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interesting people coming and going because there are a dozen or so enticing foreigners who live there in marvellous houses. It’s a paradise found, not lost,’ quipped the captain who was telling Chadwick more about Livakia and Manoussos than she had learned from her lover. But then she did have a vague idea what sort of people lived in Livakia: beautiful people, pleasure seekers. She had after all met Max, seen D’Arcy.
    For the next half-hour the two men spoke about Livakia, some of the residents, and about a murder that had taken place, a crime of passion against one of the foreign male residents, Arnold Topper. Manoussos seemed reluctant to talk much about it and changed the subject rather abruptly. That suited Chadwick; she had no desire to come down from the heights of love to hear about murder and a crime of passion. It actually unnerved her for a moment. One look of admiration from Manoussos and she was back on an even keel again.
    ‘And I will be able to take you out on excursions to remote mountain villages. You will adore my Crete, I have no doubt about that,’ he told her and graciously kissed her hand.
    ‘When shall we weigh anchor? Will you be sailing with us, chief?’ asked the captain.
    ‘Alas, no. I should be in Livakia as we speak, but if I might make a call, I can fix that. I’ll hitch a ride in one of the surveillance ’copters for at least part of the way. If you make ready to leave here this afternoon, you should reach Livakia in time for lunch at the Kavouria tomorrow. I’ll arrange it. Twelve, fifteen hours’ hard sailing in a good wind should do it, shouldn’t it, Dimitri?’
    ‘I would say so, Chief.’
    Turning back to Chadwick, Manoussos told her, ‘No matter what, I’ll be on the quay waiting for your arrival, you can be certain of that.’
    Then taking her gently by the elbow he ushered her away fromthe captain. Manoussos stroked her hair and caressed her cheek. ‘Don’t be unhappy. If I could sail with you, I would, but I have important work that must be done. If it were possible I would take you along with me and then to Livakia and let the
Black Narcissus
sail round to meet us. It just isn’t.’
    Her smile eased his pain at having to leave her. But he could feel her anxiety about their separation. ‘It’s only twenty-four hours, Chadwick. Each of us has waited a lifetime for this to happen to us. What are you afraid of?’
    ‘When you see me again you might love me less.’
    ‘More, only more, my love,’ he told her, taking her once more in his arms to reassure her that was the way it was going to be. Her anxiety seemed to vanish as quickly as it had appeared. Once more she was the seductive, mysterious beauty, engaging and dangerous.
    ‘I think I’ll hold you to that for the rest of our lives,’ a now much more relaxed and smiling Chadwick told him. ‘Go make your call,’ she ordered.
    On his return, they walked together from the boat down the long wooden dock to the iron gates, the taxi that would take Manoussos back into Iraklion slowly following behind them. For a long time after it and Manoussos had vanished down the dirt track away from her, Chadwick watched the dust settle. She stared into the most exquisite emptiness and allowed it to envelop her. She luxuriated in it. Here was the richest solitude she had ever known. How could it be that one man, the right man, could make everything poetry and beauty. The heart no longer a hunter, but a song.
    Walking back to the
Black Narcissus,
Chadwick thrilled to the adventure awaiting her. She was entering Manoussos’s and Max’s and D’Arcy’s world, she was going to live her life on their terms, for fun and pleasure and in a freedom such as they had made for themselves. She had a handsome young, uncomplicated man who loved her and her sexuality. She would live with him in Livakia, make a life there with him, for him, for her. She might even write another book. They would do up a house together, sail, swim, take