she would be able to cope with whatever lay ahead.
‘The trouble is, Keith,’ she said, holding his hand tightly as they settled themselves on the ground under the tree, ‘however I look at it, I still return to that dark place, to that hateful thought that takes my breath away . . .’ She inhaled a gulp of air as if deprived of oxygen. ‘What if I’m his child . . .?’ The words faded on her lips and the colour drained from her cheeks. ‘What if that is the case, Keith?’ she asked again, her eyes searching for a flicker of reaction in his. ‘Tell me, how do I live with that? What if I’m not, as Froso says, the product of love, her love child . . . but created by malice and hate?’
Keith didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he sat thoughtfully, holding her hands in both of his.
‘Listen, Eleni mou,’ he replied after a pause. He took a deep breath and lifted her hands to his lips. ‘I don’t know what you think of this, but if you really are so set on knowing . . .’ He faltered again for a moment before he came out with what he was thinking. ‘Consider this . . . old Pavlis is Kosmas’s brother, he is Kosmas’s kin and his only relation. If you really are so desperate to know . . . you can find out if Kosmas is your father through a DNA test. It’s easy enough.’ Eleni made no sound; she sat staring at Keith, mouth ajar. ‘Personally, I wouldn’t bother,’ he smiled, shrugging his shoulders, ‘but it’s your choice.’
She remained motionless, holding her husband’s hands, unable to respond. Perhaps I should, she eventually thought. It would be the logical course of action if she was so troubled by uncertainty. Then she would know once and for all and could stop obsessing. But the thought was not comforting; confusion clouded her mind again. Keith sat with her hands in his, waiting for her to speak. She looked visibly distressed. Suddenly she stood up. ‘No, I don’t think so!’ she burst out. ‘It’s too risky . . .’ She looked shocked. ‘I mean, I don’t know . . . and what about Froso?’
‘You are a woman of intuition and you have always claimed that the women in your family were so gifted, too; am I right?’ His voice was low and soothing as he reached up and pushed back a lock of hair that had fallen over her left eye with one hand, and then gently stroked her cheek. ‘You, my love,’ he went on softly, ‘you have always claimed that your intuitive powers were strong, remember? You have always told me you knew exactly when Calli and Alex were conceived. You are forever boasting of knowing the moment of conception . . . True?’ Eleni nodded as Keith continued. ‘Well then, why are you tormenting yourself and doubting Froso, who also has consistently said she too knows of the moment you were conceived; shouldn’t you perhaps believe her? Everybody else seems to have done so. Didn’t you say old Pavlis told you he had never doubted you were his brother’s child?’
‘He did, and he said I had his eyes,’ she murmured. ‘He showed me a photograph, but I couldn’t tell from that – he was just a boy . . .’
‘Well . . . maybe you should just leave it alone and believe what you are told . . .’
Keith pulled himself up to face her and took her in his arms. ‘You don’t have to decide anything now, my love, and you don’t have to do anything that you don’t want.’
By the time husband and wife started walking back to the house the sun had started to sink; a faint aroma of honey lingered in the warm air, carried by the breeze from the hills. She leaned on his arm and they walked at a leisurely pace, without words. They found Froso, Calli and Alex sitting in the garden with Nicos and Michalis, drinking coffee and eating baklava, evidently waiting for them. At the sight of them Nicos leapt to his feet and made towards Keith.
‘Welcome,’ he said warmly, striding towards him with an outstretched arm. ‘I was told you would be here soon.’ He looked at Eleni and shook Keith’s hand eagerly. ‘So glad that we meet at last.’
The small family reunion that gathered in Froso’s garden that afternoon soon began to turn into a