Part 16 (1/2)

Joanna felt hot. 'Have you asked him?' she said, desper- ately seeking an answer he would accept. She got up from the bed.

'I-perhaps I ought to go. I'm sure your family-'

'Demetri was with you the night I was taken ill, was he not?'

Constantine said abruptly, and Joanna couldn't prevent a gasp of dismay. 'Did you honestly think I would not find out?'

Joanna was stunned. 'But-but-'

'How?' suggested Constantine, and she nodded, 'I think you both forgot Philip.' he continued drily. 'He may be old, but his wits are as sharp as ever.'

'Oh, G.o.d!' Joanna couldn't look at him. 'And you let me come here knowing-'

'Why not?' Constantine was impatient now. 'We were not lovers, Joanna. I borrowed a little of your time, that is all. You played your part to perfection. How can I be angry with you because my son has allowed his hormones to rule his head?'

She shook her head. 'Does Demetri know?'

'No.' Constantine paused. 'I wanted to tell you first.'

Joanna sighed, 'It wasn't his fault.'

'You would say that, of course.'

'It's the truth.' Joanna was desperate. 'He came to my room to talk. That was all. But, well-one minute we were talking, and the next-'

'Spare me the details,' said Constantine wryly, 'I am sure my son is nothing like your ex-husband.'

'Oh, Constantine...' Joanna pressed her hands to her hot cheeks. Then, remembering, 'But why would Philip tell you something like that? I thought he was your friend.'

'He is.' Constantine gave a twisted smile. 'He thought he was saving me from further heartache. He made a special trip from the island so that he could see me.'

Joanna tried to take it all in. 'And Demetri didn't sus pect?'

'Why would he? As far as he and Olivia were concerned Philip was doing what any loyal employee of long standing would do.' Constantine attempted to move his thin shoul ders.

'My son has had-other things on his mind.'

'Your illness.' Joanna nodded.

'That, too, of course.' Constantine was looking very tired now, and she realised he had been talking for far too long.

'But-I have noticed a certain restlessness about him, an unexpected desire to get back to the island.' He breathed more shallowly. 'You see,' he persisted, 'until Olivia told him otherwise, he thought you were still there.'

Joanna could only stare at him. 'Constantine...'

But the old man was visibly wilting. 'Not now,' he whis pered, his breathing becoming more laboured. 'Later, Joanna. Come back later. Now-I need to-sleep-'

Joanna was waiting for the lift when Demetri came striding along the corridor towards her. His expression revealed his irritation that she had countermanded his instructions, but she was in no mood to care.

'Where are you going?' he demanded, staring at her now pale features with some concern, 'I thought I asked you to let me know when you were leaving. If the nurse had not rung to tell me that my father is resting now I would still have been waiting for your call.'

Joanna didn't want to talk to him now. Concentrating on keeping her voice steady, she said tightly, 'I'm sorry. But I'd prefer to be alone. Do you mind?'

Demetri's dark face tightened with an emotion she couldn't identify. 'Do I have a choice?' he asked tersely. 'At least tell me where you are going.'

Joanna hesitated. 'Does it matter?'

'It might. If I need to get in touch with you,' he replied shortly. 'I suppose you would not agree to me taking you to my father's house in Athens?'

'No.' Joanna knew she was hardly being polite, but she couldn't help it. 'I-er-I have a hotel room.'

'And the hotel's name?'

Realising she had no reason to withhold it, she told him. 'It's a small hotel, not far from the-'

'I have heard of it.' Demetri's tone indicated his opinion of her choice. Then, with a tightening of his jaw, 'You are coming back, ne?'

The lift arrived at that moment, and she heard him utter what she a.s.sumed was an oath as the attendant held the doors open for her. Joanna had no choice but to step inside, but Demetri detained them.

'You did not answer me.' he reminded her harshly, and Joanna expelled a nervous breath.

'I-probably,' she murmured, supremely conscious of their audience, whether he could understand English or not.

'Um-thank you for letting me visit your father.'

Demetri's mouth thinned. 'You have seen him,' he said flatly.

'Do you think I could have stopped you?' Joanna managed a small smile. 'You have a point.' Demetri stepped forward then, startling both her and the attendant by bracing his arms at either side of the lift doors. 'Come back, Joanna,' he said, his voice slightly uneven now. 'For my sake.' He drew a harsh breath, 'If you can forgive me.'

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

Joanna's apartment was in north-west London. She'd sold the flat she'd had in Kensington when she and Richard had married.

Although it wasn't a particularly fas.h.i.+onable part of the city, the high-rise where she now lived was fairly new, and Demetri had to press the bells of several apart ments before someone buzzed him in without querying his ident.i.ty first.

He'd tried Joanna's apartment, naturally. But she was ei ther out or not answering at the moment, and he wasn't prepared to hang about outside, waiting for her to get home. It was after six already, and November in London was just as chilly as he remembered from his student days. A cold wind probed at his loose cashmere overcoat and he thought ruefully of the more temperate climate of his homeland.

Spiro was waiting in the chauffeur-driven limousine out side.

but when Demetri stepped into the carpeted lobby of the building he signalled to his a.s.sistant that he could go. He'd contact him on his mobile later, if necessary. And, in the present circ.u.mstances, he had to accept that that was likely. Joanna hadn't returned any of his calls, and, although his father's lawyers had received a polite response to their letters, she had refused point-blank to have anything to do with the legacy Constantine had left to her.

That was why he was here, he told himself. Since his father's funeral there had been no contact of any kind be tween them, and he was growing not only angry but frus trated. Just because she despised him that was no reason to reject his father's last wishes, and he intended to do every thing in his power to change her mind.

It was six weeks since he'd buried his father, and this was the first opportunity he'd had to come here. Becoming the head of Kastro International had not been easy. He'd thought he was prepared for the weight of responsibility he would have to shoulder, but the reality had proved so much harder to bear.

Apart from anything else, in those first few weeks he had been grieving, too, and he had been astonished by the sense of bereavement he'd felt-not just at his fa ther's death, but at Joanna's refusal to speak to him. It was crazy, he knew, but he'd badly needed some support and she was the only person he'd wanted to give it to him.