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disappeared.   I thought it likely you’d head back to the villa, so I
followed you there.   The rest you
know."
                "Hardly.   Why were you late?"
                His
expression turned grim.   "As I
was leaving my hotel, a woman rang up saying Michael had been in an accident
and was in hospital.   I was too
shaken to think clearly and didn't stop to wonder how someone could have known
to contact me .   I think I
assumed Michael had given them my name and hotel.   However, when I arrived at the hospital no one knew anything
about Michael or the message, and I began to suspect a trick.   I rushed to the Old Fort, only to find
Michael driving away with you."
                "You
didn’t recognize the woman's voice?"
                "No,
she spoke rapidly in Greek and I was only listening with half an ear until
Michael was mentioned."
                "So
when you found out I spoke Greek, you thought I was the one who had called with
the phony message."  
                He
nodded.   "It was all too pat;
you showing up by chance right after I'd been tricked into not arriving.   I was sure you had to be
involved."
                "I
can see how it might have seemed that way," I conceded.   "What made you change your
mind?"
                He
grinned ruefully.   "You
did.   At first I couldn't believe
you were as innocent as you kept claiming to be, but after a while I began to
wonder."   He stood up.   "Look, can I move this chair
closer?   I feel a bit of a fool
talking across the room at you."
                I
told him I didn't care less what he did with the chair, so he set it down right
in front of me.   "There,
that's more like it.   Now I can see
your face properly."
                "The
better to tell if I'm lying?" I snapped, disconcerted by his closeness.
                "No.   The better to see those pretty blue
eyes of yours," he replied softly.
                I
looked away in surprise, only to have my gaze caught by the rather too
attractive view of throat and chest revealed by his open shirt.   "Don't you think it strange
someone would go to such lengths to keep you from meeting Michael?"
                "No.   My dear sister-in-law is determined to
keep me away from him, which is why she brought him to Greece."   He paused and continued in a gentler
tone, "Look, I'm sorry I was so hard on you our first meeting, but Michael's
accident gave me a bad scare, and when Skouras threw me out, I was determined
to confront you and get the truth."
                I
grimaced.   "It's almost comic
in a way.   You convinced I must be
working for your sister-in-law; your sister-in-law convinced I must be working
for you."
                He
ran a hand through his hair.   "You
must think us all quite mad."
                "Yes,
but I'm willing to accept that I might be wrong."
                "Are
you?" he asked with a sudden smile.   "Well, that's progress."
                I
returned the smile.   I couldn't
help it.   For a few moments we sat
in amicable silence.   Then I said,
"Look, about Michael -- I know it's none of my business --"
                I
was interrupted by a knock at the door, which was probably just as well.   My words had driven all friendliness
from Geoffrey’s expression.   I
started to get up.   "No, let
me," he snapped, crossing to the door and opening it.
                It
was Spiro.   He was holding a
delicately balanced tower of dishes with an ease that would have put a waiter
to shame, but the tower almost collapsed when he saw who had opened the door.   "Redfield!" he exclaimed,
sounding anything but pleased.  
                "Skouras,"
acknowledged Geoffrey, in an equally unfriendly tone.   The two men eyed each other like dogs ready to circle.
                "May
I enter?"