Dark Enigma Page 2

  'Miss Gordon?' He didn't wait for his brother to intro-

  duce her, but thrust out a large hand, and there was no smile of welcome either, only a frankly curious survey that took her measure while his long fingers clasped hers tightly. His eyes were disconcertingly black, she noted, not merely dark as Mitso's were. T am Dimitri Karamalis.' He looked down at Niki with his face still hidden in her skirt and Carey noticed no appreciable softening of the lean features. 'This is my nephew?'

  'Yes, Mr Karamalis.' She put a hand under Niki's chin and managed to persuade him to lift his face, but he wouldn't let go of her. 'This is Niki—Nikolas Dimitri. Aliki always spoke of you as her favourite brother and she -named Niki for you.'

  He acknowledged the tribute with a barely perceptible nod, and Carey was uneasily aware that Mitso was smiling to himself, as if the situation amused him. 'The boy is obviously tired after the journey,' Dimitri Karamalis decided. 'He should go straight up to his room; introductions can be made later when he is more rested. Katina will look after him for the moment; give him something to eat and some milk, and then put him to bed, hmm?' He spoke to Niki in Greek and Carey realised that this was another moment she had been dreading, for Niki again hid his face.

  Placing a protective hand on his head she drew him close, making her explanation in a quick and slightly breathless voice. Tm afraid Niki speaks English more readily than Greek, Mr Karamalis; you see he's spent most of the past four years with me, and Aliki—his mother, mostly spoke English because Niki's father didn't know Greek.'

  She wasn't at all sure of the wisdom of speaking about Aliki when Niki was so close to tears, but explanations were necessary and in fact Niki had been more attached to her for the past years than he had to his mother. 'So,' Dimitri Karamalis said with obvious dislike, 'we have a Greek boy who speaks only English.'

  It was a harsh judgment in Carey's opinion, and she hastened to Niki's defence automatically. 'Oh, that isn't quite true,' she said. 'He has a litde Greek and I'm sure he'll soon pick it up.'

  'It is to be hoped so, thespinisV He turned and said something to his brother and, with a slight shrug of apology, Mitso left them. 'I have asked that Katina our— housekeeper?—come and take the boy to his room, and for one of the maids to show you to your room, thespinis,'* Dimitri went on. 'You will no doubt wish to refresh yourself before the evening meal, after which we shall wish to hear what you have to say about this situation.' She had no time to say anything before they were joined by a short, stout middle-aged woman, and a young girl who lingered somewhere in the background. 'Katina will attend to you,' he told Niki, 'go with her.'

  'No!' Niki, instead of doing as he said, clung to Carey more tightly than ever, and his huge dark eyes appealed to her not to send him away.

  'But you're very tired, darling,' Carey told him gently, doing her best to resist the appeal. 'You can have a glass of milk and something to eat and then go to bed.' She held him firmly away from her because this was going to be the first break and she had to be firm about it. 'You'll be all right, darling, don't worry.'

  'But you always come with me,' Niki insisted with a trembling lip. 'Please, Carey!'

  He still kept a hold on her dress and he darted his gaze back and forth between her and the tall stranger who seemed to be the cause of all that was happening to him, so that Carey found it increasingly hard to be firm. 'I'll be coming up soon, Niki,' she told him gently, but from his expression Dimitri Karamalis was impatient with such childish stubbornness and he clicked his tongue irritably.

  'There is nothing to be afraid of,' he told him, and rather surprisingly Carey noticed that his voice was much less harsh than his expression. 'Katina will not harm you,

  she has looked after many small boys; go with her child!'

  'His name is Niki!' Carey spoke up impulsively and there was a defiant angle to her chin, although she kept her voice level and as polite as possible in the circumstances. 'It's always better to use a child's name if you want to gain his confidence, Mr Karamalis.'

  For a moment she thought he was going to lose his temper, and the placid-faced Katina waiting beside him looked as if she feared the outcome of such boldness. Clearly he wasn't used to being corrected, and Carey marvelled at the self-control it must have taken for him to answer as smoothly and quietly as he did.

  'I concede your superior knowledge of the subject, thespinis, but do not presume to instruct me.'

  There was tension in the lean body and an air of menace about him that showed in his eyes, sending a flutter of warning rifling along her spine, but she stuck to her guns for Niki's sake. 'Children are my job, Mr Karamalis, and I'm merely trying to ease the way. If Niki is to stay here it will make things much easier if you get along together.' She didn't wait to judge the effect of her brief lecture, but bent and kissed Niki's cheek, then took his solemn little face between her hands. 'Go with the lady, Niki, please, like a good boy, and I promise I'll come and see you very soon.'

  His mouth was drawn in to stop his lip from trembling and he looked reproachfully at the new uncle he wasn't at all sure he liked, but he was a normally obedient child and he had her assurance that she would be going to see him. 'You will come?' he insisted, and Carey nodded.

  'I'll come, I promise.'

  He looked up warily when the woman reached for his hand, but she was kindly-looking and she smiled, so he . put his hand in hers and walked off with her. There was something so incredibly touching about his small, straight-backed figure walking across the great hall that Carey brushed a hasty hand across her eyes.

  'You are fond of him?'

  Not only the question surprised her, but also an unexpected softness in the deep and rather attractive voice, and Carey turned quickly and looked at him for a moment before she answered. Tor four years I've been more like his mother than his nurse,' she said huskily. 'I've given him his meals, seen him off to school since he's been going, and loved and scolded him when he's needed it. I—I know I shouldn't have allowed myself to grow so attached to him, but he's an affectionate child and it isn't always easy to keep to the rules.'

  'And you like children.'

  The statement was the first approving thing he had said to her, and it took her by surprise, just as his question about Niki had. 'Naturally I like children, Mr Karamalis, it's why I became a children's nurse. But there are certain rules one is supposed to abide by, and not becoming too emotionally involved with the child is one of them. I—I suppose it's because Niki is my first charge that it's happened, and now that ' She swallowed hastily because the spectre of the inevitable parting was looming up again, but it was completely unexpected when she looked up and saw compassion in the watching black eyes. 'I'm sorry,' she whispered a little breathlessly, but Dimitri Karamalis was shaking his head.

  'I am sure you will feel better when you have refreshed yourself,' he said, smoothing over her embarrassment. 'Loukia will show you to your room.'

  'Thank you.' She was uncertain of him in this more benevolent mood, and she suddenly recalled his brother's remarks about his having planned for her to stay. 'I hope you haven't gone to too much trouble on my account, Mr Karamalis; as I told Mr—your brother, I can find a room somewhere for the very short time I shall be here.'

  'There is no need.'

  'It's very good of you, but I shall be leaving again very soon.'

  His eyes narrowed slightly and again Carey realised how much he resented being opposed, however mildly. 'That has yet to be decided,' he informed her.

  'Oh, there's no question about it,' Carey insisted. 'Much as I hate to leave Niki, the longer I'm around the less likely he is to settle down and the harder it will be when we do have to part. But it isn't only that, I have to get back to England and find myself another job,'

  Her heart was rapping hard at her ribs at the mere thought of it, but Dimitri Karamalis merely shrugged. 'It will be more convenient to have you here until we see how matters work out,' he declared firmly. 'And now, Miss Gordon, please allow Loukia to
show you to your room. Excuse me.'

  He made a signal to the waiting girl and she started forward, but Carey wasn't to be so easily forced into a situation that was none of her choosing. 'Just a minute,' she called after him, but he merely half-turned his head and somehow contrived to make it a slight bow at the same time.

  'Excuse me, thespinisV

  It was useless, Carey thought ruefully, as she watched the departing back, for he recognised no opinion but his own. Whatever she had expected when she left England to find Aliki's brother it had not been what amounted to an order to stay there until he chose to let her go. And as much as she had seen of Dimitri Karamalis so far had not convinced her that he was the right guardian for Niki; but perhaps in the circumstances it might be better for her to stay on as he said, just to make sure all went well for Niki. As long as she could cope with his uncle.

  Carey was accustomed to good living, but the luxury of her present surroundings was far and above anything she had ever dreamed of. The bedroom she had been given was big and airy and bright with reflected sunlight, while green shutters kept the worst of the heat at bay, and two

  tall windows gave a green and peaceful view of vine-clad hillsides. Talking to Aliki she had realised that the Karamalis family were wealthy, but she had never imagined such extravagant luxury as this*

  There was a bathroom adjoining her bedroom, and that too was like nothing she had ever seen before. A dream in pink marble and gilt mirrors, and white fur carpet to step on to when she got out of her bath, so that putting on even the best dress she had available seemed like an anticlimax. Her choice was limited, for she didn't anticipate staying more than a day or two, whatever Dimitri Karamalis said to the contrary.

  Having bathed and changed she then went in search of Niki and found him fast asleep in a room just as big as the one she had been given. He had presumably been given the promised meal and she could see no sign of tears having been shed; the fact that he had settled down to sleep was a good sign, she told herself, and a young girl had been left on watch in his room which showed that someone cared.

  As she made her way towards the stairs she wasn't looking forward to the forthcoming confrontation with Aliki's family that Dimitri Karamalis had warned her would take place when the evening meal was finished. But she supposed the interview was inevitable, since he had decreed it, for he was a man who would brook no difference of opinion, she guessed, and wondered just how the rest of the family regarded him. Mitso, his youngest brother, obviously had a healthy respect for his authority, but she thought there was affection there too.

  Looking down into the hall from the top of the stairs, she realised just how many doors there were leading off it, and she had no idea which one she wanted. She had never felt so sickeningly nervous in her life before, and she kept a firm hold on the cool marble baluster rail as she came down the stairs, those wide elegant stairs that made her feel she was making an entrance.

  Under the lights that now lit the vast hall like a stage

  set her fair hair appeared even lighter, and her skin took on a creamy glo,w that was flattered by the blue dress she was wearing. It was sleeveless and showed a discreet amount of neck and shoulders, but it looked very plain and simple in her present surroundings. She had nothing more extravagant with her and she hoped it wouldn't be too noticeably out of place, but it caused another small niggling anxiety as she came downstairs.

  'Ah, Miss Gordon!'

  It annoyed her that she started so nervously when Dimitri Karamalis came out from one of the rooms, looking rather pointedly at his wristwatch, and the sudden more rapid beat of her heart she put down to the sheer overbearing presence of the man. He came no farther than just outside the door, and it was a quite unconscious gesture of defiance when Carey strolled across to him instead of hurrying as he obviously expected her to.

  'Have I been too long?' she asked, her voice husky and slightly breathless. T had a bath and changed and then looked in on Niki; he was fast asleep.'

  'He was very tired,' she was informed, as if she didn't know, 'and Katina is very good with children.'

  Thankful as she was for Niki's sake that he had settled in so well, she had been slightly put out to find he had gone straight off to sleep without waiting for her to fulfil her promise to go and see him, and something of how she felt probably showed in her face. 'I'm glad for his sake,' she said, and noticed how one black brow was quickly arched for a moment.

  'But you are disappointed that he did not stay awake to see you,' Dimitri Karamalis suggested. Then, giving her no time to deny it, he made an impatient sign with his hand that she automatically obeyed with a brisker step. 'Come!'

  In order to open the door for her he had to lean past her, and the inevitable contact with a stunningly masculine body had such an effect on her senses that Carey

  caught her breath and would have drawn back, had she had room. A brief upward glance showed a look in his eyes that seemed to mock her wariness of him and brought a flood of colour to her cheeks at just the moment wfcen she wanted to appear most self-possessed.

  He followed immediately behind her, and the unexpected touch of his hand under her elbow as he guided her forward added to her discomfort, for he was a disturbing enough escort without the added sensation of physical contact. Her first glimpse of the four other women in the room brought home to her just how plain and simple her own dress was, for they were like richly plumaged peacocks in silk dresses and extravagant jewellery.

  As if he read her desire to slip away again, Dimitri's light touch briefly increased its pressure. 'Do not be so nervous,' he admonished. 'There is no need for it.'

  Unable to agree with him, Carey took refuge in taking stock of her surroundings as they crossed the big room, and found it as impressive as the rest of the villa that she had seen so far. It was square and high-ceilinged and almost dazzlingly bright, thanks to a dozen or so crystal lamps that hung from the ceiling and shone with the brilliance of diamonds, casting rainbow reflections on the white surfaces of walls and ceiling.

  She had no time to take note of the sumptuous furnishings as she walked the last few feet on trembling legs, and only Dimitri kept her going. She felt very small and dismayingly insignificant as she was presented to an elderly woman who sat in a low, cushioned armchair surrounded by the rest of the company, for there was something almost regal about her.

  'Madame Karamalis, my mother,' Dimitri's deep voice pronounced discomfitingly close to her ear, and Carey took the proffered hand warily for it seemed so bony and fragile she feared it might break.

  The eyes were deep-set and as black as her eldest son's, but they were kindly enough to pity her nervousness and

  to Carey that meant a lot. 'Miss Gordon, we are pleased to welcome you, both as a visitor to our country and as the guardian of my grandson, Nikolas. Kalds irthate, kalds orisate"

  Her accent was very strong, almost unintelligible to Carey, but it was her genuine welcome that she judged her by, and she believed the old lady truly did welcome her. It was a good beginning, she felt, and moved on to the next introduction with a little more confidence, that guiding hand still hovering close to her elbow.

  The man standing immediately behind the old lady was tall and dark and very much like Mitso, so that Carey had little difficulty in guessing he was the third brother. 'My brother, Andoni.' A brief handshake was all there was time for in that instance, 'and his wife Rhoda.'

  Rhoda Karamalis was a little taller than Carey and slenderly dark, but despite the smile she summoned there was a suggestion of discontent in the thrust of a full lower lip, Carey thought, and for the first time paused to wonder what kind of husbands the Karamalis made. So far Andoni was the only one who she knew for certain was married, and she viewed the other two women with more interest because of it, for it occurred to her that one of them might be Dimitri's wife. Aliki had been so long out of touch with her famrly that she had no idea of how many of them were married and had families.

  Beside Rhoda
Karamalis stood a tall thin woman who watched the proceedings with black, vigilant eyes. 'My sister, Minerva Thoulou,' Dimitri introduced her, and Carey recalled vaguely that Aliki had mentioned a widowed sister who had lost her husband only months after her marriage and never fully recovered from the loss.

  Because she remembered, Carey gave her a shy smile of sympathy, but the gesture went unheeded; it made no impression at all on the brooding unhappiness of the woman's features. In fact it struck her that so far as she

  could see Mitso was the only one of the Karamalis who appeared even the least bit lighthearted, and he was standing at the end of the group watching her with those bold, expressive eyes of his and his mouth touched by a hint of a smile.

  Next to Minerva was a boy of about fifteen who was keeping his eyes downcast at the moment. 'My nephew, Damon Karamalis,' Dimitri told her. He was handsome in the Karamalis tradition, but he regarded Carey with a glowering look of resentment as he shook her hand, and she could not imagine what she had done to deserve it. She was aware of his broodingly dark eyes following her as she moved along to be introduced to the only remaining female.

  The girl facing her was about her own age and quite a beauty in the same sultry, voluptuous way that Aliki had been. She had an olive skin and dark, heavily-fringed eyes and a full mouth that made no pretence of smiling. She shook hands firmly enough, but held Carey's gaze all the time and then very deliberately glanced from the corner of her eyes at Mitso standing next to her.

  'And Despina Glezos, who is the fiancee of my brother Mitso.'

  So the bold and flirtatious Mitso had a fiancee, which explained that knowing, sidelong look. Any girl who became engaged to someone like Mitso Karamalis would need to know exactly what she was doing, and Despina Glezos had left Carey in little doubt that she knew he had been flirting with her.

  Dimitri apparently was unattached, or else he was a widower, and it surprised Carey to realisejust how interested she was to know which it was. She glanced up at him when she felt herself the centre of everyone's interest and surprised by a slight smile on that dark, stern face that was strangely reassuring in the circumstances.