Lysandros took a long breath of relief at having got that out of the way.
A slight choke made him turn and see the young woman with the luscious fair hair. She was laughing as though he’d just performed for her entertainment, and he was suddenly gripped by a rising tension, neither pleasure nor pain but a mysterious combination of both, as though the world had shifted on its axis and nothing would ever be the same again.
CHAPTER TWO
‘YOU did that very convincingly,’ Petra said. ‘You should get an Oscar.’
She’d spoken in Greek and he replied in the same language.
‘I wasn’t as convincing as all that if you saw through me.’
‘Oh, I automatically disbelieve everyone,’ she said in a teasing voice. ‘It saves a lot of time.’
He gave a polite smile. ‘How wise. You’re used to this kind of event, then? Do you work for Homer?’ He indicated her camera.
‘No, I’ve only recently met him.’
‘What do you think of him?’
‘I’ve never seen a man so in love.’ She shook her head, as if suggesting that this passed all understanding.
‘Yes, it’s a pity,’ he said.
‘What do you mean?’
‘You don’t think the bride’s in love with him, surely? To her, he’s a decoration to flaunt in her buttonhole, in addition to the diamonds he’s showered on her. The best of her career is over so she scoops him up to put on her mantelpiece. It almost makes me feel sorry for him, and I never thought I’d say that.’
‘But that means someone has brought him low at last,’ she pointed out. ‘You should be grateful to her. Think how much easier you’ll find it to defeat him in future.’
She was regarding him with her head on one side and an air of detached amusement, as though he was an interesting specimen laid out for her entertainment. A sudden frisson went through him. He didn’t understand why, and yet-