“I’m afraid those have gone the way of the dinosaur.” Olivia pointed the telescope away from Spiro’s home. “How did you find Grandpa?”

“I didn’t. My parents arranged the marriage.”

Olivia winced. “How old were you?”

“Sixteen. I was from Kos.” Eleni gestured to the south, where the island of Kos was located. “I met your grandfather here on Patmos at our engagement party. I told Hector right away that he must never lie to me because I would know. And I would make his life miserable.”

Olivia blinked. “That didn’t scare him away?” Learning that she was a human lie detector had certainly made her high school boyfriend run for the hills.

“Hector was surprised, but then he said we should both be honest, because if I lied, he could make me miserable, too.” Eleni chuckled. “And then he said I was the bravest, most beautiful woman he’d ever met. And I knew he was telling the truth.”

“Oh.” Olivia’s heart squeezed. “That’s sweet.”

“Six months after the wedding, he told me he loved me, and that was the truth, too.” Eleni’s eyes glittered with unshed tears.

“And he never lied?” Olivia whispered.

“Once. When your father was young, he fell out of a tree and broke his arm. Hector told me not to worry, that he was certain our boy would be all right. But he was lying. He was scared stiff. So was I.”

“That’s not much of a lie. He was trying to comfort you.”

Eleni nodded. “Not all lies are bad. It is the intent to deceive that is bad. Your grandfather was a good man, may God rest his soul.” She crossed herself in the Orthodox fashion, touching her right shoulder first.

Olivia crossed herself, too, an automatic response that had been ingrained in her since childhood.

Eleni blinked away her tears and straightened her thin shoulders. “I’ll make you a cup of chamomile tea. It will help you sleep.” She hurried back into the house.