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running through her mind Georgios’s brother took her arm firmly. ‘Come along—Petros cannot help, he speaks no English. Unless, of course, you understand Greek?’ His lips curved humourlessly. ‘As a matter of fact we’ll take him with us. He can return Spyros’s car.’
    ‘Theo!’ Georgios suddenly. ‘I think Miranda should be allowed to stay the night at least. It’s too much to expect her to make the return journey the same day. Can’t you see how tired she looks?’
    Miranda was subjected to an insolent appraisal, those piercing eyes not missing one inch of her anatomy. Her flat sandals were hardly flattering, and what had once been a crisply pressed sundress now hung from her shoulders like a limp rag.
    She felt strained and her make-up had worn off hours ago, and because she had been too keyed up to eat a proper meal before the journey, she felt unusually weak.
    ‘She does look pathetic,’ admitted Theo. ‘But I’m sure she’s much stronger than she looks. If she had the determination to get here, then she can use it to get back. She goes!’
    Miranda felt like spitting in his eye. How could warm, loving Georgios have a brother like him? She turned appealingly to the smaller man. ‘Georgios, I’m exhausted. I’d be grateful if I could stay.’ Perhaps then they could talk without big brother breathing down their necks? She was still convinced that this was all his doing. That once she got Georgios on his own he would admit that it was a plan dreamed up by Theo to keep them apart.
    Georgios smiled, and Miranda’s heart flipped. How well she remembered that smile! It was genuine and friendly, encompassing anyone near enough to be drawn to it. It was one of his attractions, his near-perfect white teeth flashing against the darker shade of his skin.
    He turned again to his brother. ‘Theo, where’s your heart? You can’t turn her away. She looks as though she’s ready to pass out.’
    Her legs did feel strangely wobbly. She hadn’t been looking after herself as well as she should since Georgios’s disappearance, and with the baby she supposed it had taken that extra bit out of her. But the iron man could not be expected to have any sympathy.
    He looked at her now, his frozen face giving no hint of the thoughts going through his mind. ‘The vapours? How novel! Except that women these days are much stronger than their Victorian counterparts. ‘You’ll have to try again if you’re thinking of that one, Miss Martyn.’
    ‘It was I, not Miranda, who suggested she might not be well,’ said Georgios. ‘The least we can do is give her a bed for the night.’
    It was with reluctance that Theo finally nodded. ‘Very well, but first thing in the morning she goes, and you’re not to tell Mother she’s here. I can’t have Miss Martyn upsetting her with her preposterous claims.’
    Miranda felt a wave of dizziness and sat down quickly, passing a hand over her forehead. When she looked up Georgios had gone.
    Theo surveyed her coldly. ‘Let’s quit the playacting, Miss Martyn. You might fool my brother, but you certainly don’t fool me. How much do you want to go right now?’
    Her eyes were green as she glanced at him, her lids heavy so that it was an effort to keep them open. But not half so heavy as her heart. It was like a lead weight, she could even feel its painful thud as it beat against her breast bone.
    ‘I don’t want money,’ she said tiredly. ‘I want Georgios. He’s my husband, and I love him. I don’t know what you’ve said to make him act like this, but he won’t be able to keep it up. He’ll make a slip before long and then I shall know that I’m not going out of my mind.’
    ‘You’re not crazy,’ he said, ‘you’re cunning, more cunning than I at first thought. I never expected you’d have the nerve to claim you were actually married to my brother. Don’t you think that’s going a bit far? How did you think you were going to get away with it?’
    ‘I didn’t