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‘I’m sorry he deceived you,’ he said, ‘I really am. One way and another he’s made quite a mess of your life.’

‘I’ll survive,’ she shrugged. 'There are plenty of one-parent families. It won’t be easy, I know, but—I’ll manage—and without any help from you!' She shot this last statement belligerently, glaring as she did so.

‘I admire independence.’ There was a smile on his lips. ‘But it’s no good making your life a misery. Is that really the sort of lifestyle you want? Hasn’t your experience with my brother left you hankering after the better things in life?’

‘Money isn’t everything,’ she declared tightly.

‘How about love?’ It was a loaded question.

She refused to look at him, twisting her fingers nervously together. ‘Love isn’t everything either.’

‘Isn’t it?’ He tilted her chin towards him, his fingers firm. She was compelled to look into his eyes. ‘You said you loved me. I shouted you down, but now I’m asking you again whether it’s true?’

‘Does it matter?’ she husked, her breast heaving as she fought for control, a lump in her throat threatening to choke her if he did not let her go. ‘You don’t love me—so it’s really of no importance how I feel.’

His eyes never moved from her face. ‘I didn’t want to believe you. I told myself you were not to be trusted. I’ve been rotten to you, Miranda, I freely admit that, but ’ He stopped and sighed and searched for the right words. ‘But you’ve got to me like no other woman ever has. I simply couldn’t let you go, I had to find out whether you were speaking the truth.’

‘And now you know.’ She could not move, but she lowered her lids, looking down at the big capable hand that gripped her chin. Tiny dark hairs grew out of each pore and his gold watch peeped from beneath a white cuff.

‘You do love me?’

She nodded, still not looking at him. ‘I’m such a fool.’

‘Oh, Miranda,’ he groaned, and heedless of the other passengers he drew her into his arms. ‘Miranda, it’s me who the fool, a suspicious, lily-livered fool. I’ve been afraid of my own feelings, do you know that? I’ve fought and fought against falling in love with you—I’ve told myself you’re all kinds of a rotter—but it’s no use. I love you, Miranda.’

She looked at him then, her eyes filled with sadness. ‘I wish you hadn’t told me. It’s going to make it all the harder when we part.’

He stiffened and held her an inch or two away, his face fierce all of a sudden. ‘What do you mean? I want to marry you, Miranda, once everything’s sorted out. Haven’t I made myself clear?’

‘How can you?’ she cried. ‘Aren’t you forgetting the baby? Heavens, I can’t expect you to bring up another man’s child!’

A smile softened his features and he relaxed, weaving his fingers through her hair so that he could hold her head close and kiss her. ‘Not another man,
chryso mou
—my brother. It makes a world of difference. And besides, we’ll have children of our own, lots of them. They’ll all be Alexidises.’

‘It doesn’t seem right,’ Miranda demurred.

Theo shook his head indulgently. ‘I don’t mind, and surely that’s all that matters? It’s a delicate situation, I agree. If Georgios knew, he would want it, he’d fight tooth and nail for it, but could you see Zoe accepting another woman’s baby, even if her husband was the father? She’d go for good if she ever found out. This has to be our secret, Miranda. We’re doing them a favour. We can always pass it off as premature—or even let them think that ’

He did not go on, he did not need to. Miranda felt a' golden warmth flow through her. She was being offered a chance of happiness that she had never expected.

But she was still not sure that she would be doing the right thing. ‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘It’s too much to expect of you. There must be plenty of other more suitable girls. You can’t have reached the age you are without falling in love. Why have you never married?’ He grinned, his teeth very white against his copper-tanned face. ‘You think there’s something wrong with me? I’m afraid it’s more prosaic than that. It used to be the custom in Greece for the eldest son to see all his sisters married before himself. Admittedly, this tradition is not so common these days, but it was my father’s wish—and as I never happened to find a girl I wanted to marry, it was no hardship. Now Eleni’s settled and I’ve met you, and I have no wish to remain a bachelor any longer. So you see, you have no excuse.’

‘I can’t believe it,’ murmured Miranda. ‘Aren’t you jealous of Georgios?’

‘Like hell,’ he admitted. ‘But also grateful to him for bringing you to me. I think I knew the moment we met that I was in danger of falling in love.’

‘And I felt attracted to you. I was so ashamed, because I still thought I loved Georgios. Then when he refused to acknowledge me, and I spent more time in your company than his ’

‘You couldn’t resist me,’ Theo interjected wickedly. ‘I think we were made for each other. I think fate had decided we should meet long before we did.’

He kissed her then, and all Miranda’s fears faded. She even forgot they were not alone, returning his kisses with an abandon that surprised herself and delighted him.

‘Chryso mou.
I do love you,’ he murmured into her hair. ‘I wish I could marry you right now.’

She smiled and shook her head. ‘What an impatient man you are, and what is this
chryso mou
you keep calling me? I hope it’s something nice.’

‘It means my golden one,’ he replied. ‘Because of your hair. It’s so beautiful, like threads of sunshine. You’ll always be my golden one, Miranda, even when you’re old and grey. You’ve brought joy into my heart such as I have never known.’

He paused, then said softly, ‘I hope my mother is looking down on us. She said it was a pity that you were married, because she thought you would make me an admirable wife.’

‘I never knew,’ said Miranda. ‘I do hope she forgives my deception. I never actually lied, I just let her think Eleni’s assumption was right. It seemed best.’

‘It was best,’ Theo agreed. ‘She died a happy woman, and you are now making me a happy man. What more can we ask?’

‘Nothing,’ said Miranda blissfully, nestling into the warmth and strength of his arms.