An eagle swooped Read online

  'I'm not your lovely Lucinda.' Her trembling increased as she awaited his reply.

  'Oh, so we're to have a tiff, are we? And 'then the grand reconciliation.'

  Tessa heaved a deep sigh before she finally said,

  'I imagine you must be Gerald. I'm Tessa, , Lucinda's sister, and that's my car outside.'

  Joe came for her at seven o'clock.

  'You haven't changed a bit! ' was his not very gratifying exclamation. 'Tell me all about your travels?' They were in the car, purring along towards the road house where they were' to dine. 'I'd have written, but you never sent me your address, even though you promised.'

  She talked, as he wanted her to, but made no comment on his last remark. All she had desired at that time was to cut herself off from' everyone who had known Paul.

  'You've had an exciting time.' he said, pulling up on the car park outside the hotel. 'I quite envy you.'

  They sat in the lounge, drinking sherry and chatting, and it was only when they had started their dinner that Tessa broached the Subject uppermost in her mind. 'Joe, you're Paul's friend. You know what happened?'

  'So that's what you wanted to see me for,' he observed after a small pause. 'And I flattered myself it was my

  entertaining" company that attracted you. Still in love with him?'

  'Does everyone know?' she faltered.

  'When the kid" sister has a crush on the elder sister's bloke everyone is bound to know. You didn't hide it

  very,well, Tessa! .

  "No, I suppose not.' Kid sister? She was a mere two years younger than Lucinda, but she looked much less than her twenty four years. 'It was far more than a crush, Joe; she finished softly.

  'Silly girl but sillier Paul.' His lips suddenly tightened. Never had Tessa seen the placid Joe looking so angry. 'I was his friend, but he's cut himself off from everyone here.' '

  'You know where he's living? Father says he's on a Greek island.'

  'No.' Joe shook his head. 'Cyprus. Has a house there, right in the mountains. Lives as a recluse. Heard it from some people who've just come home after living there for a year. He's considered odd.' Joe noticed she was not eating and added, 'Your fish is getting cold.'

  'Yes.' She paid attention to it, her brow creased thoughtfully. Cyprus. She had visited it; but never spent more than a couple of nights there. But it was so beautiful ... and Paul could not see it. Not the mountains or the sea; not the lonely stretches of unspoiled beach or the ancient cities, long deserted and overgrown; not the churches or the castles, or the groves of oranges and flower covered hillsides. He could not witness the marvellous sunsets, or the equally wonderful sunrises. All he would know would he the warm breeze on his face, the song of the birds in spring and the incessant chirping of the cicadas in summer, and, should he ever come down from his mountain retreat, he would hear the gentle lapping of the waves on the shore and the rustle of the dried up vegetation as lizards scurried away underneath, or came from there to find a place in the sun on a wall or bench of a tree. 'Joe, the accident what exactly happened?'

  'Your sister hasn't told you?' His voice was hard and grim.

  'She was unconscious and doesn't remember anything.'

  'She knows what happened, nevertheless because I told her.'

  'You?' She looked bewilderedly at him, and he went on to say that on hearing of the accident be had gone straight to the hospital. For the first couple of days Paul had not been allowed visitors, but on the third day Joe had been admitted, although only for a few minutes, for no sooner had he entered the ward than Paul began rambling. The nurse was promptly on the spot and Joe ushered out.

  'But you heard something?"

  'You really want to know what I heard?' And when she nodded, 'It doesn't put your sister in a very good light.'

  'Tell me, Joe.' she insisted, feeling her appetite was fast deserting her.

  'They'd had words over some bloke she'd played about with while Paul was away on business. He tackled her with it while they were out driving; she was totally unrepentant, ordering Paul to stop the car, and of course he wouldn't being ordered to, as you can very well imagine. In her temper she wrenched at the wheel—'

  'Oh no! ' There was terror in Tessa's eyes and her hand shook so much that her wine spilled on to the tablecloth. Joe took the glass from her, placed it in front of her and continued, a terrible harshness in his voice,

  'The car hit a dry stone wall, overturned and burst into flames. Lucinda was thrown over the wall and although she had a few cuts and bruises, and was unconscious for a while, she escaped unhurt, as you might say.' His mouth twisted as he added ironically, 'By some miracle Paul escaped' too, being thrown out at the opposite side that is, on to the grass verge.' He stopped, adding that at that point the nurse made him leave, but later he met a man who, having witnessed the accident, immediately pulled up. 'He also visited Paul in hospital, being there the same time as lone evening. We left together and talked over a drink in the local. It appears that Paul believed Lucinda to be in the car, and according to this witness he literally flung himself at the blazing vehicle and clawed like a madman at the door, calling Lucinda's name over and over again. This man tried to drag Paul away, but you know his strength. It was probably doubled, for he was like a man demented at the idea of his loved one being burned alive. Another car stopped and it took two men to get Paul away. This man said his hands were literally on fire, but he persisted in his attempts to get into the car.'

  Tessa's face was as white as the tablecloth. 'Lucinda was unhurt ... he did it all for nothing.'

  She looked across at her companion, the tears glistening on her lashes. 'His sight? How did he come to lose that? Father said it was shock.'

  'So it was shock at the idea of Lucinda's being burned to death, for obviously he wasn't blind when he was first flung out of the car.'

  'And Lucinda threw him over.' she Whispered in a horror stricken voice. '

  'Lucinda threw him over.'

  'Does everyone know?'

  'I don't think so. You see, no one was killed, so there wasn't a big inquiry. No, Lucinda got off very lightly and now, she's all nice and cosily engaged, while Paul—' He shrugged. 'We haven't even got his address. I thought of going to Cyprus some time, for a holiday, and finding him, but I rather think he'd resent it. If he'd wanted to keep in touch there was nothing to prevent him from doing so.'

  'His hands, Joe. They're pretty bad, I understand?'

  'I wouldn't like to say about that. When I last saw him they were bandaged, but he'd had several skin grafts, and you know how clever surgery is today. I should assume he has had some pretty good work done on those hands. Whatever money could do would be done, as you very well know.'

  Shipping was Paul's business. And as Joe said, whatever money could do would be done.

  'Do you think Paul still loves Lucinda?' she asked, recalling what her sister had said about his offer to take her back.

  'That's another thing I wouldn't like to pass a verdict on. We have to remember that Paul is a Greek, and it's a known fact that these Eastern men love deeply or shallowly. There's no in between with them. I should say that ninety per cent treat their women as possessions. but—' he broke off, wagging a forefinger, 'if you do get one to love deeply, then it's for ever.'

  For ever .... Would Paul love Lucinda for ever? A great trembling sigh broke involuntarily from Tessa's lips and Joe frowned darkly at her. 'Forget him,' he advised, echoing her father's words.

  'What happens if you can't, Joe?'

  'You're just one big fool. With all my heart I wish I'd never introduced you to him.'

  'So do I,' she began to whisper, but withdrew the statement, although she could not have said why.

  So well she recalled that night. Joe had thrown a party and Paul was there. The moment she set eyes on him her whole life changed.

  'Tessa, meet Pavlos Demetrius. He's Greek and disgustingly rich. Ships, you know,' Joe had added briefly, and left them. Tessa scarcely heard a word as s
he put her small hand in his. He looked down at her from on high, his mouth curved in amusement at her expression; he was probably quite unaware it reflected her awe at finding herself in so magnificent a presence. Dark skinned, with jet black hair waving back from a low forehead. Brown eyes, cold, perceptive, and lacking any visible sign of pleasure at the meeting.

  'Shall we sit down?' He glanced around. 'What a squeeze '

  'Yes, it is.' The prosaic reply came from quivering lips and her heart was acting in the strangest way. Could she. at twenty two, be sent into this schoolgirl flutter at the smile of this magnificent Greek god? They talked, danced and drank together, and on leaving her he had said good night and added without a trace of interest

  in his voice,

  'Perhaps we'll meet again some time.' And he slid into his car and drove away from her front door.

  Their next meeting took place at a concert. Paul was on his own and so was Tessa. He smiled at her and suggested they sit together.

  'That would be nice, Mr Demetrius.'

  'There's no need for the formality. My friends call me Paul.' .

  Her heart had turned a somersault at that. Was she his friend, then?

  Again he gave her a lift home and Lucinda was just entering the drive as they reached it. It was a clear moonlit night. Lucinda had looked up at Paul, her eyes' wide, her beautiful lips parted invitingly ....

  So ended any hopes Tessa might have cherished. And as Paul became a frequent visitor to the house her life became more and more difficult, for Tessa did not always succeed in hiding her feelings and many were the times when it blush, or a tremor in her voice, would give her away. At first Paul seemed not to notice, but when at length he did do so his brow would lift and a faintly contemptuous curve would touch his mouth. Her supreme hurt had come when, at another party of Joe's, Tessa had come up behind them, with the intention of joining them, when Paul's voice had reached her. 'That tiresome sister of Lucinda's. What's wrong with her? Does she throw herself at every man she's introduced to?'

  'What do you mean?'

  'She irritates me exceedingly using her eyes in that way. And they're the only things she can use,' he added contemptuously, 'for she has nothing else to recommend her.'

  'She hasn't her sister's beauty,' Joe reluctantly agreed. 'But she's a smashing girl when you get to know her.'

  Paul shrugged his broad shoulders, while Tessa stood behind them, frozen to the spot. 'Beauty's so often only

  skin deep, you know, Paul.' .

  'So it is said,' he owned in a bored voice. And then, brightening, 'There's Lucinda. Excuse me, Joe.'

  'Just a' minute ... Paul, are you going to marry Lucinda?'

  'If she'll have me. But just imagine having a sister inlaw who's forever making eyes at you. The damned girl

  must have no pride ' ,

  The following week the engagement was announced ... and then it was that Tessa knew she must get away. Paul would not be subjected to the annoyance of having a sister in law around who was forever making eyes at him.

  'Wake up, and eat,' Joe admonished. 'Where are you?' .

  She forced a laugh. , 'A long way away.'

  'On an island in the Mediterranean, for instance?' and when she made no response, 'Throw if right away, Tessa, 'for there's nothing you can 'do about it. Make a completely new start.'

  A new start. Wasn't that her intention on accepting that first post abroad? She had felt certain she would be completely cured. But no; and she had written home saying she was taking another post which had become vacant, and another 'When he left, Joe didn't he offer you his address?;

  'He just disappeared. Came out of hospital on the Monday afternoon and when I called at his flat in the evening it was closed up. It's my belief that he'd instructed his man to get rid of everything while he was in hospital, for otherwise I can't see how he got away so quickly.'

  'You do know for sure, though, that he's in Cyprus'

  'I'm pretty sure this recluse people talk about is Paul.' He shook his head, and leant back as the waiter appeared to take his empty plate. 'Life's so damnably unfair' he exploded, obviously not caring what he said. 'That Lucinda should attract him and not you.'

  But Lucinda always did get the best of every thing and also get away with everything. At school Tessa had often been blamed for her misdemeanours, for even as a child Lucinda had been cleverly equipped with the means to extricate herself from any trouble, leaving someone else to take the blame, and that someone was invariably her sister.

  'You're my whipping boy,' Lucinda had once laughed when, having been wrongly blamed for something Lucinda had done, Tessa was made "to stay in school and write lines.

  After dinner they went for a drive. Joe drew in at a farm gateway and they sat talking for hours.

  But her father was still up when Tessa arrived home and they chatted together by the dying fire, 'You'll stay home?' her father said, looking anxiously at her. He sensed her restlessness and indecision and went on encouragingly, 'There are some good posts going, Tessa and your mother and I do want you with us.'

  She looked at him, her face clouding. But there was no point in prevaricating. Better tell him all, so that he could, become resigned.

  'I can't stay, Father. I thought I could,' she added hastily. 'But She paused, and gazed into the fire, avoiding her father's questioning eyes. 'Paul's living in Cyprus and I'm going there.'

  He leant back in his chair, surprising her by the way he accepted this. .

  'I had an idea you meant to find out where he lived. Girlie, what can you do?'

  'I haven't the least idea,' she confessed with a sigh. 'I just want to go there, and to 'find out where he is, discover sornething about him.'

  'What good will it do you?' he queried anxiously. 'It's only going to make things worse. Tessa, I wish with all my heart you'd never met this man!'

  'Joe said he wished he'd never introduced us,' she murmured, her gaze still fixed on the dying coals. 'But

  he did introduce us and so I must find Paul.' .

  'But, darling, he doesn't love you.'

  No, but he loved Lucinda, and was willing to take her back or had been willing to take her back. Perhaps he had changed his mind. Perhaps he no longer loved her ....

  'I must go.' She turned her head and their eyes met. 'This is our secret. I don't want Mother to know, because she'll only worry. I'll tell her I'm teaching in Cyprus she won't be at all surprised at my going away again.' She smiled at him, her lips soft, and trembling with the emotion that filled her. She had said she hadn't the least notion what she could do. But the idea that had formed in her mind was now all enveloping; it possessed her whole being. 'I'll write to you both here, of course, but I'll also write to you at the office, and tell you all that's happening.' '

  'I think you're very foolish, my girlie—' He shook his head sadly. 'But you and I have always understood one another, and I know just how you feel. I also know that you must go and see this man. I can't imagine what you have in mind.' but it's obvious you're hoping for some change in him, hoping he might want you.' He Sighed deeply before adding, 'Whatever the outcome, I only hope and pray you won't be hurt any more than you, have been already.'

  That was impossible, she thought, and said, 'I won't be, Father. And, , , please don't worry about me; promise.'

  'Girlie, you're my daughter. I can't promise a thing like that.' . .

  'You'll keep my secret?' she asked presently, and he nodded his head.

  'Your secret's quite safe with me, Tessa. But you must write.'

  'I'll write.' she promised, smiling. They talked for a little while longer and then, kissing each other good night, they went upstairs together and parted on the landing.

  CHAPTER II

  THE island came into view, early in the morning when a golden sunrise set on fire the eastern sky and reflected itself in the calm blue waters of the Mediterranean.

  'That is Kypros.' A member of the crew, washing the deck, paused in his work and pointed to th
e misty silhouette that was the island of Cyprus. The man was short and swarthy, with thick black hair and darkened teeth, a typical Greek, with the inevitable happy smile and friendly disposition.

  'It seems quite close, but we shan't dock until lunchtime.'

  'Lunch time?' In broken English the man spoke, and his brow puckered in a frown, Tessa pushed up her sleeve and indicated one o'clock on her watch, The broad smile instantly reappeared and the man nodded vigorously, 'We get to Kypros at thees time, as you say.' A pause, and then the question which Tessa knew would come. It always did, to a woman travelling alone in the East. 'You by yourself?'

  She nodded, trying to hide her smile. 'I'm alone, yes.'

  'You go to Kypros to friends?'

  'I have a friend there.'

  The man's face fell slightly. 'If you want to see the island I haf leave and could take you around.'

  'It's kind of you, but as I've said, I have a friend there.'

  'In Famagusta your friend lif?'

  "No, not in Famagusta.'

  .'Where does your friend lif, then?'

  'In a tiny village in the mountains. Look, the sun's clearing the mist,' she added in order to change the subject. You can see the island quite plainly now.'

  "Thees end, it is Paphos, Aphrodite used to lif there.' He turned from the contemplation of the island and looked at her. 'You know of Aphrodite?' He pronounced It in the Greek way of Aphrodity, and Tessa did the same.

  'Yes, I know of Aphrodite. She came out of the sea at Paphos.'

  'That's right. She the goddess of love. Your friend, she is at Paphos, maybe?'

  'My friend doesn't live at Paphos.' She could say' that with truth, for she was quite sure Paul would not have his home anywhere near the birthplace of the goddess of love. '

  They both turned as more deck hands appeared.

  Within minutes the deck was flooded and Tessa moved away, round to the other side of the ship, where she saw a young man she had met on boarding the ship at Piraeus two days previously. They had spoken and then been together practically the whole time. She had told him her name was Lucinda, for although at this stage her plans were vague, she decided to be Lucinda to anyone she might meet in Cyprus.