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‘Oh, Georgios!’ she breathed. ‘How awful! You must be so mixed up. Can’t you remember anything?’

'Nothing at all.’ He sounded apologetic. ‘I try not to let it bother me, but there are times when I would give all I possess to remember. It’s like acting a part in a play. I’ve been given all the details about my background but have experienced none of them personally. Or—it’s like being reborn. I’ve no childhood I can remember, nothing.’

There was black despair in his eyes that Miranda had never seen there before. ‘And do you think your family is doing the right thing, not talking about it? Wouldn't it help if they brought up little things that had happened, such as your mother did now? Can’t you really remember breaking your ankle?’

He shook his head. ‘It will take time, the doctor said. I’ve learned to live with it. It makes no difference to me whether they mention the past or not. None of it means a thing.’

But it made all the difference to her! How she wished Nikos would leave the room as well. There were many private things she wanted to ask Georgios. Then Theo and Eleni returned and the older man skilfully channelled the conversation in another direction.

After coffee in the sitting room Eleni and Nikos left them, declaring their intention of taking a walk in the garden before bedtime. There was a radiance about Eleni which belied her earlier protestations that she did not love Nikos. Miranda imagined it would not be long before they named the day.

But as for getting Georgios on his own, Theo was as resolute as before to keep them apart, and shortly after ten suggested he carry her back to her room.

She was in no position to argue, but as soon as he had deposited her on to her bed she said accusingly, ‘Why didn’t you tell me about Georgios? God, how cruel you are! Why won’t you let him remember me? Why?’

‘I won’t
allow
him?’ He managed to make her sentence sound ridiculous. ‘I have no control over my brother’s memory.’

Miranda glared up at him. ‘But you could let me convince him that we were in love. Why does he take your word instead of mine? He must wonder about it. He must think it very strange that I’m so insistent.’ Theo lifted his broad shoulders expressively, releasing his bow tie and unfastening his collar as if it threatened to choke him. ‘Naturally he would believe me rather than a complete stranger.’

‘But that’s the whole point,’ cried Miranda. ‘I’m not a stranger. If he could remember he’d tell you.’ She beat her hands on the bed. ‘Oh, it’s so stupid! I’m going to make him believe me. I am!’

‘You’ll do no such thing.’ Theo stood over her, his voice harsh and authoritative. ‘Until Georgios regains his memory I want you to promise me you’ll say nothing.’ There was no tenderness in him now. He was as hard as nails, the implacable mask fixed on his face, eyes cold.

Miranda felt screwed up inside, recoiling from Theo as though there had never been anything between them. ‘You mean that when my ankle’s better I’m to go? That you hope it will be an end to this saga?’

‘It is best,’ he said.

‘But you’re not prepared to tell me why?’ At moments like this she wondered how she ever found him attractive. There was certainly no electricity running between them at this moment.

‘It’s for Georgios’s own good.’ His cold eyes flicked over her mercilessly. ‘And yours. It’s a pity you ever became involved with him.’

‘So you do admit that I’m telling the truth?’

‘I know Georgios went to England,’ he said, ‘so it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility.’

‘Yet you’ve never told him he went there? You let him believe that he’d never seen me before.’ Miranda felt oddly cold, wrapping her arms round her body and rocking backwards and forwards. She found it difficult to accept that Theo could be so cruel. ‘You can’t order Georgios’s life like this,’ she cried. ‘He’ll never get better if you don’t help him. You’re making matters worse, can’t you see that?’

Theo sighed impatiently, his face all angles, skin drawn tightly across jutting bones, mouth grim. ‘It is at the doctor’s suggestion that we refrain from mentioning the past. And I agree with
him
. And I want you, Miranda, to comply too. It should not be hard for the few days that you are compelled to remain here.’

‘And then you’ll ship me back to England and hope poor Georgios will never find out about the baby.’ She glared hostilely. ‘What are you going to do when his memory returns? You won’t be able to tell him then that he doesn’t know me, and he won’t thank you for what you’ve done. He’ll probably kill you.’

Theo smiled dryly. ‘I don’t think so, he’s not the type.’

‘Nor am I the type to meekly fall in with your arrangements.’ She stopped rocking and faced him angrily. ‘You can’t keep watch over me day and night.

I intend finding a way to talk to Georgios whether you like it or not!’

It was difficult holding his eyes when they pierced her so intently. He dared her to defy him, looking forward to it even.

She heaved a sigh and turned her head away. ‘Get out!’ she grated. ‘The sight of you suddenly makes me sick!’

It was unexpected when his hard fingers lifted her chin, forcing her to look again into his face. ‘I hope you don’t mean that.’

‘Why?’ she demanded. ‘What difference would it make to you?’ She tried to prise his fingers away, but he was determined not to let her go, bruising her skin with a pincer-like grip that brought tears to her eyes.

‘Would you believe me if I said I do care what you think of me?’

She flashed him a wild look. ‘Not one little bit. You get your kicks by walking over people. I’d have to be an idiot not to see that. Will you please let me go!’

To her consternation Theo bent his head and possessed her mouth with his own, taking his fill, and then letting her go with an abruptness that caused her to jerk backwards.

‘To remind you that you don’t always find me disagreeable,’ he said coldly. ‘You’d best remember that the next time you feel like telling me I’m repulsive.’

Miranda wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, her beautiful green eyes full of distaste. She watched him until he left the room, a tall proud man, every inch an autocrat, and then crumpled in a heap on the bed.

She hated herself for her involuntary response to his kiss. Even though it had been taken in anger every pulse had leaped into instant confusion and it had
been difficult to hide her reaction. Had he not gone when he did, had he remained to check on her feelings, he would have undoubtedly discovered that she was in no way immune.

No one could touch a fire without getting burnt, nor could she touch Theo without a similar sensation. Not for the first time she asked herself what it all meant, why she reacted to him in this manner. There was one reason she refused to consider. It was too ludicrous for words.

She managed to get undressed and into bed without waiting for Katie, though each time she put her foot to the ground sharp pains shot through her ankle and it was a relief to lie down.

There were so many thoughts racing through her mind that it was impossible to sleep. She had never dreamed that Georgios was suffering from amnesia, but it answered so many questions that she wondered why the thought had never occurred to her. He could never have acted with such brilliance, he would surely have given himself away.

It was still a puzzle why she had never been told, although perhaps not so unlikely considering she was a total stranger in their midst. But why did Theo insist that she keep her own relationship with Georgios secret? This was a riddle she could not solve no matter how she tried.

She thought his excuse that the doctor had asked them to refrain from deliberately mentioning the past pathetic. Unless Georgios had something to hide? But what? Their life here seemed remarkably ordered and perhaps even dull. They followed a daily routine which never seemed to vary.

He had said, when she met him in England, that there was a rift between him and his family. This evidently had something to do with it. But unless anyone volunteered the information she could hardly go around asking.

Eventually she dropped into an uneasy sleep, waking when she heard the sound of voices outside her door. It was Theo and Georgios, but by the time she had pulled her wits together they had passed on.

She glanced at the clock and saw that it was a little after twelve. She had been in bed two hours. It felt like ten. She closed her eyes and wondered whether she could possibly make her way to Georgios’s room without arousing Theo. It was disappointing to admit that she could not. Her ankle would not allow her to tiptoe, and anything above that would surely be heard. Theo would be on his guard, more particularly since she had vowed to find a way to speak to Georgios. More than likely his door would be open—or her own locked!

The next few days were frustrating. Georgios did another of his disappearing acts, staying, she presumed, with Phrosini in Athens. Eleni had Nikos and they frequently took his boat over to Corfu. Admittedly they regaled her with accounts of what they had seen and done, but she could whip up no enthusiasm.

Mrs Alexidis paid her regular visits, but it was clear to Miranda that she did not approve of her keeping her supposed husband in ignorance of her condition, and Miranda was afraid to say too much in case she inadvertently triggered off another of her attacks.

She saw little of Theo. He dutifully called in each evening to see how she was progressing, but Miranda felt it was simply because he was anxious for her to be gone, and not because of any real interest in her wellbeing.

By the end of the week her ankle had mended sufficiently for her to be able to walk on it without
experiencing too much pain. Mrs Alexidis lent her one of her sticks and with its aid she was able to move out of the house and into the gardens, enjoying the glorious sunshine, but not appreciating it truly, because above all she wondered how it was going to end.

Any day now Theo would declare she was fit enough to go home. And she knew without a shadow of doubt that he would keep Georgios away from here until she did so. She still had Phrosini’s address in her bag, but there was no way she could make it to Athens in her present condition. Not that Theo would let her get away with a second attempt. Once he considered her mobile enough to get about freely he would keep her under surveillance night and day.

On Saturday Georgios came home, although it was not surprising that she was allowed no time with him. On Sunday morning Eleni suggested they visit the caves. ‘Miranda must see them before she leaves,’ she said excitedly. ‘It is an experience no one visiting our island must miss.’

Miranda flickered a glance towards Theo, not believing he would agree to such a proposition. There would be every danger she could sneak a few minutes with Georgios, unless he devoted his entire attention to her.

Amazingly he smiled and nodded. ‘An excellent idea, Eleni. Ask Katie to pack lunch. We might as well make a day of it.’

They all piled into the Land Rover, Georgios driving, and went down the mountain road to the beach where Miranda had arrived a little over a week ago. She could not believe that it was such a short time. It seemed so very much longer. So much had happened since saying goodbye to Sallianne.

Had her friend received her letter? she wondered.
Was she worried about the outcome of all this? There was no doubt that she had seen the result as inevitable, convinced before she came over here that Miranda was wasting her time. What would she make of this last momentous discovery? It was certainly a turn-up for the books. Neither had envisaged Georgios having an accident and losing his memory.

They boarded a smart white craft that was moored by the jetty.
Nikos
I
, it was called, and as Nikos himself handled it Miranda could only assume it belonged to him.

The sea was a clear sparkling turquoise, iridescent as the boat churned its surface. The undulating hillsides of the island were cloaked in olives with only an occasional brilliant splash of wild flowers. It was a halcyon day, warm, but not too hot, the sky a cloudless blue.

Only the company was less than perfect. If she and Georgios alone were making this journey, how much they could sort out. He stood now with Theo on the opposite side of the deck, a smaller, slighter man, but attractive all the same. They both wore white shirts and cream slacks, but there was no disputing that Theo was the more aggressively masculine of the two.

Until he looked at her Miranda did not realise that she had concentrated her attention upon this older brother. Now she turned quickly away and pretended to see something of interest on the shoreline. Her heart thumped erratically and she wished desperately that he hadn’t the power to do this to her.

The attraction was magnetic. She could not keep her eyes or her mind off him. Quite what quality he possessed that caused her to react this way she could not work out. It was something stronger than herself. It went against every instinct. He spelt trouble, big trouble, yet she was more attracted to him than she was to Georgios. It was a fact, and there was nothing she could do about it.

When he touched her she jerked around, her heart thumping wildly. ‘You look lonely,’ he said. ‘Why don’t you join Eleni and Nikos?’

She glanced towards the helm. ‘I don’t think they’d thank me for it,’ Eleni’s head rested on Nikos’s shoulder, his arm curved about her slim waist. They were in a world of their own.

Miranda felt a pang of something approaching envy as it occurred to her that that was the sort of relationship she would like with Theo. Always they were at each other’s throats: How wonderful it would be to have him look at her the way Nikos did Eleni!

Admittedly Theo had kissed her, but it meant nothing. It was a game. He liked to prove to her that she was as ready to accept him as any other man. He wanted her to admit that she had no feelings for Georgios.

The trouble was, the longer she remained here the closer to the truth that became. Theo was ousting his brother as she had never expected any man to. He was proving to her that the love she thought she had felt for Georgios was not the real thing.