Part 2 (1/2)

'It is a material woven only here,' Elithia replied. 'It will give you confidence to walk with pride in your body, and give you strength in your own self-belief. Her words made Penny feel again the indistinct feeling she had on waking, a feeling of things unexplained.

'That's amazing, who makes it? What's it actually made from?'

'Do not worry about it, we have other things to think about.' Elithia pa.s.sed her hand comfortingly over Penny's tight, round belly, and Penny forgot what it was she wanted to say, but the feeling of unexplained mystery remained, never to leave her. She felt she had always been on the Island. There was a vague memory of other times when she had lived elsewhere but it was too difficult to bring them to mind.

From then until the birth Elithia kept her busy with pre-natal exercises, sewing children's garments, and other maternal pursuits. Lucina on her return, visited her often and they walked together along s.h.i.+mmering beaches, while she talked to her of her plans.

'So you see how it is,' Lucina said one brilliant day, the Aegean light making the blue of the sea unreal. They were walking along the beach at Psathi. Penny picked grapes from a bunch in her hand and ate them one at a time enjoying the luxury of it all. Pretty whitecaps from the gentle surf scrolled at their bare feet.

'The olives on Ios are the best in the world. They produce the best pure virgin oil; but we are too lazy here to make anything of it. My women prefer to idle their time spinning in the sun. The men fish and spend their days mending nets and drinking in the tavernas. The olives are mine, I inherited them and up to now I had no interest in them. I need someone to work on my behalf, there is a fortune to be made from the oil and I would like to develop my business interests beyond that, but I need someone who will look out for me. I will of course help out myself from time to time and act as a proper partner.'

Penny contemplated her distended stomach. Although she wanted to have Alexis' child she did not feel cut out for motherhood. She was too young and had no desire to spend all her time caring for babies. Somewhere inside her was driving her to change things. To stop something happening. Her unexpected pregnancy had put all thoughts of the future from her. She knew nothing of olives nor of business but found she had listened with interest to Lucina's desire to develop her enterprise and felt that she would like to work with this fascinating woman.

'I'd love to do something useful to help but isn't this likely to get in the way?'

'Don't worry too much about that. I've told you that Elithia is an expert with children and births and all that kind of thing. She and Mnemosyne will care for the offspring, while we can get on and enjoy ourselves. What do you say? Lots of children are brought up quite satisfactorily by good carers while mothers do other things.'

Penny regarded her surroundings. While Psathi and the island was beautiful indeed, it was a place for a long holiday not for a real life of doing. Why not have these excellent women of Lucina care for the child while she got into the olive oil business?

'It's a deal!' and they shook hands.

The next morning Penny's waters broke and by lunchtime she was sensing the first contractions. Elithia always on hand, prepared the chamber and the helpers. Lucina was like a cat on hot bricks, fussing about, walking in and out, holding Penny's hand, panting with her between contractions. There was some pain during the contractions but it was not as bad as she had expected. She obeyed all the instructions given to her by Elithia but was distracted more than she liked from the business in hand by Lucina. Expectation was emanating from her. Lucina kept anxiously viewing Elithia in a way which seemed questioning to Penny and more than simple nervousness about the birth itself. Something else was going on, in which she was not involved. Even amid the pangs of childbirth Penny had the feeling of being only partially the focus of attention. A feeling of being used, of being a means to ends known only to Lucina and probably Elithia.

Just as these thoughts were clarifying in her mind she felt the baby come and pushed on Elithia's instructions until her face was puce with the effort.

'A boy!' exclaimed Lucina. 'We will call him Alexander!' She was more jubilant, if that were possible than the exhausted mother. She held the child high as if offering him the to the four corners of the world. At that very moment Penny was amazed to find herself pus.h.i.+ng again. She supposed it was the afterbirth coming.

Surprised, Penny was never ever to be sure about what she thought was happening. She was given no part in Lucina's triumphant celebration; and she felt an enormous sense of disappointment. In a moment caught from the edge of her awareness, from the corner of her eye she noticed something she was sure she was not supposed to see. It was almost missed as she went into what seemed like the throes of labour for the second and unexpected time. The arrival of the unexpected daughter, a twin, was so overwhelming that never ever could she be certain that what she saw was real or something she imagined in her exhaustion.

'We will call this one 'Thea!' exclaimed Elithia, this time.

What she thought she saw and was not supposed to see, was Lucina suckling the baby boy at her breast as she turned her back on the struggling Penny. Her memory of the whole episode was however very vague, more dream than substance. But the image persisted. She had no expectation of twins but Elithia, apparently knew and made no attempt to disguise her pleasure, Lucina continued holding the new born aloft exulting and dancing with the first-born child held high.

It seemed thereafter to Penny that her life and that of her son was predicated on an unexplained mystery, like the letter from Greece, the death or non-death of Alexis, the arrival of a twin to Alexander. It only vaguely occurred to her that she had no part in naming either of the children. To none of this had she answers. All attempts at explanations from Lucina, Elithia, Mnemosyne or any of the others she met on Ios produced nothing satisfactory. Always they glossed over any real inquiry. The reward for silence and loyalty to Lucina was unbounded, total and fulfilling. Living with the mystery was more than compensated.

When she was fully recovered from her confinement Mnemosyne, or 'Nemmi' as the baby Alexander called her, became a nanny to the twins, and Penny was soon immersed by Lucina in the olive oil business.

'See, you will need something better to do than change nappies my dear,' Lucina had said a little over a week after the birth of the twins. Mnemosyne will occupy the children, let us now make plans for my little olive oil company.' Penny found the children charming and fascinating at a distance. Even had she wanted to play the doting mother she soon found Elithia and Mnemosyne quite got in the way and managed all the little things necessary for bringing up of babies. To her own relief, and she suspected to that of the others, motherhood was not something that came naturally to her. She did not need much persuasion to leave the daily care of the children to them. The babies thrived and for some reason seemed to adore her when she had the time to play with them. It was a perfect arrangement.

Penny soon discovered she found the idea of offspring more interesting than the practical and daily business of feeding and changing. She was pleased to keep her own s.p.a.ce. Thea seemed to need no maternal presence and Alexander received so much from Nemmi that any feelings of inadequacy were more than compensated and so she felt no pressing need to compete on such obviously unequal terms. Besides, the idea of developing a business with the powerful Lucina was more interesting than the daily ch.o.r.es of motherhood.

The company which Lucina called Joint National Oils (JNO) (the Roman form for Hera was Juno and Hera liked the joke) and which Penny always called 'the Firm', grew and grew from the first dozen or so caiques transporting olive oil of the highest quality from Ios to the mainland. Lucina provided the working capital and Penny soon proved an effective managing director. The two women revelled in the world of business. They used the element of surprise and an acute ac.u.men backed by the unscrupulous use of their femininity. Penny soon realised Lucina had access to information about rival Firms and supply systems from unknown sources and although she wondered about this, things were going too well and too fast to worry about how everything happened. There was simply too much to do.

It was not long before, as well as the olive oil business, she found herself running a large s.h.i.+pping company owned by Lucina's husband, Zarian Dodona of New York. Before most of their rivals were aware of this new power behind the company, they had been bought up or otherwise hung out to dry. It was not long before Ios became too distant a centre for control of the growing diversification of the European side of the business and within a couple of years of the birth of the twins Penny had set up an office in the City of London. She began by buying olive groves throughout Europe, diversified into other commodities, wheat, timber and coffee. Linked to Zarian's s.h.i.+pping company, she bought and transported anything that came from the earth. She bought into oil-rigs, refineries and petrol stations. There were few indeed who had any idea of the Firm's beginnings with the pretty caiques loaded with slick, green tins of extra virgin olive oil, which plied between Ios and the mainland. The sheer pace of the growth of this amazingly wonderful network of links kept Penny fully occupied.

Lucina's magical personality rubbed off on everyone, especially Penny who became truly married to the Firm, no man since Alexis could ever give her so much excitement or fulfilment. From time to time she slaked her s.e.xual desires, but never gave an inch of herself. She broke a few hearts and many an ego, but was truly married to the Firm.

Chapter 4.

Alexander Conway was feeling on edge as he waited for his twin sister Thea in the panelled entrance hall of the large house on East Heath road, Hampstead which gave onto the Heath, where they lived with their mother Penny and Nemmi, Alexander's nurse and mentor. While Alexander knew very well that Penny was his natural mother, Nemmi had been so central to his life that if asked who mattered most to him he would immediately have plunged into a dilemma and would probably have plumped for Nemmi.

He loved the house, more so since his sixteenth Birthday when Penny had arranged for JNO to build his own separate bachelor pad over the garage. To give him his freedom, she'd said. He didn't think he needed freedom from anything. Penny said he needed his own s.p.a.ce away from Thea and Nemmi from time to time, where he could do his own thing. Have friends round and so on. He couldn't see it himself. With old Nems and Thi, around what use were friends? Nevertheless he felt grown up in the flat and could play his hi-fi as loudly as he liked. Above the garage he was aware of his beloved Triumph 600 below him, now amazingly and unexpectedly joined by the addition of his XK, an early birthday present from Penny.

Tomorrow he and Thea were eighteen and JNO was throwing a party at Markham Hall, the Firm's country house near Oxford. He didn't want a special party. Above all he didn't want to meet Lucina who appeared to have organised it. She always made him feel uncomfortable whenever he encountered her, which was fortunately not often. She kind of just loomed over him expectantly and made him feel utterly inadequate. She didn't seem to have this effect on Thea or Nemmi, but he thought his mother was nervous when her boss was around.

The baby from Ios was now over six feet and growing. Strong and supple he skied in the winter and last summer had begun rock climbing. He had his eye on sky diving but Penny was putting her foot down over that. He'd nagged her silly for the Triumph, and in the end bought it without her permission. The Jaguar, she said, handing him the keys, will get you in a vehicle with at least one wheel on each corner. Use it to get out and about with your friends. He had a problem understanding Penny's need to encourage him to make close friends, didn't he have loads of skiing and climbing companions? What if there was no one person with whom he had a close relations.h.i.+p? He couldn't think why that was such a big deal. Thea and or Nemmi were more important to him than anyone, except Penny herself whom he saw too infrequently. He didn't know she thought him socially unaccomplished nor did he realise she worried that the rich and good looking were too easily befriended.

His thick, fair, curly hair worn long to the shoulder had a tendency to fall across his face like a curtain, which necessitated a good deal of hair flicking with his hand. His stature, the halo of hair, the slow grace of his movements, together with his expensive clothes and the insouciance of the carefree had lately prompted second glances from pa.s.sing women. He was saved from conceit by a social naivety deliberately developed by Mnemosyne that artlessly prevented him from being aware of his affect on others so that he was not too much contaminated by mortal relations.h.i.+ps. She ensured it never crossed his mind that others might think about him at all.

He was pacing the hallway jingling his car keys fractiously from which dangled an enamelled Jaguar badge in red and gold. He wore skin tight driving gloves, and a brand new Harris Tweed cap, which, unsure of the right angle to suit his hair, he kept adjusting. Jeans, tee s.h.i.+rt, an unfastened leather waistcoat and cowboy boots, made up the rest. Under the peak of the cap a pair of very blue eyes and a finely chiselled nose sat below a wide brow. Finely drawn lips were moulded into a strong chin and muscular neck. It was no accident that Michaelangelo's David sprang to mind in many who saw him.

Themis, currently known as Thea, stepped lightly down the staircase, Her jet black pony-tail swinging. Even features, long legs, drawn hair, fine arms and general lightness of bearing made her resemble the perfect prima ballerina, a form of mortal woman she admired.

Spotting Alexander waiting impatiently in the hall, for a moment she thought she saw his father standing there and thought that at least he'd inherited some of the attributes of his ill.u.s.trious begetter. 'Relax Stirling Moss, you'll get to drive your stupid dream machine to Markham. There's plenty of time....and that hat's ridiculous.' Too often she was exasperated by how weak mortals were. Not just in body but in the paltriness of their brains and her impatience had begun to wear at her accustomed iron control.

Unable to get it to fit correctly Alexander threw the offending hat on the hall table, smoothed his hair back and grinned at her. He lifted his eyes and watched her descend. She'd gone sarky on him again. He was sure it wasn't him but you couldn't win arguments with Thea. Twins they may be but she had an unerring ability to always be right. She saw right through him as if his mind were encased in gla.s.s. Lately he thought she'd become a bit distant and sardonic towards him. He took her attention for granted and relied on her a great deal, so that her current att.i.tude foxed and upset him.

She saw the effect on him and knew she was being unsubtle, but she had to wean him off her; both she and Mnemosyne were in danger of overcooking the goose. He was far too dependent on them. He'd soon have to stand alone and work out how to manage in the world with the knowledge he had from her and Mnemosyne. He was no Heracles. She knew his mind and the human self-doubt that lurked there. Add a G.o.dly arrogance inherited from his father and here were irreconcilable characteristics only he could manage for himself.

Thea walked past him into the sunlight of the half-moon gravelled drive flanked at each end by tall pillars, capped by stone b.a.l.l.s.

How self-a.s.sured she was, he thought. I wonder if I'll ever manage to be like her? He ran out after her to the door of the parked white XK150. Grinning, he opened it and doffed his non-existent cap like a chauffeur, his hair obscuring his face. He stood up and flicked it back. She folded herself elegantly into the low leather seat like a b.u.t.terfly. He loved the way she did that. He felt himself such an oaf beside her. Still grinning, he bowed deeply, indicating the length of the car with a flourish of his arm. He forced a smile from her. Thank the G.o.ds for small mercies he thought. He ran round the long bonnet and jumped over the door into the seat with one bound.

'Once an oaf always an oaf,' he muttered loudly so she would hear.

'Shut up idiot and drive,' she said.

'What's with you Thi? You're coming at me all elbows and knees these days. What have I done?'

She supposed she wasn't doing this properly and was out of her depth and she was annoyed with herself. Breaking off from him was proving very difficult, but the truth was she was no good as a person. Handling humans, it turned out wasn't her forte, not even half-humans. t.i.tans were not made for it and she ought to have known better than to try. At the time it had been more a question of whom you could trust rather than who would be the best candidate, so she'd volunteered under duress. If she'd known then what she knew now she could have chosen many deities who would have made a far better mortal than she. It was a good idea when she and Hera had discussed it before the birth, still, she supposed she'd manage well enough.

None of the women of Ios believed the boy would naturally have all the attributes necessary for his task merely by carrying Zeus' own DNA. If Zeus' plan was to have any chance of success he would need as much help as he could get. Hera had construed Themis' idea as an offer and jumped at it. How else could this babe understand how the G.o.ds managed in a modern world? She was very persuasive. He had to be inured in the memory of the old myths as well as current realities. He needed to take them for granted without being constantly surprised. Mnemosyne could deal with his education and Themis would ensure his general safety; to underpin him in case he slipped away from them into the purely mortal. To be born in human form and to grow like them would give her new insights into the mortal world and a closeness to Alexander unable to be achieved any other way. Well, she had managed eighteen years, but she really had no talent for the human. She kept telling herself the time spent was only a speck in the aeons, but by all the G.o.ds it was hard. She'd discussed it with Hera many times and at last they had decided she should break it off before she did something she'd regret. Alexander had his grounding, this was as good a time as any to loosen him from the ap.r.o.n strings. Hera would do it officially at a coming of age party. Rites of pa.s.sage or something like that. All adolescents went through it said Mnemosyne. He'd be officially separated from them both but all three of them would keep a watchful eye on him. They had someone in mind who would lead him on his mission when they finally revealed it to him and then by the G.o.ds, he'd need them nearby.

'You've done nothing, honestly, Alexander mou, it's me. I'm a bit....you know.' She patted his thigh in her effort to seem friendly and close. She found physical contact very difficult.

'Well I hope your 'you know' gets better before long. It's very upsetting.'

'Maybe it's this party.'

'Yeah, right, what is that all about?' He turned the ignition and fine white arrows on the black dials quivered into life, ready for ignition. He loved it, they way they jumped to attention with the current and then the roar of the twin exhausts. Beautiful. Awesome. He pressed the little black starter b.u.t.ton and touched the accelerator. The white beast throbbed into life and Alexander gunned the engine. Wow! He was Mr. Toad.

Conversation was going to be difficult on this trip, thought Thea. Nevertheless she had to tell him of their impending separation before they arrived and Lucina made her announcement.

On the busy route out of London, Alexander gave most of his attention to getting used to the car, he liked the fact it was in perfect condition. He was disturbed though. He couldn't see the need for the great fuss of a party at Markham. This didn't feel like a celebration of coming of age, more like a coming out. This was to tell the world about him and Thi and he wasn't sure why it was necessary. He couldn't think of any other reason why all these dignitaries he didn't know had been invited.

He drove confidently but too fast and particularly on corners he wasn't sure whether he was in control or the car. It was noisy with the hood down but conversation was possible as the throaty exhaust burbled through the North Western London suburbs.