MELANIE MILBURNE – Baby Out of the Blue: The Greek Tycoon's Pregnant Wife / Forgotten Mistress, Secret Love-Child / The Secret Baby Bargain (страница 10)

A galleried landing gave access to her apartments. The room the manservant gestured for her to enter was both luxurious and comfortable.An elegant sitting room opened into a large bedroom, with glass doors giving access to a balcony from both apartments.

While the man carried her haversack inside, Jane moved across to the windows. One of the long windows was slightly ajar and she could hear the faint murmur of the sea. Below, the glassy waters of the swimming pool gleamed in the afternoon sun. But beyond the gardens, tumbling dunes gave way to a white sand shoreline, the blue-green waters of the Aegean sparkling with dazzling light.

‘Soo aresi afto, thespinis?’

The man was asking if she liked the room and Jane turned to smile at him.

‘Very much,’ she said, in his own language. ‘Thank you.’

‘Efkharistisi mou.’ My pleasure. He smiled warmly, and then wished her a pleasant stay before letting himself out of the room.

Jane followed him to the outer door and, when it was closed behind him, she rested back against it. She felt so tired suddenly, but she knew it was a psychological weariness as much as a physical one. She ran an exploring hand across her stomach again. Dear God, it was going to be harder than she’d imagined. She hadn’t been looking forward to dealing with Demetri’s mother, but she’d never dreamt she might have to contend with his future fiancée as well.

She knew she ought to unpack her few belongings, but it was too much trouble right now. Leaving the door, she kicked off her boots and, walking into the bedroom, dropped down on the bed. It was a huge bed, at least six feet across and half that again in length. But it was soft and springy and very comfortable and, flopping back against the silk coverlet, she closed her eyes.

CHAPTER SIX

THE sound of someone tapping at the door awakened her.

Jane opened her eyes and for a few moments she hadn’t the first idea where she was. But then the sight of billowing sheers at the windows reminded her of her arrival. The windows had been slightly ajar, she remembered, and the sultry murmur of the sea was in her ears.

She sat up abruptly, and then grabbed the edge of the mattress as the room spun around her. Nausea gripped her, but happily it was short-lived. She’d just got up too quickly, that was all, she assured herself. She’d obviously been deeply asleep.

‘Thespinis! Boro na bo?’

Whoever it was was calling her now, and Jane slid reluctantly off the bed and went to the door. She hoped it wasn’t Maria. She didn’t feel up to coping with her mother-in-law in crumpled trousers and a damp T-shirt. She must have been sweating while she slept and now she felt hot and sticky and totally unprepared for company.

To her relief, when she opened the door, she found one of the maids waiting outside. She was carrying a tray containing a jug of iced fruit juice and a glass, and Jane realised she was very thirsty indeed.

‘Thank you,’ she said, taking the tray, but, although she expected the girl to go, she evidently had something more to add.

‘Kirieh Souvakis asks if you will join the family for an aperitif before supper, thespinis?’ she requested in her own language. ‘Would seven-thirty be all right?’

Jane, who had already placed the tray on the nearby table and was presently pouring herself a glass of the chilled juice, turned to blink rapidly. Then, after taking a gulp of the delicious liquid, she glanced at her watch. It was almost seven o’clock and she stared at the watch disbelievingly. She must have slept for over two hours. How rude they must think her. She hadn’t even bothered to pay her respects to Demetri’s father.

‘Um—yes. That’s fine,’ she said, and then, realising the girl couldn’t understand her, she amended it to, ‘Neh. Ineh mia khara. Efkharisto.’

‘I will tell Kirieh Souvakis, thespinis,’ she said, once more speaking in her own language, and Jane gave her a grateful smile before closing the door.

But once the door was closed, Jane didn’t waste any more time savouring the fruit juice. Carrying the glass into the bathroom with her—which wasn’t a recommended option, but she was still thirsty—she turned on the shower. Then, despite the urge to explore all the many bottles and jars that occupied the glass shelf above the basin, she stripped off her shirt, trousers and underwear and stepped beneath the cooling spray.

Half an hour later, she viewed her appearance in the long mirrors of the armoire. The emerald-green slip dress had thankfully taken little harm from being packed in the haversack and her high-heeled strappy sandals were a gift she’d brought herself back from her trip to Thailand.

Her legs were bare, as, too, was her complexion. Her skin was still lightly tinged with colour from her previous trip to the sun. Just mascara and eyeliner and a smear of amber lipstick was necessary, she decided. It wasn’t as if anyone was going to care what she looked like. Except, perhaps, Demetri’s father.

Her hair was still damp, but, combed and looped behind her ears, it didn’t look out of place. The dampness gave it an unexpected streak of darker colour.

Well, she was ready, she thought, deciding against carrying a bag. Opening the outer door, she stepped out onto the landing, taking a determined gulp of air before walking towards the stairs.

It was nearly dark and the area below was lit with dozens of bulbs in ceiling sconces. Shining uplighters, standing in alcoves, shadowed delicate sculptures in gold. Even the fountain fell into a floodlit basin, bathing the hall in a magical light. Still, this was what you could do when money was no object, she mused, admiring it all with her connoisseur’s eye, but not with any feeling of envy.

A maid was standing at the foot of the stairs, waiting to escort her to her hosts. She was young and her eyes moved surreptitiously over Jane’s appearance, making her wonder, not for the first time, whether it was possible for anyone to suspect her secret. But no. The girl was just curious. And who could blame her?

They left the hall and followed an arching passage that led to the back of the villa. The passage was open on one side and Jane could again hear the gentle soughing of the sea. It made her wonder if Leo Souvakis was entertaining his guests outside. But before they reached the terrace the maid turned aside into an enormous glass pavilion.

The orangery, for that was what Jane remembered it was, was a veritable jungle of tropical plants and trees, with fairy lights threaded among the greenery. It was cooled during the day by a very efficient air-conditioning system, but at night only a couple of fans kept the velvety warmth at bay.

The maid announced her and then Leo Souvakis was coming towards her, leaning heavily on a cane, but with a real smile of welcome on his face. Jane registered the lines of strain on his ageing features, features which were still so remarkably like his son’s. ‘Jane,’ he said warmly, grasping both her hands with his free one and leaning towards her to bestow a kiss on both cheeks. ‘How good it is to see you. But—’ He surveyed her thoroughly ‘you seem positively glowing. I thought Ariadne said you looked tired when you arrived.’

‘I did.’ Jane returned his welcome, stifling any resentment at the thought that Ariadne had been talking about her. She allowed Demetri’s father to draw her forward to meet the other people in the room. ‘I’m sorry. I’m afraid I fell asleep or I’d have come to thank you for your invitation sooner. It’s good to see you again, too, Leo. I won’t ask how you are right now. I’m sure you must get tired of answering that question.’

‘How right you are, my dear.’ Leo patted her hand again and released her. ‘And there’s no need to apologise. Evidently that sleep has effected a cure. Now, I think you know everyone, don’t you? Maria, of course.’ He waited while Jane exchanged a chilly kiss with her mother-in-law and then went on, ‘Ariadne, whom you met earlier. And Stefan. I’m sure you remember him. And Yanis—or should I say Father Josef?’ His lips tightened unexpectedly. ‘He has come especially to see you.’

Jane greeted them all in turn, grateful that, apart fromAriadne, she did indeed know everyone. Until five years ago, she had considered these people her family as well as Demetri’s. Even his mother, despite the fact that she had never made her welcome.

For the next few minutes, she was busy telling them all about what she’d been doing recently. Apparently Demetri had told them about the success of the gallery, how with her help it had gone from strength to strength.

She tried not to feel warmed that he’d been impressed with the responsibilities Olga had given her, and wondered if he was trying to salve his conscience. But then, he hadn’t known his father was going to invite her here when he’d returned to the island, had he?

Conversation became general and during the meal, which was taken in the adjoining dining room, Jane found herself speaking to each of them in turn. The gleaming table was wide, its orchid-entwined centrepiece lit only by flickering candles in silver sconces, and the subdued light made expressions harder to read.