tassos. All day, every day he was making ammunition, most of which was fired deep into the mud wall that my target was pinned too. Lead was like gold to us. The Andartes stripped the flashing off almost every building in Rhodes Town, stole the lead weights off wheels, and ripped pipework out of unused or bombed buildings — all melted down and poured into bullet moulds by Tassos.’

The old lady groaned.

‘Come on, Bubba. Get that heel up. You’re doing great. Four . . . five. You’re halfway, only five more.’ Rebecca held her hand.

‘Two weeks later I got back to Mount Filerimos. Something had changed, but I couldn’t work out what it was. Then Tassos arrived with a message: I had to meet Nathanial the next morning. Irini asked me if I knew what the bandit wanted.’ Bubba shook her head. ‘I tried to pass it off as nothing, and told her I didn’t know.

‘We sat to eat a huge dish of pasta flavoured with wild garlic and leeks. I remember that meal so well. Irini’s hand brushed mine under the table and our eyes met. “I hope he’s not sending you away again,” she said quietly.’ Bubba’s face turned sad. ‘Oh, Rebecca, I really didn’t want to upset Irini again. “I don’t think so,” I said. “But he wants me to take my gun, so I think he wants to see if I can shoot straight,” I said.’

Bubba stared at the ceiling, silent with her thoughts as she completed her leg exercises. Rebecca wondered what memories filled her grandmother’s head.

‘There you are, Bubba. Ten lifts done. Mission accomplished. What’s next?’

‘I have to spread my fingers and then touch each one with my thumb.’

‘Come on. Let’s take the cushion away and start on your hand.’

‘I can’t explain my feelings for Irini. My moon and stars, they say when a person means everything. Irini was more than that: she was my universe. I hated seeing her so upset. “You’re not going to kill somebody, Dora? Not again!” she said.’

‘The others didn’t know that you’d saved Giovanni’s life?’ Rebecca asked.

Bubba shook her head, staring at her lame hand. ‘Come on, move, you useless piece of meat! Oh, there we go.’ She spread her fingers.

Rebecca grinned. ‘Great! Now touch your fingertips.’

‘It’s not that easy. I have to try really hard. But that’s life, isn’t it? You have to keep trying.’ She paused for a moment, her eyes flicking up to her granddaughter.

‘Evangelisa asked if I had actually shot somebody, and if I had, she thought I was really brave. I just wished she’d grow up, and then I found myself riddled with guilt for being so impatient with her. Sometimes I found it difficult having a younger sister, you know? I was only sixteen, yet I had all the responsibilities of a mother.’

Their eyes met and Rebecca nodded, not sure for a moment what Bubba was hinting at.

‘Xanthi stared at me, and asked if I had actually killed somebody. I said no, of course I hadn’t. Irini lowered her eyes and stared at her pasta.’

‘I feel so sorry for her,’ Rebecca said. ‘She really loved you, didn’t she?’

Bubba nodded, her hand still for a moment.

‘Come on, no stopping. Let’s keep this hand working. You’re doing so well, Bubba.’

She nodded again and stared at her fingers until they moved.

‘I told them if killing someone brought the end to the war closer, then I was prepared to commit murder. But to be honest, the very idea filled me with revulsion, and I could see Irini felt the same. Evangelisa asked me how shooting somebody could help stop a world war and I told her that if shooting somebody can start a war, then it stands to reason that shooting somebody can stop a war too.’

‘It was only natural that they’d be curious about what you did for the Andartes, Bubba, and also worry about you.’

‘I found it hard not telling them everything. I mean, under normal circumstances you don’t keep secrets from your family, do you, Rebecca? They’re the ones you run to for support when you have a problem.’

Chapter 36

Bubba slept, a gentle smile softening the contours of her face. Rebecca smiled too; she felt good about encouraging her grandmother through the exhausting exercises. Although her aim had been to help Bubba become a little stronger, she had an odd sensation of subterfuge, tables turned. As if Bubba had actually put Rebecca through some kind of mental workout. She pondered their conversation as the rug fell between them.

She had just picked up the diary when the phone rang.

‘Hi, it’s me,’ Naomi said. ‘Is everything all right? I’d like to take you up on your offer and have a coffee with Heleny and Marina. We’re working on a blog for Pandora’s Box.’

Rebecca stifled a giggle at the idea of her sister becoming computer savvy. ‘Yes, everything’s fine. We’ve done Bubba’s exercises and she’s asleep again, exhausted, poor love.’

‘But she did all her workout this morning. She’s not usually so forgetful.’