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He hesitated, as if about to reveal something, but then he stopped himself and reached out for the message. After reading it, he let out a sigh. ‘I have been very busy these last days. I have been focusing on my father’s business and not able to spend time getting to know you further. I need your help again, Shauna. Will you spare me your time?’

He seemed so sincere when he said these words, she couldn’t resist. ‘OK, it’s a truce. What do you need my help with. More figures?’

‘Not this time. My father wants me to go home to Ithos as soon as possible for family reasons.’ He pointed at the telex. ‘He thinks I have been wasting my time enjoying myself.’ He smiled ruefully. ‘Maybe he is right, though I will keep him waiting a little longer. You can help me with my excuse. I’ll tell him that I have been looking at new avenues for our shipping routes, but I’ll have to show him some proof. You can help me map the routes on these charts.’ He pointed to a pile of papers.

‘I don’t know anything about shipping or maps.’

‘We can do it together. All you need is a ruler and a steady hand. While we do this, I will show you what a gentleman I can be, you will tell me about yourself and I will tell you about myself; that way we can be friends again – but let’s sit out on the deck to do it.’

That morning as they pored over the charts, she learned that he’d studied at Harvard, that he’d lived in London for a year, that he’d been to New York many, many times. He learned that she liked living in Manchester, that she’d grown up on the coast and that she’d played Lady Macduff, despite longing for the part of Lady Macbeth, in the recent university drama club performance.

‘You need to be more pushy,’ he told her. ‘I think you have to show your hunger – and you don’t. You want everyone to like you. Shy, demure, Shauna. The nice girl.’

He’d said it kindly, so she didn’t take offence. ‘I’ve always been taught not to push myself forward but to stand up for myself when I need to. It’s difficult,’ she sighed.

‘You don’t find it difficult with me.’

‘You’re different.’

‘How?’

‘I don’t know.’ Shauna gazed at him intently, trying to figure out why Demetrios didn’t scare her. She pinched her lips together, honesty forcing her to go on. ‘I think that first time we met … I saw something. Your hopes and dreams. You were open with me and I was open with you … I see you as that person, rather than the playboy prince that you pretend to be.’

His eyes widened. ‘Shauna, how is it that you seem to see inside my soul? Perhaps you are an Irish witch?’

‘We don’t call them witches in Ireland. They’re known as Cailleach and they can cause all sorts of mischief.’ She grinned playfully at him.

‘In Greek mythology, we have a goddess of witchcraft called Hecate, who can be both good and evil. Are your Cailleach like that too? Perhaps you can summon one to cast a spell that will save me from my father’s commands and my mother’s temper.’

‘Oh dear, is it really so bad?’ Shauna couldn’t help laughing.

‘There are days I would give anything just to be an ordinary fisherman, to tend my nets, drink beers with my friends on Ithos … fall in love’ – he looked at her closely – ‘and have a family, just like the men down on Ithos harbour.’

Shauna looked out over the dazzling sea with sunlight bouncing off the deep sapphire blue of the water. ‘You’d miss this glamorous life.’

‘There would be other consolations.’

When he said things like that it made Shauna’s heart dance in her chest. The more she got to know him, the more she felt that she was falling under his spell, even though she knew she shouldn’t be.

To her surprise, he reached out and touched her cheek with his fingers, leaning closer until she could smell the sandalwood soap that he used.

‘Shauna, would it be so wrong of me to want something that other people take for granted? I’ve never met anyone like you. I’ve tried to ignore you these last few days because I can feel you exerting some power over me that I’m unable to resist. Since we kissed, I can’t get you out of my mind. When I lie awake at night, I can see you in my head, your red hair and those green eyes like emeralds.’ He looked at her, and Shauna thought there was a touch of annoyance in his face, as if she were an inconvenience to him.

A flash of anger reared up in her. ‘How can you keep toying with my emotions this way? You know a girl like me and a man like you … we could never be together.’

‘Why not?’ He too was angry now and his eyes flashed with passion. ‘It isn’t so hard to imagine.’

‘The prince and the pauper,’ she said quietly, although her heart was pounding so hard in her chest she thought it might leap out at any moment and go frolicking in the sea with the dolphins.

‘I don’t give a shit about money.’

She knew then he was going to kiss her and she knew she wanted him to with every last cell in her body.

When his lips claimed hers, she felt the delicious electricity touching every nerve end. It seemed the most natural thing in the world, her body like warm wax, moulded to his. She sighed with sheer pleasure. When his kiss deepened, she rose in response, feeling an urgency in her body. And when his hand slid over her breast she was too electrified by the sensation to push it away. Instead that urgent ache between her legs made her arch towards him, wanting more.

It was only when his hands began tracing small teasing circles along her thighs that she panicked and gasped, ‘Stop,’ and grabbed his wrist. ‘I shouldn’t … this is …’ Her voice shook as she realized how close she’d come to not caring about the consequences. It was horrifying to discover all the Catholic teaching that she’d been brought up with had so nearly been cast aside.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.’