Is she trying to shut me out, or am I being oversensitive?
She gave a mental shrug, because in the end what did it matter whether Xandros’s mother disapproved of her? Disapproved of her son marrying her? She would be gone out of his life soon enough.
Several times during the laborious luncheon they sat through, in a dining room as elegant as the drawing room, she heard her half-sister’s name from her mother-in-law, and she could tell by his tone of his voice, even in Greek, that Xandros’s replies were terse. He always pointedly reverted to English, making some remark about his boyhood.
It was the only subject that drew a response from his mother—the first sign of animation Rosalie had seen in her yet.
‘This is a wonderful place for a child to grow up—so much space to run around in! And for the next generation, too. I so look forward to seeing my grandchildren here,’ his mother commented, looking at Rosalie. ‘Of course, had Xandros married Ariadne—’
Xandros’s voice cut across her, saying something repressive in Greek. His mother’s mouth tightened, but she did not continue.
Rosalie had got the message, though. Well, Xandros’s mother would have to wait for her grandchildren—wait until her son was free of his current marriage.
Wait until he marries again. To a real wife this time, so they can make a life together...have children...Xandros’s children...
She snapped her mind away. Xandros’s future children were nothing to do with her. There was no point, was there, in her sudden vision of a pair of toddlers running about in the sun-drenched gardens beyond the dining room windows...?
She would be gone from his life by then...
Long gone.
Her gaze flickered out to the gardens again, and she felt an inexplicable tightening of her throat assail her.
She longed for the lunch to be over, and finally it was. It was with a real sense of relief that she drove off with Xandros.
‘Thank you,’ he said, ‘for coping with my mother.’
His expression was speaking volumes, and Rosalie was appreciative.
‘She’s bound to be concerned by the nature of our marriage,’ she answered generously. ‘She’s protective of you. It’s understandable.’
He cast her a glance. ‘Thank you for that,’ he said. ‘You see,’ he went on, and Rosalie could hear the constraint in his voice, ‘she is very fond of Ariadne, and she’s worried by her continued silence. I’ve told her your half-sister will surface when she is good and ready to do so.’
‘I hope she does.’ Rosalie’s voice was warm. ‘I long to meet her! It would be lovely to do so before I leave Greece!’
She turned away, looking out over the countryside, at the fields and the ubiquitous olive groves baking in the afternoon sun. It was high summer now. Time was passing. The inevitable date of her departure was that much closer.
‘How is the merger coming along?’ she heard herself ask, looking back at Xandros.
That, after all, was setting the timetable for the duration of their marriage. Like a ticking clock, counting down the hours...the days...the weeks and months...until there was no further need for them to be married.
No reason for them to be together...
He changed gear, revving the engine and picking up speed. His expression tightened.
‘Not as fast as I’d hoped. Your father isn’t exactly rushing to complete it. He keeps me waiting for essential information and so on.’
She saw him give a shrug, and was aware, though she knew she shouldn’t be, that there was an upside to any delay. An upside for her, at least...
It put back, just a little, the ticking clock of their marriage...
Xandros was still speaking, and she shook the forbidden thought from her head.
‘Doubtless it’s all just one of his power plays—he likes to stay in control of things...and people.’ A sympathetic glance came her way. ‘As you know to your cost.’ He changed gear again, speeding up even more. ‘But we’ll get there.’ His expression lightened. ‘Anyway, let’s not waste what’s left of the weekend dwelling on it! We’ll take the scenic route back to the city—I can show you some more sights.’
They did just that, taking in the ancient sites of Eleusis and Megaris, and Rosalie enjoyed every minute. But then, she thought wryly, she would enjoy going round an industrial estate if it was with Xandros...
I just like being with him—anywhere, any time...
But nowhere he had yet taken her, either now or on the previous weekend, however glorious and spectacular in terms of sightseeing, could compare with Kallistris.
Will we ever get back there?
Yearning filled her. A yearning that maybe he picked up on telepathically, because when they stopped for coffee, midafternoon, he glanced at her and said, ‘Let’s try and get away to Kallistris before much longer, shall we? Get in a weekend there? Would that be good?’
Rosalie’s face lit, and she answered enthusiastically.
In the end it was another fortnight before they could get back to Kallistris, but when they did it was every bit as good as she remembered. The island was as beautiful as ever, the little beach was as beautiful as ever, the simple whitewashed villa as beautiful as ever, the sea was as crystal clear as ever, the sun as hot as ever.
The two days passed in a flash—not nearly long enough—though they did nothing except swim and sail and sun themselves and be fed gargantuan meals by Maria.
I want more—so much more! And not just of Kallistris. Of Xandros. For much, much longer...
She knew she shouldn’t feel that way, but she could not stop herself.
I don’t want this time with Xandros to end! I want it to go on and on!
But how could she want that when it had been no part of their agreement? When the clock was ticking inexorably towards the time when there would be no purpose to their marriage any more.
Yet she could not deny the truth of it to herself. And it was a truth that continued to pluck at her on their return to Athens, when she resumed the life she’d got used to there.
Days passed into weeks, with Xandros again putting in long hours at work, interspersing them with short, intense periods of being with her.
Sometimes they managed to get to Kallistris at the weekend; more often, though, it was just driving out to explore yet more of Greece with him—up to Delphi, famed for its oracle, and out to the long island of Euboea, across the dramatic Gulf of Corinth bridge to visit the site of the ancient Olympic games.
Sometimes they stayed in Athens, taking it easy in the apartment, with long lie-ins and vegging in front of the TV, tuned to an English-language channel or watching online movies. Or dining out à deux in beautiful restaurants. Or socialising at a dinner dance, or another grand and glittering affair.