Waves of Fire Page 9

  ‘Andreas, I can’t—’ She had been going to tell him of her confusion, and that she could not think clearly, but he interrupted with,

  ‘I said don’t trouble about it. We’ve only four days left, so let’s be happy.’ He smiled at her, no sign of anger in his eyes. ‘Didn’t I say at first it was going to be a time to remember?’

  She nodded, but when her expression did not change he looked sternly at her and ordered her to smile. She obliged, and quite unable to control the impulse, Andreas bent his head and kissed her on the lips.

  But from that day his gaiety and lightheartedness was a veneer, and Shani was quick to sense this. Underneath he seemed almost to carry some weight of grief. He was like a man who had fought, desperately yet honourably ... and lost. She tried to approach him, attempted on a couple of occasions to steer the conversation into lines where she could tell him of her growing uncertainty, could convey without the actual embarrassment of words that she was feeling differently about her marriage, but that he must be patient with her, allowing her a little more time because, after all, she was really only just beginning to know him, through this holiday. But each time he brushed her off, believing, she felt sure, that she was annoyed at his suggestion that they make these last few days their honeymoon. And so it was with her confession still unmade that they returned to Loutras - where, after having spent an idyllic fortnight together dining and dancing, swimming in the warm sea and exploring the island, they drifted once more into the old relationship.

  Andreas talked of his holiday to his colleagues; Shani on the other hand was supposed to have been staying with friends in the Karpas and as she had stayed there several times before, her friends merely inquired if she had enjoyed her holiday. Shani did not know what her feelings for Andreas were, but intruding persistently into her mind were his gravely spoken words, ‘Think about it, Shani, for we’ve a long way to go and the road can be lonely. ’

  But he did not love her and so for the time being she refused to dwell on the possibility of living with him. Of one thing, however, she was sure; she could not now entertain the idea of marrying Brian, and the sooner she told him so the better. She would be completely honest with him, and hope he would not take it too badly. She also hoped there would not be a scene, but her heart began beating abnormally when on his return to the base at Limassol Brian immediately telephoned her.

  ‘Darling, I’m back! When can I see you? I’m coming up at the weekend. Are you free?’

  ‘Y-yes.’ She felt flustered. Her confession could not be made over the telephone — it wouldn’t be fair. Also, it would be cowardly, too much like shirking a most disagreeable task. On the other hand it was also unfair to leave Brian in total ignorance, allowing him to look forward eagerly to a happy weekend in her company. In honour bound she was forced to give him some inkling of the break that was to come. But how? With a sudden inspiration she thought of a way of preparing Brian while at the same time leaving the most important fact - that of

  her own change of heart - until they met. ‘Yes, I’m free at the weekend, Brian, but something’s happened—’

  ‘Happened?’ he interrupted sharply. ‘The annulment?’

  He himself had provided the opening for her and Shani made use of it.

  ‘Andreas is confident that only he can annul the marriage, because-I refused to live with him, and so I probably would never have regained my freedom. However, there’s much more to it than that, but I’ll tell you about it when I see you. ’ ‘Only—’ Brian seethed to have missed completely her last words as he said to himself, ‘Only he can annul the marriage, eh?’ A long silence followed and then he asked in harsh and wrathful tones, ‘Did you know of his confidence before went away?’

  ‘Yes, Brian, I did.’

  ‘Then why didn’t you tell me?’

  ‘I didn’t want to upset you, not then. But now—’ ‘You said he was resigned! ’

  ‘No,’ she denied hastily.’ ‘I said he seemed a little resigned -but I also said he didn’t want to release me. ’

  ‘Does this mean there’s likely to be a delay?’ he inquired after another pause.

  Shani hesitated. Although still unwilling to make her full confession over the telephone, she did say, in quiet gentle tones,

  ‘There might not be an annulment, but,’ she added hastily as Brian would have interrupted, ‘we’ll talk at the weekend—’ He cut her short with a wrathful exclamation and then said, ‘Leave this to me! It’s high time I took a hand in this business. He’s not getting away with it! ’

  ‘Brian - no!’ she put in urgently. ‘There’s more to it— Brian! ’ she cried frantically, but he had already hung up on her.

  She rang him again, fretting at the long delay. At last the operator told her there was no reply.

  What did he intend to do? she wondered fearfully. But he would not do anything before seeing her at the weekend, she

  reassured herself after some thought. In fact, there really wasn’t anything he could do, despite his confidently-spoken threat.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The hospital at Monikomo occupied a high plateau in the Troodos Mountains between, the villages of Pedhoulas and Prodhromos, and a few weeks after Andreas’s arrival at Loutras he had been called out to perform an operation there. As at the time the hospital was short-staffed, Shani accompanied him, and like Andreas, was appalled at the lack of facilities at a hospital situated in an area where accidents could often happen. Not only was the mountain road narrow and steep, with dangerous bends appearing every few hundred yards, but the region was also a popular winter resort for skiers. However, as Andreas had never again referred to the paucity of equipment, Shani experienced some surprise when, on the morning following Brian’s phone call, Andreas summoned her to his room saying he had been in touch by telephone with the young doctor in charge at Monikomo who had readily agreed with Andreas’s suggestion that they get together and list essential equipment, and the doctor would then request its installation. Shani and Andreas had met once since the holiday, in the theatre. On that occasion he had been the cool and impassive surgeon, scarcely seeing his wife at all as a person. Now he was almost the same - her superior, curt,

  unsmiling, and in addition there was a strange tenseness about him as if he were keeping some fury in check. Uneasiness swept over Shani for some vague reason, but eventually she managed to cast it off as Andreas outlined his plans in calm, unemotional tones. He wanted her to go up to Troodos with him, saying she might have some suggestions. This request increased her surprise; she thought it rather odd that he should concern himself with so small a hospital, just as, until he mentioned his search for her, it had amazed her that he should come to work at Loutras after having practised at one of the largest hospitals in London.

  ‘I shall probably be called out on future occasions to operate at Monikomo,’ he said as if reading her thoughts,

  ‘so I’m going to see that it becomes better equipped. ’

  ‘When are you intending to go up there?’ she asked, and he said they would go that very afternoon. At that she looked doubtfully at him. ‘It won’t give us long -unless you don't mind driving back in the dark. ’

  A profound silence followed before Andreas said, in an expressionless voice,

  ‘The driving won't trouble me. We’ll start out about twelve,’ he added, ‘and have something to eat on the way.’

  They stopped at the village of Lefka for lunch, eating kebabs and salads and drinking Turkish coffee. Figs hung from a tree by the restaurant and on seeing her eyes on them Andreas asked Shani if she would like some.

  ‘It’s all right.’ She was feeling oddly disturbed again because this was not the Andreas she had known on holiday. The change in him was so dramatic that those wonderful days spent on the island of Cos might never have occurred. ‘They probably don’t want to pick them.’

  ‘Have you ever heard of a Cypriot being reluctant to pick

  something if a visitor wanted it? They’re hono
ured when you desire what is theirs. ’ This was true and she made no further demur. The figs, washed and put into a glass bowl, appeared

  within minutes and Shani helped herself.

  ‘Ready?’ Andreas asked a short while later, glancing at his watch.

  ‘Yes.’ That tinge of uneasiness remained and in an effort to throw it off she tried to open a conversation, but Andreas was in an introspective mood and she soon abandoned the attempt, giving her attention to the passing scene.

  Leaving behind the orange groves, they entered the foothills of Troodos and then they really climbed, reaching the vast pine forest and often being forced to crawl as the narrow road, cut into the rocky cliffs, snaked its way round the bluffs and spurs until at last they arrived at Pedhoulas. Another mile and a half and their destination was reached.

  ‘That was a very pleasant run.’ Reaching across Shani, Andreas opened the door for her. ‘I hope you enjoyed it too?’

  ‘I did, very much.’ She got out of the car, into an allembracing silence, into a world of lofty crags and peaks, deserted except for the small building that was the hospital.

  ‘You can talk to Matron while we go round,’ Andreas told her as they entered, to be greeted by the matron and a smiling young Greek Cypriot doctor. ‘I’ll send for you if I need you. ’

  Shani looked up quickly, but his face was impassive. If I need you.... What an odd thing to say. If he had not expected to need her then why was she here?

  He did send for her eventually and she made notes, but this was all she did, and the small task could very easily have been done by one of the nurses at the hospital. However, Shani did not attach undue importance to this and when, their work finished, they had afternoon tea with the doctor and matron she took part unconcernedly in the conversation.

  On emerging from the hospital entrance they were in an awesome realm of darkness and indistinct shapes, with etched against the deep purple sky the black outline of Mount Olympus, its summit draped in mist.

  ‘It’s a hazardous road in the dark,’ warned the doctor. ‘If you prefer to stay, there’s an hotel just above here. ’

  ‘Thank you, no.’ Taking her arm, Andreas guided Shani to the car, which was out of the line of light from the hospital entrance, Andreas having parked it under a tree. ‘I’m not very fond of these off-the-track hotels. ’

  ‘Take care, then.’ The doctor gave a little laugh. ‘A friend of mine counted a hundred and fifty-nine bends on the way down one day. I don’t know if that is correct - but it’s a difficult road, to say the least.’ The bends were hairpin bends, with a camber often so acute that the car appeared to be travelling on two wheels. They had been on the road about fifteen, minutes when Shani, having been lost in thought, suddenly became aware of her surroundings.

  ‘Are you taking a different road?’ There was no other road, not from the point at which they had begun their journey. Somewhere, then, Andreas had turned into what was nothing more than a rough mountain track. ‘You’ve missed your way. Shall I get out and guide you back to the road?’ It would, be difficult, reversing out of this narrow track, she thought apprehensively. He did not speak for a moment and she peered into the gloom. High peaks, the great expanse of pine forest on all sides, the moonless, starless sky above. A towering motionless world with no visible sign of habitation anywhere.

  ‘I have a small villa up here,’ he said, straining his eyes in the headlight glare. ‘Yes, I see it. I want to call there. ’

  ‘I didn’t know you had a villa. ’ Many people had villas in the Troodos. It was quite usual for those who could afford it to spend a couple of months in the mountains during the intense heat of the summer. ‘Have you had it long?’

  ‘About six weeks, but I’ve never used it yet.’ The rough gravel crunched beneath the wheels of the car. They had entered a deep forest glade in the most beautiful region of the Marathassa Valley and the track was so narrow that the lowest branches of the trees touched the sides of the car.

  ‘Are we nearly there?’

  ‘We’re here now.’ The car slid to a standstill and at last Shani could make out the dim shape of the villa. It stood on a tiny ledge cut into one side of the magnificent highland valley.

  ‘It’s a wonderful spot.’ Shani stood by the car, glancing back and thinking it would have been better if Andreas had called on his way up because the journey back was going to take some considerable time. ‘Is it something of importance you have to do?’

  No answer. He unlocked the door and within seconds the hall and patio were flooded with light.

  ‘It’s very nice.’ Shani walked in and looked about her appreciatively. ‘You’ll find this very useful next summer. People also use these villas in the winter, as we have a ski club up here - but of course you know about it,’ she added with an apologetic little laugh.

  ‘It would be a good idea to come up here for winter sports. I must think about it.’ There was a sharp click and Shani turned. Andreas had closed the door behind him ... and locked it. Before her startled gaze he dropped the key into his pocket. ‘Go on through; the sitting-room’s most attractive. ’

  She stood motionless. Her heart missed a beat and the blackness they had left outside seemed to close in on her,

  allowing only the mental vision of those moments of terror before she had fled from this dark foreigner whose aim it was to possess her.

  ‘The k-key,’ she stammered through the dryness in her throat. ‘ What are y-you doing?’

  He smiled at her, his straight black brows lifting slightly.

  ‘You ran from me once, Shani - and a most humiliating experience it was for me to find you gone.’ A slender brown hand went automatically to his pocket; through the fine linen of his jacket he felt the key. ‘That won’t happen tonight. ’

  His manner was one of bland affability, and Shani s fear subsided temporarily, replaced by surprise. Why should he do this to her? - and at this particular time? On the holiday there had been a mere suggestion, followed by resigned acceptance of her decision. Not that he could have brought force to bear then as he could now, but he had displayed neither anger nor animosity at her evasion of his request that they should make a honeymoon of their last few days on Cos. So why should he suddenly and calculatingly plan to get her in his power?

  ‘Andreas,’ she whispered, ‘you can’t - can’t....’ Her eyes strayed from the locked door to the shuttered window. Why waste words?

  ‘I can’t - what?’ He would have taken her hand, but she twisted away. ‘What is it that I cannot do?’ Still the affability. No intention of frightening her by a show of mastery. She frowned, his action still pulling her. Why, she asked herself again, had he chosen this particular time? The visit to Monikomo.... She felt certain it had been arranged only that very morning, for the sole purpose of getting her here ... tonight.

  Her husband was watching her, trying no doubt to read her thoughts. Her cheeks were hot and her eyes glazed. Fear rose again, but disappointment filled her as well. She had come gradually to trust Andreas, and now a terrible bitterness swept through her. She should have known better than to trust a man capable of adopting such dishonourable means of making her his wife. Despair and dread began to mingle with her bitterness, but she contrived to maintain a composed and defiant front.

  ‘You can’t force anything on me! I’m not your wife and never will be, so you can open that door and take me back to Loutras! ’

  ‘Not my wife?’ His eyes opened wide. ‘I seem to recall that we had a most fashionable wedding.’

  She moved, to tug at the door handle - a futile action, but she could not just stand there and do nothing.

  ‘Let me out of here!’

  Andreas merely regarded her in some amusement and she came away from the door.

  ‘That’s far more sensible, Shani—’ ‘You’re a cheat! You cheated me before and you’ve done it again. I came here in all innocence, believing you were calling at the villa for some valid reason!’ ‘What more valid reason coul
d I have?’ he returned with a laugh. ‘This, my most beautiful wife, is to be our honeymoon night. Belated, very, but it could be the more enjoyable for that.’

  Her fists clenched.

  ‘You think there’ll be no annulment if you keep me here, but—’

  ‘I don’t think, my dear, I’m sure.’ His voice was a soft snarl, the sudden change taking her by surprise. ‘After this night there’ll be no more fuss about an annulment, no more threats.’ Threats? How softly he spoke the word, but his mouth was drawn bade, revealing his teeth. What was he talking about? She had never once issued threats; But there was nothing to be gained by arguing with him. Instead, she reminded him that Matron and others of the staff at Loutras would look askance at this escapade. ‘Petrol trouble,’ he replied suavely. ‘We had to put up at an hotel. ’

  ‘You thought of everything! ’

  ‘That didn’t take much thinking up.’ He stood by the fireplace. It was high and built of stone; the grate was filled with logs, ready for lighting. ‘We can have a meal,’ he told her matter-of-factly. ‘A woman from Pedhoulas comes in to keep the place aired and clean. I rang the Muktar this morning and asked him to give her instructions to stock the refrigerator.’

  ‘I don’t want anything to eat! ’

  ‘Don’t be silly. Of course you must eat.’

  Her eyes blazed.

  ‘That’s one thing you can’t make me do. If I say I won’t eat, then I won’t!’ Angry tears pricked her eyes; but her hands fell to her sides in a little hopeless gesture. What good was she doing, working herself into a frenzy like this? After five years Andreas had won. No use fighting, no use appealing to his sense of compassion or honour. He was a Greek; she his wife. It was all as simple as that.

  Stooping, Andreas set a match to the fire, then disappeared into the kitchen. Shani moved over to the window. The long bar-fastener was on the inside, but she did not try to escape. There was not only the window to open but the shutters too, and she was sure her husband would be on the alert for any sound from the sitting-room. Her head began to throb and she put it in her hands. Her decision regarding Brian was her own; the matter of the annulment was now decided for her. She was Andreas’s wife and in this state she must remain for the rest of her life.