Free The Passionate Greek by Catherine Dane Page B

start up your business again I could always help,’
he was saying. ‘After all, it was me who wanted you to give up the
company,’ he conceded. ‘I could never allow you to do that,’ she
said. ‘Anyway, there is no chance I could start up again. You
forget my business was based in the City of London. That’s a very
small square mile. Everyone knew what happened even if they didn’t
know the details.
    ‘Rumours spread and not always accurately.
They wouldn’t want someone like me at their private lunches,
listening in to their confidential conversations.’ She couldn’t
help a note of bitterness creeping into her voice.
    ‘And now you have added forgery to your
sins.’ But there was a smile in his voice.
    He surprised Melanie with his mellow mood.
Would now be the time to talk to him? Would he at last be prepared
to listen to her? Could she make him understand? But he continued
with his train of thought. ‘You could have faced charges signing
Stephanie’s name on that contract,’ he mused. ‘But you did it
anyway.’
    ‘I would have done anything,’ she said
simply.
    He looked closely at her and in the depths
of his dark eyes she could have sworn she saw admiration. ‘You were
very…’ he hesitated for a long moment, ‘resourceful,’ he finished.
‘I think I’m proud of you.’ He drew closer to her and moved the pad
of his thumb gently over her cheek. She felt his lips softy on
hers. . A searing regret coursed through her. He moved his lips
over hers, tender, like a long time lover.
    A shout carrying over the water broke them
guiltily apart. A figure was waving from the beach. Unmistakably
Katerina, her blonde hair and bikini clad figure cutting an
undeniably attractive sight.
    Melanie drew further away from him. ‘It’s
your girl friend,’ she couldn’t resist saying acidly.
    ‘She’s not my girl friend,’
    ‘You could have fooled me,’ was Melanie’s
response.
    ‘Jealous?’ said Nicos, looking pleased.
    ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Melanie snapped.
    She stood at the edge of the platform and
raising her hands above her head prepared to dive. This time Nicos
did nothing to stop her. She hit the water cleanly and struck out
for the shore heading as far away from where Katerina was waving as
she could judge without ending up on the rocks. Wading from the
shallow water on to the beach she found Katerina had walked along
the beach towards where she had come ashore and was staring at her
suspiciously.
    ‘Why aren’t you with your charge?’ the girl
demanded imperiously. Her English, though excellent, was faintly
accented. Melanie recalled that Nicos had said she was from an
eastern European country.
    ‘I don’t think that’s any concern of yours,’
Melanie said coolly, determined not to lose her temper.
    ‘I will talk to Mr Chalambrous about this.’
Katerina’s voice was venomous. ‘The nanny should not be so
familiar.
    Melanie suppressed a smile thinking that if
she did Nicos would give her short shrift. But he had obviously not
told her that Melanie was Electra’s mother. Silently fuming but
outwardly unconcerned Melanie sauntered along the beach and
retrieving her sarong and beach towel from where she had left them
started up the steps to the villa.
    Half way up where the steps took a sharp
turn and the view to the beach was clear she could not resist a
backward glance. Nicos remained on the platform and Katerina was
swimming out to him, with a surprisingly proficient crawl.
    ‘So, not so much ‘Princess Precious’ after
all when it suits her, Melanie concluded with a wry smile.

Chapter Seven
    In the nursery Electra was standing up in her cot and
Maria was playing pat- a-cake with her to the baby’s glee. Smiling,
Melanie picked up the warm bundle of her daughter and held her
close. ‘Time for a paddle,’ she crooned to her. Every afternoon she
took Electra down to the sea and dangled her in the gentle waves
while Electra shrieked with joy. She set off, deciding to avoid