Margaret Barker – Greek Doctor Claims His Bride (страница 3)
He turned as she came down the stairs and in spite of his resolutions he whistled. “Mmm, you scrub up well, Tanya!” he said in English.
She laughed. “You haven’t lost the Australian accent you picked up, Doctor. Are you trying to make me feel at home?”
“Something like that.” He moved to the bottom of the stairs, placing his hands, which seemed to have a mind of their own, on her shoulders. For a brief moment he hesitated before pulling her gently against him and kissing her on both cheeks.
“Welcome home,” he said in the sexiest, most unplatonic tone. He hadn’t meant to inject all that warmth and innuendo into his words but spending five minutes waiting for Tanya, knowing that she was first naked, then semi-naked then…well, it had played havoc with his intentions.
She tried to move backwards to escape his arms but she was pinned against the end of the banister.
She took a deep breath as she prepared to ask the big question. “Manolis, is your wife with you here on the island?”
“We’re divorced. My ex-wife is in London,” he said evenly.
She pushed her hands against his chest, making it quite clear that she wanted to escape this potentially dangerous embrace. There were too many questions that needed answers before she could begin to relax with him. But the fact that he was a free man made the situation a little easier…no, it didn’t! Her emotions were already in turmoil.
“Let’s go,” she said quietly. “I’m looking forward to being back in Giorgio’s.”
She stepped out into the narrow cobbled street, terribly aware of Manolis’s huge frame close behind her. She wasn’t small by any means—her legs were long but she was quite short—so she’d always felt that Manolis towered above her. Glancing up at him as they walked together over the uneven cobbles, she missed her footing. He put out a hand to prevent her falling as she stumbled.
“Careful!” He took hold of her hand. The touch of his fingers unnerved her completely. “This part of the street is so dark,” Manolis said as he waved his other hand upwards towards the light at the bend in the street. “There! That’s better.”
White light flooded down over them. “I know every stone along this street. You’ll soon get used to it. How long do you intend to stay, Tanya?”
She gave a nervous attempt at a laugh. “Good question. The shortest answer is I don’t know. It all depends…”
“On what?”
“On how I feel after I’ve had some time here.”
There was a comfortable silence before Manolis spoke again. “The only thing is, if you didn’t have any plans to return to Australia in a hurry, I was going to put a proposition to you.”
She took her hand out of his. No! He wouldn’t propose to her again, would he? The clock could never be turned back.
As if reading her mind, Manolis said, “That was perhaps an unfortunate phrase to use. This is a professional proposition. You see, I’m medical director of the hospital here and we need another doctor because it’s the beginning of the tourist season.”
He paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “There is a hospital board of governors who have the final say when a doctor is appointed but I’m the one who assesses the medical credentials of a candidate.”
She was still listening, even appearing slightly interested. Well, he could but ask. “Would you like me to put your name forward?”
Tanya remained silent as she reviewed all the implications. Manolis walked on beside her, making absolutely sure that he didn’t touch her. He wanted to tell her that he would never propose marriage to her again. Two proposals, two rejections from the love of his life was more than any man could suffer. But they did need a good doctor at the island hospital and he did want to have her near him as much as possible while she was here. He had no plans beyond that.
CHAPTER TWO
THE emotional warmth given out by the revellers, tourists and islanders in Giorgio’s Taverna welcomed and wrapped around Tanya as if she’d never been away. As a small girl she’d been carried in here many times by her parents, elder brother, uncles, cousins and had often fallen asleep on somebody’s lap, the music lulling her to sleep as the evening progressed. She would wake up in her own bed either at home with her parents or at Grandmother Katerina’s, wondering how she’d been transported there.
Her brother Costas, who like his friend Manolis was eight years older than she, would sometimes tell her the fairies had carried her home in a special coach that ran over the cobbles without a sound. She’d liked to think that was true and whenever she found herself falling asleep at the table she’d made an effort to stay awake so that she could enjoy the journey home. But, however she’d tried, sleep had always got the better of her.
Manolis was trying to guide her to a table, one hand gently in the small of her back, but many people wanted to talk to them as they passed by.
“Dr Manolis, come over here! There’s room on my table.”
“Thank you…I’ll see you later on…” Manolis was smiling as he repeated his friendly phrase and moved on between the tables.
“I’m heading for that table in the corner,” he whispered as he stooped down towards her.
Tanya was aware of the many glances in their direction. One middle-aged lady put out a hand to detain her.
“It can’t be!” she said in Greek. “You’re Katerina’s granddaughter, aren’t you? You’re the absolute image of her when she was young and beautiful like you. Apart from the colour of your hair. You got that from your lovely mother, didn’t you? I remember when she arrived here from England. Very soon she was going out with your father, our young Dr Sotiris. Ah, he was such a handsome man.” She giggled. “All the girls fancied him. Including me!”
The giggle turned into joyful laughter.
Tanya smiled, wanting to give the lady her full attention even though Manolis was making his impatience to move on very obvious
“How is your father? Still living in Australia?”
Tanya swallowed hard. “He died of cancer five years ago.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. How’s your mother?”
“She’s married again to an old friend. She’s happy.”
She felt Manolis’s hand putting pressure on her to escape if she could.
“Lovely to see you again!” Tanya moved away, still smiling as she and Manolis finally reached the corner table.
Giorgio’s son had seen them making their way through the crowded taverna and was already standing over the table they coveted, fending off potential occupants.
“
“Good to see you back, Tanya. Have you come to work with Dr Manolis in the hospital?”
She hesitated. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do. First I need some holiday and then…who knows?”
Manolis smiled. “I’m trying to get her interested in applying for the newly vacant position.”
Michaelis shrugged his shoulders. “What is there to think about? Tanya, you would be ideal as an island doctor. We have a beautiful hospital now. Not like the old days when your father had to cope with a small surgery and not enough medical help. Come into the kitchen to decide what you want to eat. Mama has got everything laid out on top of the ovens. The chicken in mataxa brandy is very good!”
“Did your mother make it?” Tanya asked.
“Of course!”
“Then I’d love to have some.”
“Me too!” Manolis said. “And bring us a small selection of meze to start with,
The sound of Giorgio playing on his accordion drifted over the happy voices. In spite of the general clamour, as she looked across the table at Manolis she felt as if they were the only two people in the room. It was almost as if they were back in their favourite Greek restaurant on the outskirts of Sydney.
A bottle of wine was placed on their table. “On the house,” Michaelis said. “It’s from my father to welcome Tanya back to where she belongs.”
Tanya looked across and mouthed her thanks to Giorgio. He raised a hand from his accordion.
“What a welcome!” Manolis said as he poured the wine. “Does it make you want to live here permanently?”
“As I told you, I have no plans at the moment,” Tanya said. Her words came out more sharply than she’d intended.
Manolis reined in his enthusiasm. Tanya had always had a mind of her own. “I didn’t intend to upset you,” he said evenly.
“I’m not upset. I just need time to think. I came here for a holiday and I don’t want to have to make any decisions while I’m still jet-lagged.”
“Of course you don’t. It was just an idea. Take all the time you need regarding the vacancy at the hospital. The post has already been advertised and we’ve had a couple of applications. The current doctor is returning to England to take up a post in London. He’s not going until the end of the month but we’re expecting an influx of tourists very soon.”
Michaelis poured wine into Tanya’s glass. Manolis put a hand over his. “I’m on call tonight, Michaelis, so would you bring me a bottle of still water?”
Michaelis called the order to a young waiter who threaded his way through the tables and poured a glass of water for Manolis.
Manolis was anxious to return to their discussion about the vacant position but he waited until they were alone before continuing.