The Power of the Legendary Greek - By Catherine George Page 0,42
with old Denis Stratos. Arianna was actually there in the room with her grandfather when the ransom demand arrived.’
Eleni beamed at them both as she came in to lay the table. For two, Isobel noted, brightening, as Spiro followed with a tray of steaming dishes.
Luke thanked them and smiled at Isobel as the couple left them to their dinner. ‘You look surprised.’
‘I am. I was expecting to dine alone tonight.’
‘You would prefer that?’
Isobel shook her head irritably. ‘Of course I wouldn’t.’
‘Then you must eat well tonight,’ he urged. ‘You must be very hungry, Isobel.’
‘Oddly enough, I wasn’t when we arrived home. I was just dirty and thirsty—’ She broke off at the look he gave her. ‘What is it?’
‘You said “home”.’
She flushed. ‘I suppose the villa felt like that after my adventures.’ She went on eating for a moment, then met his watchful eyes. ‘In the hut I thought I might never live to eat another meal of any kind.’
Luke’s mouth twisted as he put out a hand to cover hers. ‘Do not think of it any more, Isobel. I have you safe now. And I swear I will keep you that way.’
‘Right. Let’s talk about pleasanter things.’ She raised a quizzical eyebrow. ‘Tell me about this Arianna of yours.’
‘She is not mine!’ Luke grinned. ‘Arianna is an attractive, intellectual woman who refuses to marry any of the men her family keep bringing out for her.’
‘Are you one of those?’
He shook his head. ‘Due to the circumstances of my birth, I am not considered eligible.’
‘Even though you’re the grandson of Theo Andreadis?’
‘Since he refuses to acknowledge the relationship, yes.’
‘Would you like him to?’
His mouth tightened. ‘Would you, in the same situation?’
Isobel gave it some thought. ‘If he was the only relative I had it’s possible I might make some kind of move towards détente, yes.’
‘I do not possess your capacity for forgiveness. Also your experience of grandparents was very different from mine,’ he reminded her.
‘True.’ She smiled fondly at the memory. ‘I was very lucky. But tell me more about Arianna.’
‘We dine together occasionally, and if she needs an escort for some function her family insists she attend, I help her out. Which is no hardship. She is good company and I am fond of her.’
‘Is she fond of you?’
‘Of course,’ he said, grinning. ‘But she is in love with someone else.’
‘So why doesn’t he escort her?’
Luke smiled wryly. ‘Arianna is a follower of Sappho. Her lover is a woman. But, other than me, and now you, no one knows that.’
‘That kind of secret must be hard to keep,’ said Isobel. ‘But at least she has one thing going for her—she didn’t get kidnapped.’
Luke laughed and seized her hand to kiss it. ‘She would have been more of a handful for the kidnapper than you, Isobel. Arianna is built on heroic lines.’ He eyed her challengingly. ‘So, I have told you about the woman in my life. Now tell me about the men in yours. There must have been other men in your life before the swine who tried to force you.’
She winced. ‘There were several in college, of course, but the ones who remain constant in my life are Leo and Josh Carey. Their family lived near my grandparents, so we grew up together. When they were teenagers they had a party. Joanna, the new kid on the block at the time, was invited to it, and the four of us have been firm friends ever since. Jo and I had boyfriends, of course, and the twins, who are doctors now, attract women like magnets, but Jo and I have a special relationship with them. Though Jo is married now.’
‘And does her husband approve of these men?’
‘Of course. But it wouldn’t matter to her if he didn’t. Jo is fiercely loyal.’
Luke smiled. ‘I think you are, too, Isobel.’
‘I try to be. Besides, I’ve known the twins since nursery school. To me, they’re like brothers.’
‘Ah, but do they look on you as a sister?’
‘Of course they do. ’She looked at the straight-backed chair he was sitting on, legs outstretched. ‘You can’t be comfortable on that. If I lie on the bed you can have the easy chair. Unless you have things to do.’
‘What could be more important than spending the evening with you, Isobel?’ He stood up. ‘But first I shall go down to the study and check again with Andres. Though there can be no real news or he would have contacted me. Then I shall come back and