Greek Wedding (28 page)

‘Oh! So—no doctor?'

‘What a good thing Peter's so much better,' said Jenny cheerfully.

The intermittent gunfire between the two forts continued, the town gates remained shut and food prices soared. Several houses were destroyed, and a ball from the Palamede hit the converted Mosque where the Government met, and wounded three senators. This had much more effect than a hundred civilian deaths and they promptly packed up and moved to the Burj, a fortified island in the bay out of range of the firing.

In the house under the cliff, things went on with an odd appearance of calm. Price, characteristically, turned out to have been building up a reserve of supplies, so that though their diet was dull it was perfectly adequate.

‘I still think we're safer here.' Brett and Marcos, the only two who now left the house, had just returned from a walk to the central square. ‘I don't a bit like the look of the soldiers at the town gate.' Nor did he much relish the idea of escorting the three women through the crowded and panicky streets, where looting and disorder of every kind were already rife.

‘Besides,' said Jenny, ‘Alex said he'd come for us if he heard of trouble in Nauplia. We really need his escort round Matapan,
don't we, Brett?'

‘Yes, I think we do. Unless of course the
Cambrian
or one of the other Allied ships is going that way.'

‘Which seems extremely unlikely.' Peter joined them fully dressed. ‘It would be madness not to wait for Alex. We can count on him.'

‘In so far as we can count on anything,' said Brett. ‘But at least, thank God, the
Helena's
still there in the harbour, safe and sound.'

‘Does that surprise you?' Peter's tone was belligerent. ‘You don't seriously think she's likely to be attacked right here in the Bay of Nauplia, under the nose of the Government?'

‘Frankly, nothing would surprise me by now.'

‘You don't understand the Greeks.'

‘I'm not sure I want to.'

‘I don't like to think what that book of yours is going to be like!'

‘It's going to be a tearing success!' Jenny intervened, as so often when things began to go wrong between the two men. ‘I hope you're making the most of this episode, B. What's the title to be now? “Between Two Fires”?'

‘It's not a bad one,' said Brett. ‘I suppose all we need now is an attack by Ibrahim Pasha to make it three.'

‘Yes indeed!' Peter actually seemed to welcome the idea. ‘If Ibrahim would only attack, the Greeks would unite at once.'

‘Rather a drastic way of achieving it, surely?'

As so often, Peter took no notice of Phyllida's comment. Later, alone with Jenny, she made herself raise what she felt to be a difficult subject. ‘I
am
grateful to you for smoothing things down between your brother and mine. Sometimes I almost wish poor Peter was still confined to his room.'

‘Prickly, isn't he?' said Jenny cheerfully. ‘I expect being defeated, and surrendering, and all that was a perfectly horrid experience. He'll get over it.'

‘I hope so.' It was on the tip of her tongue to warn Jenny of his intentions towards her, but what right had she to do so?

‘Just the same, Jenny went on. ‘I can't say I'll be sorry to get away from here. Though mind you it's going to be no picnic on the
Helena
. Have you thought what a crowd we're going to be?'

‘I have indeed! I'd even wondered whether Peter mightn't
consider sailing on the
Philip
—if Alex really comes.' Odd to find herself actually wishing he would. ‘Lord! That was a near one!' Most of the time they pretended not to notice the sporadic outbursts of gunfire, but this shot had been very much too close for comfort.

‘Yes! Look at the dust. Poor Price, he'll be quite in despair. I do hope they mend their aim before they fire again. Do you think we ought to go and see if anyone's been hurt next door?'

But Brett refused to allow this. He and Marcos went and returned to report that the ball had merely set fire to an empty house.

‘Merely!' said Jenny.

‘Well, kitten, you know what I mean.'

‘I do indeed. It's remarkable, isn't it, how one can get used to anything. Was it like this in the Acropolis, Peter? Did you get so you hardly noticed?'

‘Good God! You don't delude yourself that this is anything like what we endured on the Acropolis! Compared to what we went through, this is merely playing at war.'

‘It's playing quite hard enough for me. I can see I'm not the stuff heroines are made of. Right now, I'd give my eye-teeth for a quiet country walk and a picnic of fruit at the end of it.'

‘Just to get out!' said Phyllida. ‘Are you sure we couldn't be out helping with the wounded, Brett?'

‘Quite sure.'

‘Idiotic!' said Peter. ‘If you didn't faint at the blood, you would at the remedies the Greeks use.'

‘I might,' said Jenny. ‘But Phyllida wouldn't. She's game for anything.'

‘Most unsuitable,' said Peter.

Jenny rounded on him. ‘Really, there's no satisfying you today! I shall go and help Aunt Cass with the mending!' She flounced out of the room, closely followed by Brett.

‘Promising!' Peter moved closer to Phyllida, who had been busy all this time with some copying for Brett's book. ‘It's always a good sign when they begin to lose their temper with one. I wish I could decide whether to declare myself before or after you make over my estate to me. She's such a romantic little idiot, she might prefer to accept me for my
beaux yeux
alone, don't you think? Specially as, from what I can gather, she's got
nothing herself except some shabby old family jewellery. Lucky I'll have enough for two! But what do you think, Phyl? Shall I throw myself at her feet in all my interesting convalescence, or wait till Zante?'

She looked up at him, troubled. ‘Do you care about her at all, Peter?'

‘Care? Of course I care! It's a chance in a thousand! You don't understand anything, do you? It's connection that counts in the world, and that's what she's got. Look at the way that brother of hers sails about the Mediterranean as if it belonged to him. I count on you to turn him up sweet about this, by the way. I wouldn't be surprised if he took against the idea at first, but you and my Jenny will bring him about between you.'

His Jenny? ‘Aren't you taking things a bit for granted?'

‘I might have known you'd take that line! Trust you to put a spoke in my wheel if you can! I warn you, Phil, if you try and turn Jenny against me, you'll regret it to your dying day.'

‘But, Peter!' No use. He had slammed out of the room. She sighed, picked up her pen and went on with her copying. At least Brett still let her do this for him. Jenny and Cassandra might help with his first drafts, but the final version of the book would all be in her beautiful copperplate hand. Writing away, she could not shake off her anxiety about Peter. What ought she to do? Speak to Jenny? Speak to Brett? But how could she speak to Brett, when he contrived never to be alone with her? Besides, everything she did went wrong. Best let things alone? And blame herself for ever if Jenny should accept Peter, and be wretched? She was so young…

A tear fell, blotting the page. As if they were not short enough of paper already. She jumped furiously to her feet, and was aware, as she did so of angry voices in the courtyard. Brett and Peter. Now what?

It must have blown up very suddenly. ‘I'm going, I tell you!' Peter was still incredibly gaunt, and weak to match, and they had so far managed to persuade him not to leave the house. ‘I'll be able to get more sense out of them in five minutes than you and Marcos can in days of pleading. I've fought for them, remember. I'm one of them.'

‘Yes,' said Brett reasonably. ‘Just so long as you don't happen to be on the wrong side. Have you considered that? There's a good deal of feeling in town about the surrender of the Acropolis.
No, don't flare up at me! I know as well as you do that it was no decision of yours, but what's reason to an angry Greek? Besides, if you could persuade them to let us out, as, perhaps, you could, we'd merely have to wait on board the
Helena
till Alex arrives. If we're crowded and cross here, what will it be like there, do you think?'

His reasonable tone was wasted on Peter. ‘You think I'm suffering with my “nerves” do you? Don't you realise how near that last ball came? Death's nothing to me. I've faced it a thousand times. I'm thinking of your sister. How will you feel when you see her lying dead—or, worse still, raped at your feet?'

‘Surprised,' said Brett equably. ‘Look, Mr. Vannick, I'm not a fool. I've thought, over and over again, of the risks to which my sister—and yours too, and her aunt are exposed. I'm responsible for them, and I shall do my best to see them safe out of this danger, into which, by the way, they would never have to run but for you. You've been a soldier; you must have seen the dangers of a divided command. I'm in command here, and I intend to remain so. And I've made up my mind. We will all remain here, together, to await Alex's arrival.'

Phyllida, listening unashamedly from the concealing darkness of the saloon, had a moment of terror, afraid it would come to blows. But—had Peter remembered that this was Jenny's brother?—his answer, when it came at last, was surprisingly meek, ‘I'm sorry. It's this inaction. It's my anxiety for her, for your sister, for Jenny!'

‘Believe me,' said Brett, ‘I am anxious for her too. And for Phyllida and her aunt,' he added and brought uncontrollable tears to Phyllida's eyes.

‘What's the matter, love?' Jenny joined her. ‘Been listening, too? That was a turnup for the books, wasn't it? Or for the book!' Wickedly. ‘I wonder if we could persuade Brett to write it in. He put that suitor of mine nicely in his place, didn't he?'

‘Suitor?'

‘I'm not quite a fool. What I don't rightly understand is why he wants me. Not for love, I'm sure, nor yet for my riches, since I've none.'

‘He says connection is the most important thing in the world.' There, it was out, and she was glad.

‘So that's it. I did wonder. Thank you, Phyl; that will help. And now, dry your eyes for goodness sake. They're coming in and, remember, we've not heard a word of it. One good thing: there's less chance of the two of them coming actually to blows if Peter's after me. He's a cold-blooded one, that brother of yours.'

It was cool comfort to Phyllida. She wished now that she had thought up some pretext to make Peter defer his offer for Jenny till they reached Zante. What would happen if he should propose now, and be refused? She did not much like to think of it, and nor, apparently, did Jenny. The two of them found themselves in tacit conspiracy to avoid any dangerous tête-à-tête. It was easy enough, in that crowded house, but Phyllida had an uncomfortable feeling that Peter was beginning to recognise and resent their tactics.

She would not have imagined it possible to be so pleased when Alex walked into the house a few days later: ‘Alex! At last.' And then afraid that he might interpret this in a more personal sense than it was meant: ‘We've been waiting for you. Have you really come to escort us round to Zante?'

‘Did I not promise I would? I'm only sorry I could not get here sooner, but there are so few of us, now the Hydriots and Spetsiots have deserted the cause. What remains of it.' Bitterly.

‘Are things very bad?' Brett asked it when the first flurry of greetings were over. ‘It's been impossible to get news of any kind, shut up here in Nauplia.'

‘But you're none the worse I'm glad to see.' Alex had made a rapid circle of the room. ‘As for the news; it's good and bad mixed, as usual. On the surface, things could hardly be blacker. Reshid Pasha carries all before him in Attica, and Ibrahim is burning and harrying here in the Morea. And as for Capodistrias, our fine new President, so far as I know he's got no farther than Paris. But there is some good news just the same. The Great Powers have come to our help at last. Great Britain, France and Russia have signed a treaty at London, calling for an immediate truce between Turkey and Greece and instructing their navies to see that it is observed. I understand that a messenger was sent at once to Egypt to prevent the new fleet we're threatened with from sailing from there.'

‘Did he get there in time?' asked Brett.

‘I don't know. But you can see what a difference this makes to
everything. Our good friends like Hamilton will be able to help us now, instead of standing by to watch us bleed. It's the beginning of the end for Turkey.'

‘And you want us to turn tail and go off to Zante!' Peter thrust his way into the conversation. ‘I thank you, no!'

‘I'm afraid we must, Peter.' Brett's tone was patient. ‘Now that Alex is here to escort us. I know exactly how you feel, but you must see that we wouldn't be justified in exposing the ladies to the danger here a moment longer than we must.' The whine of a cannon ball, passing high overhead, added point to his words.

‘He's right,
koumbaros
,' said Alex. ‘Not even the news of the Treaty of London has brought these madmen here to their senses. Codrington has tried; Fabvier has tried; they'll listen to no one. Only God knows how long the fighting here will continue. And the town's in a bad state. It's not only stray cannon balls that the ladies have to fear. If you'll be advised by me, you'll make your preparations today and leave at first light tomorrow. Sooner, if possible.'

‘Tonight?' said Phyllida eagerly. ‘We've had everything ready since the trouble started, and I'm afraid I'm coward enough not to want to waste a minute. How stupid it would be to be killed now, when you're here to save us, Alex.'