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state of companionship would develop between Leon and herself. It
never dawned on her that, being a Greek, he would be almost sure to
have a pillow friend; she sublimely imagined herself to be the only
woman in his life - at least, at the present time. It had occurred to her
that he must have had women; after he had made love to her she had
no doubts about this at all, for one could not learn an art like that
without practice.
The girl was Greek, and beautiful in a rather worldly sort of way in
that she appeared to have just emerged from the most exclusive - and
expensive - beauty salon in Paris or London. She was sitting in the
lounge when Tara returned from a stroll on the beach. Savvas had met
Tara half-way along the path, looking decidedly put out and agitated.
There was a visitor waiting, he said, and although Tara asked who
this visitor was she could not get any more out of Savvas.
He just repeated what he had already said and made a hasty departure
towards the back of the villa.
The girl was sitting comfortably on the couch, one slender leg crossed
over the other, a long cigarette holder between her fingers. Insolent
eyes travelled over Tara from head to foot, taking in the tousled hair
and the plain cotton dress, the walking sandals filmed with dust, for
the road leading from the beach was unpaved. The other girl had
come by taxi, Savvas had said.
'Who are you?' Tara broke the silence, her head lifting high at the
girl's insolent expression. 'Do you want my husband?'
'Husband!' The girl's teeth snapped together. Clearly she was fighting
down an inner fury. 'No, not at the moment. In any case, he isn't here;
Savvas tells me he's in Athens.'
'Who are you?' inquired Tara again, and was told the girl's name was
Helena Komitas, and that she lived on the island of Aegina.
'Leon was with me just under three weeks ago and he never said a
word about being married. How long has he been married?'
The colour drained from Tara's face.
'He was with you - on Aegina?' He had not said where he was going -
he never had until this time - but somehow Tara had gained the
impression that he was going to a business conference in Athens. He
had been away five days, she recalled, so he could have been in
Athens for part of the time.
'Of course. He is often with me on Aegina.'
'Often? Why sh-should he be with you - often?'
Straight, pencilled eyebrows shot up.
'Don't be obtuse,' snapped the girl. 'I've yet to discover an innocent
English girl. For Leon to marry one of them! It isn't possible - he
hates them! I asked how long you've been married!'
'Nearly two months.' Dazedly Tara shook her head. 'I don't
understand. What are you trying to tell me?' Her mouth trembled and
her eyes were far too bright. Her little tower of hope was collapsing
already on its weak foundations.
An impatient click of Helena's tongue was Tara's only answer for a
space and then, with flagrant disregard of delicacy,
'I'm his pillow friend, and have been for over three years!'
Shocked by this admission, even though she had guessed at Helena's
relationship with Leon, Tara just stared dumbly at the girl who, for all
her suppressed fury, wore an expression of triumph. It was plain that,
having heard of Leon's marriage, she had deliberately come here to
try and break it up.
'His p-pillow friend?' she repeated dully at last. 'And he was with you
three weeks ago?'
It required no calculations to work out that he had come straight from
the girl to her, Tara, and she felt quite sick. He hadn't meant to come
to her, it was true; he'd done it only because of his blind fury at being
told that his wife had had a man staying at the villa in his absence. No,
he hadn't meant to come to her, but that fact could not mitigate the
offence.
'He stayed with me,' Helena was saying, and she added with a sneer,
'Obviously he preferred me to you - new as his marriage is! But he'll
have to be satisfied with you from now on, or else find another pillow
friend - for I'm finished!'
White to the lips, Tara said quiveringly,
'As you appear to have said all there is to say,
perhaps I can get Savvas to show you out?'
Helena's dark eyes narrowed malevolently, and the cigarette holder
suddenly snapped in her fingers.
'How dare you! I'm used to being here - I've slept here, dozens of
times! How dare you order me out!'
Tara was already ringing the bell. In a voice that amazed her by its
steadiness she told Savvas to show Helena out.
'But she wants a taxi,' said Savvas, evidently having been informed of
this prior to Tara's appearance. 'Miss Helena will wait here until it
arrives, I think?'
Tara's eyes blazed.
'Do as I say,' she ordered angrily. 'Show the woman out!'
'Yes, madam ' Savvas beckoned to Helena, his manner almost
cringing as he glanced at Tara again. 'If you will please come this
way?' he said to Helena, who had no option than to leave. Standing by
the window, her heart racing and her nerves all to pieces, Tara
watched the rather mincing steps of the Greek woman as she walked
uncomfortably along the dusty lane, its surface covered with small
but dangerous little boulders. Her figure was voluptuous, her black
shirt tight where it ought not to be tight. What a disgusting creature,
thought Tara. But she had heard of these women. Having finished
with Leon, she would go into Athens and find another 'protector'.
Finished. ... Perhaps Leon would not wish to finish with her. Perhaps
he and she would make it up - once she, Tara, had left the island. For
she now meant to leave; she could never bear Leon near her after
learning that he had stayed with Helena since his marriage.
Perhaps he considered he had a perfect right to seeing that his
marriage was not normal, but this was not the way Tara looked at
things, for to her marriage was sacred no matter what the
circumstances under which it had taken place. Leon had fallen in her
estimation and she felt she could never respect him again as long as
she lived. What he had done before his marriage - yes, she was
willing to admit that it had nothing at all to do with her, but to stay
with Helena after his marriage. ...
The more she dwelt on it the more unbelievable it seemed, and yet she
could not doubt the Greek girl's word. If Leon hadn't been with her
three weeks ago then how would she have known he was away from
home? He must have been with her; there was full proof of it.
The figure of Helena disappeared round a bend in the lane and Tara
turned from the window. Savvas knocked on the door and stiffly she
told him to enter.
'Madam Leon, I am sorry,' he began. 'I did not mean to offend you,
but Miss Helena said I must call a taxi when she told me to.'
'That's all right.' She waved him away, humiliated at his knowledge.
'You can go.'
'Yes, madam.' He paused. 'I did tell Miss Helena - when she
telephoned - that Mr. Leon was away from home, but she came just
the same. I did not expect her to do this.'
Tara's eyes opened wide.
'She telephoned? When?'
'Yesterday, madam. And as soon as I heard her voice I said my master
was not at home.'
'What did she say then?'
'A strange thing, Madam Leon. She said she knew he was not at
home. She wanted to know if you were at home.'
Tara frowned.
'She knew Mr. Leon was not at home. Are you sure?'
'Quite sure. It was you she wanted to see, madam.'
'Thank you, Savvas.'
'Shall I bring your tea in now, madam?'
She nodded.
'I'll have it on the patio.'
So Helena knew Leon was not at home. It was his wife she wanted to
see. This made it even more clear that Helena had come solely to
break up the marriage; she had come to inform her, Tara, that Leon
had stayed with her on Aegina three weeks ago. Tara wondered from
where Helena had received the information that Leon was at present
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