AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
DEMETRI was standing at the bedroom window of his house in Kalithi, staring out at the darkening ocean, when there was a tentative knock at his door.
Cursing, because he hadn’t yet started to dress for dinner at the villa, he went to open it, hoping against hope that it wasn’t Ariadne. He could do without another argument with her, he thought heavily. She couldn’t understand why he hadn’t been to her bed since seeing his estranged wife again. And God knew, he didn’t have an answer for her.
But to his relief, it wasn’t Ariadne. A manservant stood outside with the news that his father was waiting to see him. His father? Demetri didn’t hesitate before following the man downstairs.
‘Papa,’ he said with some concern, entering the salon where the old man was reclining with evident relief on an ivory velvet sofa. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve driven here by yourself.’
‘No, no.’ Leo Souvakis regarded his eldest son with a mixture of affection and impatience. ‘Micah brought me.’ He paused. ‘Though I have to say, I’m still capable of handling a motor vehicle.’
‘If you say so.’ Demetri slipped his hands into the pockets of his khaki shorts. But, although he adopted a conciliatory tone, he was well aware that his father’s face showed the strain of walking unaided from the car into the house. ‘Can I offer you a drink? Some wine, perhaps?’
Leo grimaced. ‘Wine,’ he muttered irritably.
‘Ouzo, then.’ Demetri walked across to the wet bar and returned a few moments later with an ouzo and water, the ice clinking pleasantly in the glass. ‘Does that suit you better?’
‘Much.’ Leo took the glass and looked up at his son with a rueful expression on his face. ‘You know your mother forbids me to drink this.’ He took a taste, savouring the flavour of aniseed on his tongue. ‘But I say, if I’m dying, why prolong the exercise?’
‘You don’t mean that.’ Demetri dropped into the chair opposite his father, legs spread, clasped hands hanging between his knees. ‘But I doubt if one rather weak drink is going to do you any harm.’
‘Weak, eh?’ Leo raised the glass to look into it, and then, seeing his son’s face, he smiled. ‘OK, I know I should be grateful. And I am. But every now and then…’
Demetri nodded. And then, because he knew the old man wouldn’t have come here if he didn’t have something on his mind, he said, ‘So—what brings you here? Is something wrong?’
‘You tell me.’ Leo took another sip of the ouzo, regarding his son over the rim of the glass. ‘Hmm, this is delicious, weak or otherwise.’
Demetri frowned, not diverted by the compliment. ‘What is it you want me to tell you?’
‘Oh, come on.’ His father waited and, when his son didn’t speak, he went on, ‘Ariadne thinks you’ve changed your mind about getting married again. Or so she’s informed your mother.’
Demetri felt the hot colour invade his face. ‘Ariadne should keep her opinions to herself.’
‘So it’s not true?’
‘That I’ve changed my mind about marrying her?’ Demetri was defensive. ‘I haven’t said anything like that.’
‘Or done anything?’ suggested his father drily. ‘How shall I put it? Ariadne is feeling—neglected, no?’
Demetri pushed himself to his feet. ‘For pity’s sake, what has she been saying?’
‘I think I do not need to answer that, Demetri.’
His son groaned. ‘God!’
‘And if you’re about to say it’s got nothing to do with me, don’t!’ Leo looked up at him with shrewd eyes. ‘Just answer me this: have you seen Jane since she went back to England?’
Demetri’s jaw dropped. ‘You know I haven’t.’
‘Do I?’
‘You should. I’ve spent the last three weeks in Athens, dealing with the fallout from the explosion on the Artemis, if you’ll excuse the pun. When have I had time to go to England?’
‘And she hasn’t visited you in Athens?’
‘Who? Jane?’ Demetri snorted. ‘Of course not.’
‘Well, if you tell me you haven’t seen her, I have to believe you.’ Leo took another mouthful of the ouzo. ‘But tell me something else: have you wanted to?’
‘Wanted to what?’
‘See her, Demetri? See Jane? It’s a simple enough question.’
Demetri swore then, pushing the chair he’d been occupying aside and striding across to the bar. Snatching up a bottle of single malt, he poured himself a stiff whisky, swallowing half of it in a gulp before turning to look at his father again.
