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Eleni came back and brought a pile of books and magazines and some writing paper.

Miranda knew what the idea of the paper was, and how she longed to confide. But would it be wise? And would Eleni necessarily believe her after all this time? She might think that her fall had affected her mind as well as her ankle. It really was a very odd situation.

She tried to sort it out in her mind, to see if there was a clue anywhere as to why these two brothers were determined to shut her out of their lives.

First Georgios. He really was convincing in his act. In fact he was so good that she began to wonder whether Eleni could be right and he did have a look-alike. Perhaps this other man had pretended to be Georgios and then gone off and left her to sort out her problems? No, that was too far-fetched.

Georgios was her husband, of that she was sure. So why, then, was he renouncing her now? Because his mother did not want him to marry an English girl? Because Theo did not want him to? Because, as she had thought earlier, that there was some other girl lined up for him?

But he could not marry again while she was his wife, so why not acknowledge her? If he wanted this other girl he could give her a divorce. She was not going to go away if he ignored her. It was not that simple. They had to sort this out, but until he was prepared to talk how could it be done?

She was quite convinced that Theo had a large part to play in all of this. He was for some reason afraid that if she and Georgios got together the whole story would come out. But why was it so important that their marriage be kept a secret?

The more she thought about it the more confused she became. In the end she gave up. She wrote a letter to Sallianne and poured out her fears. How she wished her friend was here now! Sallianne was sane and sensible. She would put everything in its right perspective. Sallianne had had her doubts about Georgios. What a pity it was Miranda had failed to recognise her friend’s astuteness. Perhaps then she might have saved herself this heartache.

After lunch Mrs Alexidis paid her a visit. Helped by Katie she made her slow way into the room and sat in a chair drawn up close to the bed.

‘Miranda, you do not know how sorry I am that this accident happened.’ Her thin hands fluttered expressively. ‘I feel responsible for you, I feel that it is our fault. You must not dream of going until you are completely recovered. How is the ankle today?’

‘Painful if I try to move it,’ admitted Miranda, ‘but not so bad as yesterday. I really am sorry. Pm such a nuisance, putting everyone to all this trouble.’

‘Nonsense, child,’ said Mrs Alexidis strongly, her black eyes fixed on Miranda’s face. ‘I am more annoyed that you should have attempted the journey on foot instead of going with Theodoros. It is the beginning of our rainy season, as you have experienced to your downfall. No one can say for how long the sun will shine.’

‘It’s shining now,’ said Miranda, looking ruefully at the deceptively blue sky through the slats of the shutters. ‘I had no idea it could change so suddenly.’

‘It makes our mountain track very unsafe,’ acknowledged Mrs Alexidis. ‘Petros goes out each day to check for rock slides. I understand from Theodoros that there was a large boulder quite close to where you had fallen. It is a mercy you were not killed.’

It surprised her that Theo had mentioned this fact. She could not believe that it interested him. ‘I was running to escape the rocks, that’s why I fell,’ she admitted.

‘You look peaky,’ observed Mrs Alexidis. ‘I have a feeling that there is something you have not told us. That there is a very good reason why you are chasing after this husband who has so shamefully let you down.’ She looked at the girl closely, eyes narrowed. ‘You’re pregnant, aren’t you, Miranda?’

The dark eyes set deep in the fleshless face held the same powerful hypnosis as did her son’s. A faint smell of eau de Cologne emanated from her, and as she watched Miranda her question was answered.

Miranda had no time to compose herself, nor hide her flicker of alarm. Mrs Alexidis was far shrewder than she gave her credit for.

‘As I thought,’ said the old lady, seeming to sink into her seat, her fingers twisting one of the many rings that she wore. ‘It is wrong that you and your husband should be separated. Does he know?’

Avoiding looking directly into the discerning eyes, Miranda shook her head. ‘It is why I came.’

‘And why you must see him without delay. Let me send for him, Miranda. It is his duty to be beside you.’

Miranda bit her bottom lip, chewing on it until it became sore. What could she say? Mrs Alexidis was such a darling old lady, and so concerned! But until she knew the real reason why Georgios was concealing his marriage she could not admit the truth.

There was every chance that it was his mother Georgios was afraid of, and no matter how hostile she was beginning to feel towards him, she could not get him into trouble like this.

‘I’m sorry, Mrs Alexidis,’ she said quietly. ‘I know you mean to be kind, but it wouldn’t help, not the way things are.’

‘But, Miranda, I understand it could be a week at least before you are able to walk again.’

‘The rest is for my baby, not my ankle,’ said Miranda guiltily, ‘but I’d rather no one knew until— until I’ve told my husband.’ God, how hard it all was. And how she hated deceiving her.

‘He can come here. I can ensure that you have privacy, if that’s what is troubling you. I’m convinced it would be for the best. He’ll want to be with you at a time like this, I’m sure.’

Miranda sighed, deeply disturbed by Mrs Alexidis’s genuine anxiety. ‘I’ll think about it,’ she promised. ‘I’m not ungrateful. I really do appreciate your kindness, but it’s not that easy.’

Mrs Alexidis shook her head. ‘I don’t profess to understand. To me it is all so simple. But I suppose you know what you’re doing. Where is Katie, I wonder? I asked her to bring a pot of tea and some biscuits. I know what you English are like for your tea.’ She smiled briefly, but it was easy to see that she was hurt by Miranda’s refusal to accept her kind offer.

She pretended not to be. She presided over the teapot like a queen, making polite conversation, testing Miranda’s knowledge of Greek mythology, declaring it was time she went only when Miranda herself showed signs of tiredness.

Miranda was surprised how tired she did become these days. She went to sleep almost at once, not waking again until the door opening aroused her.

She could not believe that it was Georgios—alone! She blinked twice and then sat up.

He smiled and came across to the bed. ‘I did not mean to disturb you. I wanted to see how you were. It’s such a shame for you to be shut away on your . own. Would you like me to carry you downstairs?’ Not the words of a loving husband who had for the first time since her arrival got his wife on her own. Polite concern, no more. No kiss, no nothing.

Miranda felt something die inside her. But she returned his smile with as much warmth as she could muster. ‘What do
you
think, Georgios? This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. I’ve had enough of the others always being around when we’re together. I want to talk to you, without anyone else listening.’

He sat down warily. ‘You’re not still insisting that I’m your husband?’

‘Of course,’ said Miranda, her face twisted with pain. ‘Why do you deny it? Don’t you love me any more?’

Frown lines appeared between his brows and he shook his head in tiny nervous motions. ‘Miranda, it’s you who’s got it wrong. Hell, I hope you’re not after money. I don’t like to think that ’

Miranda reached out and touched his arm. ‘Georgios, you don’t have to lie any more. If this is the way you want it, if you’ve fallen out of love with me, then okay, I’ll go back to England and we’ll have a divorce. But please, for God’s sake, don’t deny knowing me!’ She plucked at his shirt sleeve, her eyes wide and imploring, a lump as big as a billiard ball in her throat.

Again he shook his head and he seemed to be searching in the back of his mind. He placed his hand on hers, stilling their ceaseless movement, his own eyes worried and distressed. ‘Believe me, Miranda, I would like nothing more than to say I do know you. But I haven’t been to England since I was a boy. Unless ’ He broke off and for a moment it seemed as though he was not with her.

‘Unless what?’ she asked urgently. ‘Georgios, what is it? What are you hiding?’ There was something he did not want her to know. The secret to this puzzle.

He looked at her but did not see her. He looked straight through her, confusion clouding his eyes. He swallowed hard, as if he, too, had a constricting lump of emotion.

‘Georgios!’ She leaned towards him and cupped a hand on either side of his face. ‘Georgios, what are you thinking? It’s to do with me, isn’t it? Georgios, you must tell me! I’m slowly going out of mind. If you don’t come out with the truth I’m going to end up in an asylum!’

He shook his head slowly. ‘It can’t be. Theo wouldn’t do this to me.’

‘Theo?’ she echoed incredulously. ‘What has Theo got to do with it?’ But it made sense. She had known all along that this despicable elder brother was at the bottom of it.

Then she became aware of a figure standing behind Georgios. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she looked up into Theo’s impassive face. Their eyes met and held and she was disgusted because she felt a trickle of awareness. What was more damning, he knew exactly how she felt. A tiny humourless smile curved the comers of his mouth before he turned his attention to his brother.

‘Dinner is waiting, Georgios!’

Georgios gave his brother an intense, probing glance, but as if under his influence obediently rose and walked out without a word. Come back, Miranda wanted to yell after him. Stick up to Theo, for pity’s sake. Don’t let him rule your life.

But it would be like trying to stem the tide. Georgios did as his brother said. Perhaps, after all, she was questioning the wrong man? Perhaps it was Theo she should be hammering away at? Theo was the one who had the answer to this riddle.

‘I hate you,’ she said loudly, and if Georgios overheard she was glad. If the whole household heard she did not care. Theo was an interfering bastard and she did hate him. He was ruining a perfectly happy marriage with his totalitarian attitude. For reasons of his own he had come between her and Georgios and had no intention of ever letting them get together again.

‘Do you?’ he asked coolly, seating himself in the chair his brother had vacated. The difference between the two men was more apparent than it had ever been. This was a real rough-tough character, who let nothing or no one stand in his way. His whole body suggested strength. His eyes were clear, fixed on her intently. He would never hesitate as Georgios did. His thoughts were clearly channelled, each action predetermined.

‘Isn’t it obvious?’ she asked.

‘Not to me,’ came the unexpected reply. ‘I think perhaps you want to hate me, but find you can’t. You won’t admit it, but you’re a whole lot more attracted to me than you are to my brother.’

‘You big-headed swine!’ she returned sharply. ‘I’d have to be pretty desperate to fall for someone like you!’

Theo ignored that, saying quietly, ‘Georgios is not for you.’

Miranda lifted her fine brows, tossed back her silky fine hair. ‘Are you saying that perhaps you are?’

‘I’m not suggesting anything, except that you should give up on my brother and take yourself home.’ She smiled grimly. ‘You’d like that, I’m sure. But I’m a fighter, if nothing else, and until I find out what’s going on I intend to stay. You’ve put Georgios up to this. What I want to know is—why? Would you care to enlighten me, Mr Alexidis?’

He looked at her for a long tension-filled second. ‘Mr Alexidis again, is it? Yesterday, when you were imploring me to let you see my brother, it was Theo. Why not call me it again,
Miranda
? I rather like the way you say it.’

And if she was truthful she liked the way he said her name. His voice deepened, giving it an intimate sound that caused fresh shivers to run through her limbs.

But she kept her voice cool. ‘Very well, if it will make you happy, Theo it is. Now, will you tell me?’

His smile was wicked. ‘There’s nothing to tell. You would be wise to believe Georgios when he says he doesn’t know you.’

‘Georgios is under your influence,’ she said accusingly. ‘You’ve turned him against me. But he’s beginning to get suspicious. You’d better tell me the truth.’

His eyes, which looked coal-black in the subdued light of the room, studied her face calmly. ‘It appears I’d better have another talk with my brother.’

Holding his gaze, Miranda felt a surge of emotion in her stomach and the shameful thought that she wished she had met this man first. It was wrong to compare him with Georgios, but there was no denying that of the two, man for man, he would be the winner every time.

Simply looking at him set her pulses throbbing and made a mockery of her feelings for Georgios. She had been convinced, when she got married, that her love would last a lifetime. Even when Georgios disappeared and it became clear that his feelings for her were not as strong as hers for him, she had never doubted her own love.

Now this man made her unsure. She had never thought of herself as being fickle, yet every nerve in her body responded to Theo in a way it never had with his brother. Georgios had been eager to' marry her and she had willingly agreed, but now she wondered whether she hadn’t gone through with it simply to provide herself with a home and someone to whom she really belonged. Had she married for all the wrong reasons? Not that there was anything she could do about these new and entirely unexpected feelings. She belonged to Georgios. Sooner or later the truth would come out and they would resume their life together.

‘I think,’ said Theo, putting his hands on the edge of the bed and pushing himself out of the chair, ‘it is time for dinner.’ But before he straightened he brushed his lips in her hair, caressing her cheek with a gentle finger. ‘Goodbye for now,
chryso mou.
I’ll see you later.'