Betrothed: To the People’s Prince

CHAPTER TEN

THEY had supper informally in the ancient kitchen at the back of the castle. It was big enough to feed a small army, Athena thought, but it was still…good. The ancient flagstones, the vast old range sending its gentle heat across the room, the scrubbed copper pans hanging from hooks, lavender hanging in bunches from the beams, windows open to let the sounds of the sea drift in, bird feeders hung in the windows…

‘This castle doesn’t look as if it’s been deserted for years,’ she said, puzzled, and Mrs Lavros nodded.

‘It hasn’t. Though Giorgos didn’t come here we’ve loved it. As we’ve loved the palace. We always knew you’d come home.’

‘And now you have,’ Nikos said gently and raised his glass to hers. ‘Here’s to you, our Princess Athena. Long may she reign over us.’

‘I’m not…I can’t…’ She caught her breath in panic. What was he saying? ‘We’ll be going back to the States…’

‘Not yet, Mama,’ Nicky said, and he sounded…scared.

As well he might, Thena thought frantically. Her little boy was frightened of leaving this island now. The only safe place for him was…by Nikos’s side.

She glanced up and found Nikos’s gaze on her, thoughtful, maybe even stern.

‘You can’t leave, Thena.’

What was she supposed to say to that? She couldn’t think of a thing.

‘I’m…I’m tired,’ she managed. ‘If…if you don’t mind, thank you, Mrs Lavros, that was lovely, but I’m really tired. Nicky, when you come back from the swim come and tell me about it.’

‘You’ll be asleep,’ Nikos said, teasing.

‘I won’t be asleep until I’ve made sure Nicky is safe,’ she said and suddenly she inexplicably felt like weeping. It was so hard. It was so, so hard.

Long may she reign over us?

That sounded awfully lonely from where she was sitting.

She didn’t sleep. Lying on the huge bed, looking up at the vast expanse of sky, it was as if she’d forgotten who she really was. She was nothing. Insignificant and lost. If she was confused before, she was even more confused now.

That was bad enough-but how could she sleep when Nikos…when the children were playing on the beach right underneath her windows? She got up and walked over to the window. Floodlights set up on the cliff face meant the sheltered little cove was as safe as in daytime. There were lights out on the water as well, tiny buoys floating on the swell. The bigger surf was caught and contained by the circular reef so the waves within were gentle, the light-buoys floating up and down in synchronisation with the gentle waves.

Christa had a rubber surf mat. She was holding on tight, floating in the shallows, giggling, watching her papa teach Nicky to surf. Nikos had produced his surfboard and was already teaching Nicky to catch the waves.

‘When it comes you need to be paddling almost as fast as the wave,’ Nikos was saying and a trick of sound made his voice carry all the way up to where she stood. ‘Okay, here comes a good one. Paddle, paddle, go!’

The wave caught him, and Nicky hung on for dear life as the wave carried him all the way to the sand.

He stood up, exultant, in the shallows. Big with excitement. ‘I caught it. I caught it!’

‘We’ll have you kneeling on the board by tomorrow,’ Nikos said. ‘And standing by the end of the week.’

But she’d heard enough.

She turned away and walked back to the too big bed, lay down and stared up at herself. Multiplied by plenty.

‘Nicky needs his papa,’ she told Jupiter-or was it Venus? ‘He should stay here.

‘You need his papa.’ Right. She was talking to a planet.

It was probably a star, she told herself. Surely it was okay to discuss the meaning of life with a star.

‘To stay, I’d have to trust him,’ she told…what the heck, Venus.

‘I think I do trust him.’

But she-or Venus-was lying.

She might not trust him-but she loved him.

That was the only truth. She’d given her heart away when she was eight years old and she’d never taken it back. But that one dreadful betrayal…It didn’t mean she loved him less. It was as if there was some part of her that had got it wrong. She’d trusted him so absolutely that his betrayal had destroyed a part of herself.

She hugged herself and Venus tucked herself behind a cloud in sympathy.

There were still a thousand stars. All wanting to talk to her.

She was never going to sleep in this room.

Where, then? On the same floor as Nikos and the children?

‘They’re together. I’m on my own,’ she whispered and then thought, ooh, who’s feeling sorry for herself?

There was a shout of laughter from down in the cove. She climbed out of bed-it was almost a marathon to get to the side-and walked back out on the balcony.

They were playing Falafel.

It was a game she and Nikos had played as kids.

When Annia made falafels she formed her little balls of chickpeas and parsley into balls and then rolled them in flour until they were thoroughly coated.

So Athena and Nikos would swim until they were wrinkly as prunes, then race up the beach and roll and roll in the dry sand until every inch of them was coated. Then run round being falafels. They were doing it now-two kids and Nikos. Two kids and their papa.

Completely coated in dry sand, they stood-then Nikos spread his arms and moaned like a great sandy spectre and started chasing them.

The children squealed in delight. The beach at dusk…she’d always thought it was the most magical of times, and here was her son, learning about it for himself. With his papa.

Nicky ran and ran. Christa was far easier to catch but Nikos made it seem as if it was just as hard to catch her. Finally he had them, a child under each arm, and was staggering back to the water to wash them off. Oscar brought up the rear, barking his delight.

And suddenly she was crying.

Damn, she was crying.

Nikos looked up from the beach. And saw her.

He stilled. At his feet the children whooped and splashed in the shallows. But Nikos simply stood-and watched.

And, from nowhere, into her heart came the words he’d used so often.

Dare you.

Dare she take a chance? Dare she forget what had happened ten years ago?

Dare she move forward?

It was too soon. It was too fast.

She had to get rid of these stupid, wussy tears.

She turned and started to go inside.

‘Thena!’ It was a call from the beach, strong and demanding. She should ignore it. She should…

She turned.

He was still watching her.

‘Dare you,’ he called, and she gave a gasp of fright. What was it about this man? How did he know what was inside her head?

Did he know that she loved him?

She turned and headed back to her bed and her stars and her confusion.

If she talked to a thousand stars she might just get some answers.

Or not.

She’d left him for a career.

She’d had a career. She’d succeeded on her terms. Surely enough was enough. Surely he could convince her to stay.

He stood in the shallows and watched her back away from the balcony, head indoors and haul the French windows closed after her.

He’d swear she was crying.

‘Does your mama cry much?’ he asked Nicky conversationally, as if this was a guy to guy discussion of the female sex.

‘Only when she thinks I’m asleep,’ Nicky told him.

‘So she cries at night?’

‘I’m not supposed to know,’ Nicky said. ‘But sometimes when I snuggle into bed with her in the morning her pillow’s soggy.’

‘Why do you think she gets sad at night?’

‘I used to think it was ’cos she was lonely,’ Nicky said. ‘But she’s got me and she’s got Oscar. Only now I know about here…’ He stood and gazed around him, a small boy taking in a small boy’s heaven. ‘Now I think it must be ’cos she was lonely for you.’

‘For…for this island, you mean?’

‘Mama says things and places don’t matter,’ Nicky said. ‘She says only people matter. So I figure it’s you.’

He brought the children up from the cove. Mrs Lavros helped bath them and get them to bed. Athena didn’t appear. Nikos half expected Nicky to want his mother, but they discussed it and decided if she hadn’t wanted to swim she must be very tired indeed. So Nicky himself decided if he was sleeping with Christa and with Oscar there was no need to disturb her.

So Nikos sat beside their tent-cum-bed and started to read them a story-only Nicky objected.

‘I have a book in my bag,’ he told Nikos. ‘It’s really good. Mama lets me read to her. Can I read it to you? Is that okay?’

‘Sure,’ Nikos said, so he sat and watched as his son read his daughter a bedtime story and it was hard not to tear up himself.

It was Thena who wept, he told himself. Real men don’t weep.

What was the concept of a real man?

His father had been a real man. He’d died of a heart attack when Nikos was twelve, and Nikos had adored him.

His father had loved Nikos and had been totally, unconditionally proud of him. Even though he’d been dead for many years, that love lingered on. As did the echoes of his care.

‘Anything happens to me, you care for your mother, Nikos. She’s the light of my life. You and your mother…You’re my whole heart.’

A real man had a family and loved them unashamedly. A real man would face any terror to keep that family safe.

His parents had had disagreements-loud disagreements-but they’d never frightened him. Because they’d always ended in exasperated laughter, in hugs, in his father saying, ‘Your mother is impossible-an impossible woman-how am I to live with such a woman?’-and then cooking his biggest lobster and opening a bottle of wine and playing music his mother didn’t like, too loud.

And his parents dancing and him watching in sleepy contentment until they put him to bed and had the night for each other.

So…so what?

What was between him and Thena…it was a disagreement so enormous that no lobster would be big enough.

But to let that betrayal eat away at them for ever…

Maybe his father would say: ‘So what if Thena left you ten years ago? So what if she didn’t tell you she had your son? You know your actions must have distressed her unutterably, too.’

He couldn’t defend his actions. Was it fair therefore to ask her to defend hers?

What if he could simply say that was past history? Move on.

Move onto family.

To two children. A dog.

To a wife?

Ten years ago he’d asked her to marry him and she’d wept with joy. But things had changed. She no longer trusted him. If he was to ask her to marry him now…she’d assume it was because of the Crown, that he wanted control.

And maybe he did. If he married her he could keep her safe. It would stop Demos in his tracks. He’d be royal himself.

How could he ask her to marry him?

Christa was already fast asleep. Nicky read on, but his voice was starting to stumble. He lifted the book from Nicky’s hands, tucked him under the covers and then thought why not? And he kissed his son goodnight.

Such a little thing-but not small at all. Huge.

How could he ask Thena to marry him?

Dare you?

He left the bedroom and closed the door gently behind him. He turned, and Thena was watching him from the shadows.

He stilled. ‘Hi,’ he said cautiously.

‘Hi, yourself.’

‘I thought you were asleep.’

She was ready for bed. She was in a pale blue wrap, floor-length. Bare toes, though. Her curls were a tangle-had she been trying to sleep?

‘How can I sleep when I keep thinking of you?’ she murmured.

‘That’d give anyone nightmares.’

She tried to smile but her smile didn’t reach her eyes. ‘Nikos…’

‘Come up to the tower,’ he said and put his hand out to take hers. She looked down at his hand-appeared to think about it-and then placed her hand in his.

A tiny step…Why it made his heard thud…

It did. His heart definitely thudded. Whoa, he was in trouble here.

Dare you?

He led her up the stairs. On the landing that led to her bedroom he swiftly led her past. It was a bit too soon to face that room.

The stairs grew narrower the higher they climbed. The tower was just that, an eyrie built for a birds-eye view of the whole island. The tower narrowed the higher they climbed, so he was forced to fall behind.

He’d read somewhere-where was it?-that gentlemen always followed their ladies upstairs and preceded them down so they could catch them either way.

Their hands were still loosely linked-she didn’t seem to want to pull away and he’d have rather died-but what he really wanted to do was pick her up and carry her.

She was climbing before him, in her lovely soft robe, her bare feet on the cold stones-if he carried her, then her feet wouldn’t get cold.

But he was aware he was holding his breath. There were so many questions that needed answers, and he thought many of those questions were to be resolved in the next few moments.

He mustn’t push too fast. Picking her up and carrying her might panic her and that was the last thing he intended.

And then they were at the top-a circular walk, built as battlements around the central dome. He didn’t want to think about the dome. The ceiling to Thena’s bedroom. Thena’s.

All around them stretched the warm Mediterranean night. A great moon hung low on the eastern sky, climbing ponderously upward to join the star-filled heavens. The great galaxy of the Milky Way spread above them, stars beyond and beyond and beyond.

‘We used to try and count them,’ Nikos said softly, and her hand tightened in his.

‘It used to scare me-made me feel so small.’

‘And do you feel so small now?’

‘Smaller,’ she whispered. She was leaning back against him as she gazed out in wonder.

To the west was Sappheiros, the largest of the Diamond Isles. North was Khryseis. The lights from the Far Isles glittered through the night, mysterious and beckoning. Closer to home, they could see the lights of boats, riding at anchor; the tiny lights from cottages spread among the mountains; and in the distance the far-off lights of the royal palace. Her royal home?

‘This is yours, Thena,’ he whispered softly into her hair. ‘It’s yours to rule as you will. We always dreamed it would come to you, and now it has. You can’t walk away from it now. It’s your birthright, your heritage…’

‘My duty,’ she whispered back, and he thought he heard the first faint trace of acceptance. ‘Nikos, I can’t do this alone.’

‘You won’t have to, Princess. I’ll be beside you every step of the way. If you can put your career on hold…I know it’s so important to you…’

‘My career is not important.’

For a moment he thought he hadn’t heard right. She was leaning into him, her spine curving against his chest, her dark curls just brushing his chin. She was the loveliest creature. His Thena.

But he had to think past her body. He had to think past what her touch was doing to him.

‘You mean…your career isn’t important any more?’ he asked cautiously.

‘It never was.’ And then, reluctantly it seemed, she pulled away from his grasp. She turned and leaned on the parapet, as if she needed to see him to make him understand what she wanted to say.

‘Don’t get me wrong; I always wanted to be a writer,’ she said, and he knew she was struggling against the emotion of the moment to make her voice prosaic. ‘I always did and maybe I always will. When I was twelve I wanted to be a cutting edge crime reporter. Then I wanted to be a poet. By the time my mother died I wanted to write a history of this island, an exposé of Giorgos’s corruption. I wanted to use my writing to save the world. But then…’

‘But then you were offered a cadetship on a fashion magazine in New York.’

‘No,’ she said, tightly now, as if it was desperately important. ‘I was given the cadetship. It was paid for. I was told it had been arranged that I start work in Manhattan in two weeks. I was told my accommodation was paid for. I was given a one way airline ticket and enough money to keep me for a year. and I was told to get off the island and never come back.’

He stared at her. Disbelieving. All the breath seemed to have been sucked from his body. ‘By?’ But he didn’t need to ask.

‘By Giorgos, of course,’ she said.

‘But you didn’t have to take it.’

‘You think?’

‘You could have refused.’

She shook her head. She closed her eyes as if remembering a nightmare and opening her eyes on it would start the horror all over again.

‘You were just starting to succeed,’ she whispered. ‘Since your papa died you’d worked so hard to make your boat support you and your mother. And you were starting to make it prosper. That’s what Giorgos was afraid of. You were the son of his sister-a royal from his own line. You were starting to make serious money. And you’d just asked me to marry you. If I married the King’s sister’s child, there’d be royalty on both sides; two people the locals knew and trusted. Giorgos feared the islanders would rebel. He said I had to follow his orders or he’d dynamite every boat in the harbour and he didn’t care much if anyone was on them. And he’d run you and your mother off the island. He said the only way I could prevent that happening was by leaving. So…so I left.’

‘Thena…’ He moved towards her but her hands were out, as if to fend him off.

‘No. There’s no use being angry. There’s no use being anything.’

‘If you’d told me…’

‘You would have…done something stupid,’ she whispered. ‘My hero. My Nikos. I knew…or I thought I knew…that your fury on my behalf would know no bounds. I was afraid of him, I was afraid for you and I was afraid for your mother. So I left. I…I hoped you’d follow. That was dumb. Obviously, there were…things that prevented you leaving. So I started work in New York. A couple of months later I realised I was pregnant. I was lucky enough to find a wonderful landlady. I worked right up until Nicky was born, and when he was two months old I went back. I’ve worked ever since. So…’ She took a deep breath. ‘So, yes, I’m proud of my career. I’m proud I supported myself and Nicky. I’ve even enjoyed a lot of it. But don’t say I sacrificed everything for my career. Don’t say it, Nikos. Because it’s just not true and tonight…tonight I want the past to be over. I want to put history behind us. I want to move on.’

‘Thena…’ It was a groan of pain.

He didn’t know where to go from here. He couldn’t think. What she’d gone through. And she’d acted out of love, for him, for everyone.

‘Don’t,’ she said and took his head in both her hands and tugged him forward. ‘What’s done is done. I can’t bear to think of ten years ago. I don’t want to think of it and why should I? All I know is that you’ve come back into my life again. Am I misreading the signs, Nikos, as I misread so badly before? Is it you in there? The Nikos I thought I knew? The Nikos who dared to love me?’

‘Who dared…’

‘Who dared,’ she whispered. ‘When all the rest of the island avoided me for fear of Giorgos, you dared to be my friend. And then you dared to love me. I don’t know what happened after that. I don’t want to know. All I know is that I’m home now, exactly where I want to be, and I’m with the man I want more than anything in the world.’ She hesitated. ‘And I’m trying really hard not to be forward here, but if you don’t kiss me I’ll very likely explode, or die of humiliation, or…’

Or he’d never know. Because enough was enough. He had her in his arms and he was tugging her close with ruthless strength. She was yielding, her lips were meeting his, her hands were tugging him close, closer, deepening the kiss so the night disappeared, melting into the star-filled sky, transforming with a wonder he thought he’d lost and was now magically his again.

Thena. His Thena. Trusting as she’d trusted once before. Weighing up the sorrow, the hurt he knew he’d caused her with the birth of Christa, with his marriage to Marika, and moving on.

Forgiving…even when she didn’t know the truth.

He loved her so much.

He pulled back a little so he could read her face. And what he saw there made his heart twist within him. She was looking at him as if she loved him.

She loved him. She must love him. That one betrayal had been an aberration-not her Nikos. The Nikos she’d known then could never have done such a thing.

And, even if he had, the Nikos kissing her now could surely never repeat such a betrayal.

But right here, right now, she no longer cared. Nikos was right here, right now, his eyes dark and fathomless, waiting for her to say what she needed to say-if she could ever figure out what that was.

Okay, say it, she told herself. Just say it.

‘So…so this is the most romantic place in the Eagle’s Nest?’ she managed.

‘It’s not,’ he said, fast and sure. ‘It’s a place of stone and parapet and view-which is all very well if you want stone and parapet and view, but if you want more…’

‘If I want more?’

His dark eyes flashed with something she wasn’t sure of. Surprise? Laughter? No. Something much, much deeper.

‘I’d surely give it,’ he said softly. ‘But I’ve hurt you so badly in the past.’

‘You have.’

Years ago she’d fallen in love with this man. He’d betrayed that love in the worst possible way, but she’d moved on, she’d grown up and she’d got herself a life. She’d become independent of both Nikos and his island.

But now…She wanted to trust as she’d trusted so long ago. Innocence regained.

Stupid concept, but…

‘You think we could maybe learn to trust each other?’ Nikos asked, and it was as if he was following her thoughts.

‘After so long?’

‘You bore my son,’ he said steadily. ‘You had him alone and I can’t begin to imagine how that must have been for you. I can’t bear to think that you couldn’t contact me-that you couldn’t tell me of his existence. But now…I’m finding there are more things I can’t bear. Like the thought of you leaving. Once you dreamed of writing freelance. Is there any way you could do that here?’

‘So…so you’ll have more time with Nicky?’

He placed his hands on her shoulders and he looked at her as if he could read behind her eyes.

‘I do want my son,’ he said, softly but surely. As if it was a vow. ‘Nicky is my son and from now on I intend to be a father to him, in any way I can. I want him-but I want you, too. Thena, if I’d known…If I’d guessed…’

‘It doesn’t matter.’ It did, but not tonight. Tonight was hers. Tonight was her dream time, history had never happened and she was surrendering herself to the here and now.

As was Nikos.

‘I believe ten years ago is best forgotten,’ he whispered, tugging her close, folding her against him and wrapping her in his arms. ‘For tonight, at least.’

And then he kissed her, long and hard, as she’d ached to be kissed for ten long years, as she longed to be kissed for ever.

Ten years dissipated just like that. He was her Nikos. Hers! And she was his, with every fibre of her being.

When the kiss ended they both knew it was immutable truth.

‘Will you come to my bed, my love?’ he asked, in a voice that sounded shaken. And then the loved laughter returned. ‘Or…your bed?’

‘Aren’t there enough stars out here?’

‘Not for the serious gazer,’ he told her, and the wicked laughter was back. Gloriously back.

‘Counting stars beats counting sheep. That is, if we can’t think of anything else to do.’

She had to be serious here. Laughter would not do.

‘Last time we did what I understand you’re suggesting, I believe we made Nicky,’ she said in a voice that was none too steady.

‘So we’re older and wiser-and a bit more prepared.’

‘You’re prepared?’

‘I believe I am.’ He was tugging her close again, kissing her eyelids, each in turn.

‘So am I,’ she whispered.

The kissing stopped. She was held at arm’s length again. Nikos’s face showed blank astonishment. ‘Did I just hear what I thought I heard?’

‘I might be forgetting most of the last ten years,’ she said, beginning to laugh. ‘But there are a couple of things I need to remember. Like the lecture given to me by my doctor after Nicky’s birth. If you think I’d come within a hundred miles of you again without contraception, you’re not the man I think you are, Nikos Andreadis.’

‘My Thena!’ And the laughter was back. The wonderful laughter that had blazed between them since the hour they’d first met.

‘Don’t you dare laugh,’ she said, but she couldn’t help herself. She was laughing as well, at his laughter, at his joy, at the assurance of joy to come.

At the knowledge that for this night this man was hers. He always had been, she thought, from the time she’d met him to now. She’d borne his son. She’d carried him in her heart for ever.

‘I’m not laughing,’ he told her and it was true. The laughter had changed. He was watching her now with eyes as dark as night, with an expression on his face she’d never seen before-of tenderness, of joy, and of something more.

Of hope for the future?

That was what it was, she thought as she melted into him, as he lifted her into his arms and carried her unprotesting down the winding staircase, to a vast bedchamber with windows looking out in every direction to the sea beneath and to the islands beyond. As he laid her tenderly on the bed-a bed big enough for a king or six, piled high with feather pillows so soft she almost disappeared into them. As he pulled the curtains, one after another, cutting out the view, the islands, the sea, the outside world. Everything but the sky.

As he lit the candles, one by one.

And as he came to her where she lay, waiting for the man of her dreams.

He unfastened his shirt and she watched him, awed, fascinated, so deeply in love she thought she could die right now and be happy.

She matched him button for button, unfastening her robe. His dark eyes flared with passion. His shirt was gone long before she had her robe undone-why weren’t her fingers working?-but it didn’t matter. For he was helping her.

And finally she was free. His hands slipped in beneath her nightgown to cup her breasts and she wanted to cry out with sheer happiness. Sheer joy.

She was pushing her nightgown down, desperate to be closer. He helped her, kissing as he went, touching, tasting, loving, until her body was flames.

Nikos. Her first and last love. Nikos…

She was naked, gloriously, wonderfully naked, and so was he. He was sinking into the pillows beside her, gathering her into his arms.

His body was against her body. Skin against skin-the most erotic sensation in the world.

The heartbreak of years faded to nothing. The children, the island, responsibilities-everything was gone.

There was only this man, this love and this night. There was only Nikos.

She woke and the world she’d lived in for ten long years had disappeared.

This was a fantasy-a fairy tale. At some time in the future it would end, but for now she was selfish enough, needy enough, to say thank you very much, this is where I belong. Maybe when reality hits I’ll have a long time to remember this, so I need to soak up every precious moment.

She was lying in the arms of the man she loved with all her heart. And, whether she believed it or not-and yes, her head was screaming at her to be wary-the feeling seemed to be reciprocated. Nikos was loving her as he’d loved her ten years ago. But this was a grown man now, a businessman, a prince of the people, a lover, a man with strength and gentleness, laughter and tenderness, wonder and hope.

He was hers and she was his. For now they were two lovers exulting in each other’s bodies. Drowning in each other’s eyes.

And the place where they were loving was over-the-top fantastic.

‘I’m hoping this glass is one way,’ Nikos murmured in the aftermath of loving. ‘Otherwise we could have some very shocked seagulls. You think we should declare this place a fly free zone?’

‘And enforce it how?’

‘I can’t,’ he said morosely. ‘I believe it’s you who’s in charge of royal decrees.’

She giggled.

But then…Her giggle was echoed from outside the door. Two giggles.

‘Uh-oh,’ Nikos said. Athena dived under the covers and Nikos had his pants on and was fastening his shirt before three small faces appeared around the door. Two kids and a dog. Oscar took one look and leaped with joyous abandon onto the bed, and Nicky and Christa landed straight after. Athena was overwhelmed by dog and kids. Nicky hugged her, Christa hugged her too, on the basis of what was good for Nicky was okay by her, and Oscar licked every face in reach.

Her family. She was buried in family. She hugged and sniffed and she glanced up and saw her emotions reflected on Nikos’s face.

No. Not her family.

Their family.

‘Did you both sleep in here?’ Nicky demanded, awed.

‘I’m happy to tell you your mother didn’t snore-very much,’ Nikos said magnanimously. ‘I slept on this side of the bed, she slept on the other and if I piled the pillows really high it was just a muted little snortle.’

‘Ooh,’ Athena said, and emerged from kids and dog long enough to toss a pillow at him. Her aim wasn’t bad considering the handicap she was under-clutching bedclothes so the kids wouldn’t discover she was naked. But Nikos hadn’t defended himself and he was thumped right in the chest.

‘Yay,’ Nicky said and took his lead from his mother, and in seconds pillows were going everywhere.

Her family.

Their family.

Betrayal was a thing of the past, she thought mistily, giggling and tossing the odd pillow herself. Now was just for…now.

They had three days and three nights of magic.

Athena asked no questions. She was simply living in the moment. Nikos watched her as the days wore on and thought she was holding the kids to her, holding him to her, as if she feared they could be snatched away at any moment.

Somewhere outside the castle Demos was still plotting. Nikos was sure of it. But Alexandros was working on his behalf. Nikos’s job was to keep his little family here; keep them safe until the threat could be defused.

It was no hardship at all. It was pure magic.

He had his kids. He had Thena. As far as he was concerned Alexandros could take as long as he needed to defuse the threat. This time out was theirs.

Only of course reality finally had to intrude.

Nikos had organised the lawyers to come on the third day.

‘We need to get things settled before we go back to the palace,’ he told her.

‘Um…aren’t things settled?’

‘The affairs of the island aren’t,’ he said, kissing her on the nose. ‘So tomorrow it’s lawyers.’ Then he hesitated. ‘Thene, it’s going to be a long, boring day. My mother is asking if she could take Nicky and Christa. They’ll be safe-Demos can gain nothing by hurting one of you alone, and I’ll send Joe with them to make sure. Do you think Nicky would like to go?’

‘We’ll ask him,’ she said, and did, and Nicky thought the idea of a grandmother was too cool for words.

When Annia came to fetch them in an ancient Land Rover with no roof, he decided she was even cooler. They piled into the back seat, only to discover one of Annia’s hens had decided this was a great nesting box. So off they went, with a handful of eggs each, with Oscar squished in the middle and with two grins a mile wide.

For Athena and Nikos the day promised to be far less exciting than the kids’. They needed to announce a coronation date, but first…there were so many papers to read and to sign that her head spun. The contracts and deeds ensuring legal ascension were mind-blowing.

But between the legal stuff, it was great that the kids were happy, she thought. She had visions of her son and Christa at Annia’s kitchen table, where she’d spent the happiest part of her childhood. They were safe. And Nikos was right here, reading through the contracts with her, trying to make it less boring.

Her family was where it ought to be. She could cope with a boring day or two. And after she signed…Annia had offered to keep the children until dinner time. That meant Athena had a whole evening with Nikos, and no kids.

She was already thinking of the little cove under the castle. She’d have a secluded beach with only herself and Nikos.

She glanced up from the document she was signing and saw Nikos watching her-and she blushed.

He grinned.

She blushed some more.

She was signing the last contract. The lawyers were starting to pack up documents, beaming, congratulating.

And then Nikos’s phone rang.

He listened and his face lost colour. She was at his side in an instant. ‘What…what…’

‘Mama’s just rung,’ he said. ‘The kids…Demos has the kids.’

He had her hand. He was running, tugging her behind him, down the castle steps to the limousine parked in front. The lawyers were abandoned, shocked to silence.

She drove while Nikos barked orders into his phone. Then he told her what had happened.

‘Mama used the time while she had the kids to cook dinner for a neighbour who’s ill. The kids were playing-they were happy and she thought it’d only take five minutes to pop the food next door, the children were in the garden and Joe was in the house. He’d taken his eyes off the children only for a moment. The first he knew of trouble was a scream from the cove below the house. By the time he got down there they were gone.’

Gone…

‘Is he sure it’s Demos?’ Athena asked in a voice she scarcely recognised as hers.

‘He saw him,’ he said, his voice catching. ‘He had both the children in the boat-the same boat that tried to hit you. I’ve just rung Alexandros on Sappheiros. He has a helicopter. I thought this was safe. I never dreamed…’ His voice broke.

She wanted to hold him. She had to keep driving, but it took every ounce of self-restraint not to pull over, take him in her arms and comfort him.

He was her man. She knew it. Whatever had happened in the past, Nikos was her man and she’d fight for him. As she’d fight for her child. Her children, she corrected herself. Her family.