Page 56

Regards,

Demetrios Theodosis

Shauna felt the heat rise to her face. Even after all this time, he could still blindside her. She read the title, The Lyric Poetry of Sappho; it was a very old edition, bound in red leather. Inside the book, a page was marked with a sealed letter. She looked at the page and the sonnet, ‘Lilies’.

O lover, with your skin so white

The purest alabaster

Delicate as the whitest lily that

Only opens its petals at night

The recall was instant, and Shauna was taken back to that day when Demetrios had made love to her and they’d spent their first night together on the St Helena.

She tore open the letter.

Dear Shauna,

For many years I have thought of you and that summer we spent together. Fortune has thrown many arrows in our direction. In one letter it is not possible for me to express all the things that are in my heart, but I would like the chance to try. You will not find me the same man as you knew then, but one thing has never changed, and that is the high regard in which I hold you.

I have never forgotten those precious weeks we spent together and every day I deeply regret not trying harder to find you. Should you ever wish to visit our magical island again, it would give me great joy to see you once more. I have so much I want to say to you.

As ever, I am at your disposal.

Yours,

Demetrios

Shauna traced the lines of his signature, recognizing it still after two decades: the lowercase D rather than an upper-case one, the characteristic curve of the d looped around.

There was something about the letter that seemed inevitable to her now. She had worked so hard to forget, to erase all the traces of the love she had felt. Dan’s love had done much to gently smooth away her anger and sadness, but it was still there, like Roxy had said, locked in that secret place, hidden from everyone, even Dan. Why had she never told him?

Taking Alex into her life had shown her that secrets will always find their way out. Roxy was right, it was time for her to face up to her past. Demetrios wasn’t the only one who needed to explain himself. She owed him an explanation too …

Chapter 24

Ariana watched as her grandmother chopped up the pistachios and walnuts, preparing them for her traditional baklava, which everyone in the household loved. Tonight was Níko’s birthday and it was always a cause for celebration at the taverna. Níko loved to entertain and no one threw a party like he did.

Her grandmother was still a striking woman, but with the death of her husband, Ariana’s beloved Pappous, some of the fire had gone out of her. She suffered with arthritis and Ariana watched her gnarled fingers work the mixture with a spoon.

‘How did you and Grandfather meet?’

‘Oh, he made a play for me, but I didn’t say yes immediately.’ Elana smiled at the memory, ‘He was very passionate in his courting, but my father didn’t want me to marry him.’

‘Why ever not? Wasn’t he already a rich businessman?’

‘He was still a young man with lots to learn … my father wanted me to be happy. He said, “Elana, this man will make his business yours, and you will have to be his boss too.”’

‘What did he mean?’

‘He could see that your grandfather needed someone by his side to be a success. My father just wanted me to have babies and be a good wife, he thought that is what would make a young woman happy.’

‘You were happy, weren’t you?’

‘Of course, and being part of the business suited my talents every bit as much as it suited your grandfather!’ Her eyes twinkled. ‘The only sadness I have, is that we were not blessed with any more children, so your father did not have a brother to share the load.’ Her face grew sad at the memory.

‘Well, Father loves the business, so it worked out all right.’