South of Mandraki Read online

  ‘You’d never get away with physical violence—’

  ‘Why? Do you consider yourself a match for me?’ he inquired with a hint of amusement.

  ‘I was going to say I’d go to the police if you dared lay a finger on me.’

  ‘That, I’m afraid, would not do you much good here. A Greek husband is allowed to chastise his erring wife.’

  He was half English, she could have said, but no.

  Daros might have had an English father, but he preferred to consider himself as a Greek.

  ‘I could walk out on you.’ Toni cast him a challenging glance.

  ‘True; but then my grandfather would consider the marriage to be at an end.’ His eyes lit with amusement as he added, ‘You see, in Greece it’s the sexual aspect which determines whether or not a couple are married.

  And if you weren’t living with me ... well. . . .’ He

  shrugged, then laughed softly as the colour rushed into her

  cheeks.

  She would have liked to argue, to declare him liar, but she had lived in Greece long enough to learn of the importance of sex to the average Greek. In any case, she wasn’t seriously thinking of leaving her husband. For one thing, she still hoped by some means to make him pay for those insults, and for another, she would not bring anxiety to her parents at this time when they were so immersed in the recovery of their business.

  But she must have some money, and how to get it occupied all her thoughts as for several days after her conversation with Daros she tended Louise with all the care of the child’s own mother. The boys seemed to become quieter after the first day or two and Toni put this down to the fact of their sister’s illness. It was only when, on missing Robbie at tea on the fourth day, that she became aware of what was really taking place.

  ‘Where’s Robbie?’ she asked, and David looked sulkily at her.

  ‘In his room.’

  ‘What doing? Go and tell him tea is ready.’

  ‘He can’t come down.’

  Toni’s heart gave a jerk. Surely Robbie was not sickening for something. Louise was one person’s work, being not only fretful

  owing to her illness, but also petulant and intractable by nature, resulting from a lack of parental control. The boys were headstrong and disobedient, and although Toni felt one moment elated at the trouble they were causing her husband, the next moment she was so harassed she could willingly have thrown all her modern ideas to the winds and banged their heads together. To her surprise the damage they did actually hurt her, because it took the form of actual vandalism; and when a rare piece of jade was smashed while the two boys were wrestling in the sitting-room she was far more troubled by its irreparable loss than by the wrathful invective she received from her husband.

  ‘What do you mean, he can’t come down?’

  ‘That horrid man - Uncle Daros, I mean - he sent Rob upstairs right after lunch and he’s not allowed down any more today.’

  Uncle Daros....How had that come about? For the first few days Toni had tried to make the boys show this slight respect, more for their own good than anything else, but they had flatly refused to refer to Daros as ‘uncle’.

  ‘What has Robbie been doing?’

  ‘Giving the gardener cheek. Then he gave that— He gave Uncle Daros cheek when he said he must apologize. So he was sent upstairs.’

  Toni’s feelings were mixed. While angry at the idea that her latest plan for revenge was failing, she felt — paradoxically - an overwhelming surge of relief that the children were being brought under some sort of control. Reflecting for a moment on her action in bringing the children to Lindos, and her anticipation of her husband’s harassment, she did begin to own to her foolishness. By that time she was well aware of Daros’s Greek traits of mastery, and although she would never succumb herself, she should have known that Daros would soon bring the children to heel. To her utter surprise she found herself saying,

  ‘In that case, Uncle Daros was right to punish him.’ 'You agree with Uncle Daros?’ The boy’s gaze was dark with

  resentment.

  ‘Certainly I do.’

  ‘I wish we could go home,’ grumbled David, for once not interested in the food set before him. ‘Louise is in bed, and Rob in his room, so what can I do?’

  'You can spend some of your time reading, as you were told to do.’ Daros had been passing the open door and he was now just inside the room, eyeing David sternly.

  ‘David tells me Robbie is in his room — sent there by you.’ How much had Daros heard? she wondered, reluctant to allow him the satisfaction of knowing she agreed with his method of dealing with her nephew.

  That’s correct.’ He looked straight at her, arrogance even in the way his hand was resting lightly on the door jamb. ‘Have you any comments to make on my action?’

  Her glance went to David, waiting expectantly to see if she would champion his brother. She was in a quandary, her instinct being to spar with her husband rather than submit meekly to his authority. But were she to retract regarding her agreement with his action David would be encouraged to flaunt his uncle’s authority, and this would only serve to bring some severe punishment down on the boy’s head.

  Not really . . . but must he remain in his room all day? Isn’t that rather a long time?’ If her lack of fire took him by surprise he did not reveal it as he said in soft and even tones,

  ‘In the ordinary way the punishment would be severe, but Robbie was warned twice. He knew full well what to expect when he chose to ignore the second warning.’

  ‘Is he to have any food?’

  ‘His tea has been sent up to him.’ She made no comment and Daros returned his attention to David. ‘The reading I told you to do,’ he said, watching the boy intently, ‘you can come to my room after tea and tell me all about it.’

  Toni opened her eyes wide in amazement. To quell the boys was one thing, but to take an interest such as this was incredible. This was certainly a new Daros. What in the world had come

  over him?

  ‘I — I didn’t do any reading,’ mumbled David, staring down at his hands, clasped tightly on his knees.

  ‘I thought not. You were also warned, weren’t you?’ David nodded sullenly and Daros went on, ‘Finish your tea, and then go up to your room. Like Robbie you’ll stay there until tomorrow morning.’

  Tears began to run down David’s face.

  ‘I want to go home!’ He looked pleadingly at his aunt, but Toni was still trying to recover from her surprise. She would never have believed Daros possessed a side like this to his character. He was quiet, yet firm. The wrathful attitude he had at first adopted on learning of the children’s arrival was now replaced by an interest that was quite unnecessary. An attempt by Daros to control the children, in sheer self-defence, was perfectly understandable, but why he should trouble to exert his influence beyond that point was something Toni could not fathom.

  There was something most peculiar about the whole situation, and with the passing of several more days she found herself repeatedly regarding her husband in a new light. The boys began to realize that he was more than a match for them and respected him for it. A room had been set aside for them and each day they were required to do a certain amount of quiet study; should either disobey an order to fall out of line in the least degree they would expect — and receive — some form of punishment. The greatest surprise of all was that each boy was given spending money every day. On learning of this Toni could only stare at Daros in speechless amazement. She had asked Maria to sit with Louise for an hour and was on the patio reading when Robbie showed her a small toy he had bought in the village. Her pulse quickened as she wondered how he could have obtained the money.

  ‘Uncle Daros gave me double spends today because I’d done all my work right.’ Robbie smiled up at Daros, who had just come out of the house. ‘Do you like it?’ asked Robbie, handing

  it up to him. Daros examined the toy car, idly spinning the wheels. But his eyes were on Toni and
he said at length, on a note of amusement,

  ‘Why the look of astonishment?’

  ‘You—’ She swallowed, still rather dazed. ‘You give the children spending money?’

  ‘A little.’

  Toni shook her head.

  ‘But why?’

  ‘Oh, perhaps to prove to you that I’m not quite as stingy as you would like to believe.’

  Toni thought of her own plight. She could not even buy herself so much as a tablet of her favourite soap, for any spare money she’d had over from the children’s fares had gone on buying tasty morsels for her niece. Suddenly she was filled with resentment. To have nothing, not a single drachma ... and married to one of the wealthiest men on the island. It was all so different from what she had planned, and for a moment she wished she’d made a different start. Perhaps, had she not exhibited such greed in the beginning, she would have found her husband more manageable. She glanced at him, and doubted it. Had she not been carried away by fury and the mad desire for revenge she might have examined her potential quarry with a little more discernment.

  ‘But it was only natural that I should want to make him pay! And I’d still do it if only a suitable method would present itself!’ Daros was still looking at her, a faint smile on his lips. Robbie reached up for his car and it was returned to him.

  ‘Uncle Daros....’

  ‘Yes?’ The dark gaze was transferred to the boy.

  ‘You promised to take David and me on your boat.’

  ‘So I did.’

  ‘You said this afternoon - if we were good.’

  ‘And have you been good?’

  Robbie laughed up at him, his freckled face aglow.

  ‘Of course we have. You’re just teasing!’

  ‘So I am; and that’s not fair, is it? Come, we’ll have the sail now. Where’s David?’ He glanced at his wife again, his eyes faintly mocking. She said tartly,

  ‘You’re doing fine. You’ll soon have them eating out of your hand!’

  ‘Which is not at all how you planned it,’ came the prompt retort, and Toni flushed with anger.

  ‘You’ll break their spirits!’

  ‘Far preferable to breaking their necks - and I assure you I came very close to it.’ He was laughing at her, pleased with himself and his victory. Infuriated, Toni turned away.

  ‘David said he’d be down in a few minutes,’ put in Robbie, having waited with surprising good manners for the opportunity to answer his uncle’s question. ‘Shall we go to the boat? He’ll know where we are.’ Daros nodded and began to walk away. ‘Can Aunt Toni come?’ asked David, hesitating. Daros spoke over his shoulder.

  ‘You aunt has to see to Louise. She has no time for sailing.’ She glared at his back, choking with rage. If only she could find a way of bringing him and his lofty perch crashing to the ground!

  ‘Aunt Toni, where is Robbie?’ She turned her head as David rounded the corner of the house. ‘Uncle Daros was taking us in the boat, and I think they’ve gone without me.’

  ‘No such thing. They’ve just this minute gone to the boat.’ ‘Oh, thank you!’ He would have run off, but she said quickly,

  ‘You’re becoming extremely fond of your new uncle all at once. What’s happened while I’ve been looking after Louise?’ ‘Uncle Daros was terribly cruel at first,’ began David dramatically. ‘But after I was crying when he shouted at me, and after I had told him I wanted my mummy, and said she was sad and lonely because Daddy died, then he made me sit beside him when I’d stopped crying and tell him everything else.’ David looked anxiously towards the gate. The boat could not be seen from here and he was clearly impatient to be off.

  ‘They’ll not go without you. What do you mean, he made you tell him everything else?

  ‘About Mummy - he asked me everything. I told him she had to work hard and that we hadn’t much money, and I said she sometimes cries when we talk about Daddy. Then Uncle Daros asked if we were as naughty as this at home and I said yes, and he said wasn’t I ashamed of myself and I said I didn’t know and he said I ought to be thoroughly ashamed of myself and that we’d all better turn over new leaves—’ He stopped for breath, his anxious eyes again on the gate. ‘Then he said he would take us all in hand and we’d go back much nicer children than when we came. Can I go now?’

  ‘Yes, you can go.’ She watched him, racing through the gate at the side of the garden. After a few thoughtful moments she made a more leisurely pace towards the pool, from where the boat could be seen. The children were soon on board and laughter rang out over the sands. A pensive mood closed in on Toni as she watched the boat speeding out to sea. Kind, Julia had said of her brother. Kind....

  But weren’t all Greeks kind to children? It was nothing to his credit that he was spending a little of his time entertaining Pam’s boys. Any other man would have done it, in similar circumstances. She must not allow this small episode to blind her to her husband’s inherent heartlessness.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Daros’s grandfather arrived in August, a week later than expected. Toni felt sure a coolness must mark their relationship throughout the visit, but to her surprise the old man greeted her with the typical cordiality of the Greeks, and the drama staged in his house might never have taken place.

  By this time the boys were well and truly curbed, and although Toni spitefully maintained the transformation resulted from harsh disciplinary measures on her husband’s part, she secretly admitted that nothing could be further from the truth.

  Daros had a way with children; that was the complete answer. Stern he’d had to be, but he had also proved to be understanding, quickly deciding the boys were, basically, rather attractive children with no real badness in them at all. His questioning of David had put him in the picture regarding what had happened since the death of their father. A mother out working; children running wild, and obviously spoiled because their mother felt they suffered from being fatherless. It was not a new story by any means, but Toni was still amazed that Daros could take the time and trouble to repair the damage done.

  Louise was now out of bed, and immediately the doctor gave permission for her to go out Toni took her on to the beach. This was Daros’s own property and the boys were already there, playing ball, their brown bodies clad only in shorts. Daros’s grandfather was sitting in a deck-chair, watching them, but glanced up and smiled as Toni and Louise approached.

  ‘Your little niece is better now?’ Toni nodded and gave the old man a smile. Strange, she thought, but she could not harbour a grudge against him. His intention to exact revenge was to him right and proper and Toni found no difficulty in forgiving him . . . now that she was out of danger. But she could not forgive Daros, and at the back of her mind still lay the hope of one day having the opportunity of making him suffer for those disparaging remarks he had made about English girls.

  The chance was to come sooner than she expected - or so she thought. Daros was entertaining some business associates and their wives the following week and Toni had asked him for some money for a dress and a hairdo.

  ‘Use some of your settlement,’ he had said shortly, and his manner forbade any further discussion of the matter. Toni fell to thinking about this as she sat with the old man, Louise having joined her brothers in their game of beach-ball.

  The idea of shaming her husband came in a flash, and Toni was smiling with satisfaction when Daros himself came on to the beach. He too was clad only in shorts, his brown skin shining, his muscles flexed and hard. A frown touched his brow on seeing Louise playing ball with her brothers.

  ‘That’s too much for her.’ He glanced down at his wife in mild surprise. ‘What are you doing, letting her spend what little energy she has?’

  Toni bristled.

  ‘She’s my niece! I know what’s good for her! ’ A flush spread as she caught the old man’s look of astonishment.

  ‘You allow your wife to speak like that to you?’ The question was put in Greek; Daros replied,

  ‘I haven’
t quite crushed her English spirit yet - but I will.’

  The blood rushed into Toni’s face, but she had to keep silent. She bent her head in order to hide the fact of her understanding what was being said.

  ‘The other English one. You should have learned your lesson, Daros. Does this one know you were engaged to Olivia?’

  ‘I haven’t seen any reason to mention it,’ snapped Daros.

  ‘I sometimes wonder why you married this one. Your mother said you’d fallen in love with her—’ He broke off, shaking his head. ‘Either you married her to save her from me, or perhaps it could have been to spite Olivia.’ No comment from his grandson and he went on, ‘It was a very sudden

  marriage, Daros.’

  Again there was no comment. Daros cast a glance in Toni’s direction and then went over to where the children were playing. Louise found her hand taken and looked up in surprise.

  ‘But I want to play! ’ Toni heard her cry protestingly. ‘I’m not coming with you!’

  ‘You’d better do as Uncle Daros tells you,’ advised David in a warning tone. Louise, however, had not yet come under her uncle’s stern influence and she tried to snatch her hand away. The result was enough to set Toni’s temper on edge again as without more ado Daros picked the child up and carried her to the spare chair beside that of her aunt. She was placed in it; a hand on her shoulder kept her there despite her struggles.

  ‘Leave her alone!’

  ‘Either she stays quietly in this chair or she goes back into the house.’

  ‘I’m not staying in this chair! And I’m not going back into the house - so there!’

  ‘You’ll stay where you are, young lady. Your aunt had no right to allow you to play with David and Robbie.’ His voice, though firm, was also quiet and soothing; Louise stopped her struggling and looked up at him with a hint of respect in her eyes. She said to her aunt,