LITMIR.BIZ

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followed by Eleni with a tray. The woman poured water into a glass and handed it to Isobel, then, at a look from her employer, went from the room, leaving the door wide open.

      ‘Eleni has looked after my family for years,’ he stated.

      Desperate to gulp the water down, Isobel forced herself to sip cautiously. ‘She’s very kind.’

      ‘I am not?’

      ‘Of course.’ Her face grew even hotter. ‘I’m extremely grateful to you. And very embarrassed for causing so much trouble.’

      Luke shrugged negligently. ‘Tell me your name.’

      ‘Isobel James.’ She drank the rest of the water and held the cold glass to her cheek, eyeing him questioningly. ‘And you are?’

      He laughed scornfully. ‘You do not know?’

      She stiffened. ‘I’m afraid not. I only arrived on the island yesterday.’

      His dark eyes narrowed to a cynical glitter. ‘So why were you on my beach? You paid someone to take you there by boat?’

      Isobel’s knuckles clenched on the glass. ‘No. I went down the path nearest the cottage to the beach adjoining yours. But by mid-morning it was crowded, so when I spotted the gap in the rocks I went to explore.’

      ‘That way is blocked!’

      ‘Not quite. I managed to squeeze through.’

      ‘You were so determined to invade my privacy?’ His eyes flamed with distaste, which touched Isobel on the raw.

      ‘Certainly not,’ she snapped. ‘I had no idea it was a private beach, nor who it belonged to. I apologise—humbly—for trespassing. And now, if you’ll be kind enough to call a taxi, I’ll get dressed and leave.’

      He raised a cynical eyebrow. ‘And how do you propose to walk?’

      ‘I’ll manage,’ she snapped, praying she was right.

      Eleni knocked at the open door and ushered in a familiar figure armed with a medical bag. The two men embraced each other and exchanged greetings before Alex Nicolaides moved to the bed, his eyes wide in consternation as he recognised his patient. ‘Miss James! What happened?’ He turned to her glowering rescuer, obviously asking him the same question in his own language.

      ‘The lady,’ Luke informed him in very deliberate English, ‘was trespassing on my private beach when she suffered a fall. She was unconscious when I found her. Thank you for coming, Doctor. Please examine her injuries and tell me what must be done for her.’

      ‘I need Eleni to stay, please,’ said Isobel urgently.

      Luke motioned the woman to the bed, but stayed at the foot of it, obviously determined to monitor the proceedings.

      Eleni patted Isobel’s hand comfortingly as Alex bent over her.

      ‘This is very bad luck for you, Miss James,’ he said gently.

      His sympathy was so genuine tears welled in Isobel’s eyes, burning as they trickled down her flushed cheeks. Eleni produced tissues to dry the patient’s face so Alex could examine the wound, then he shone a torch in her eyes, held up a finger and told her to follow it with each eye in turn.

      ‘You have vomited?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘Does your head hurt very badly?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘Examine her foot; she hurt that, also,’ Luke said, sounding bored.

      Alex frowned as he eyed the swollen ankle. ‘It is necessary to examine for fracture,’ he told Isobel. ‘I will be quick.’

      ‘Careful,’ warned Luke. ‘She faints a lot.’

      A lot? Until today, she’d never fainted before in her life! Isobel clenched her teeth, determined not to faint again as Alex probed gently, though at one point it was a near thing.

      ‘The ankle is badly sprained only, not broken, Miss James,’ Alex assured her. ‘I will apply temporary bandage, then report to Dr Riga, who will take X-rays to confirm. I will also put a dressing on your face, and give you mild painkillers. Take with much fluid.’

      ‘Thank you.’ She tried to relax as he strapped her ankle. ‘Did you come here in a car, Doctor?’

      He looked up in surprise. ‘No, on back of Milos’s motorbike. Why?’

      ‘I was hoping for a lift back to the cottage,’ she said, disappointed, and eyed him in appeal. ‘Would you be kind enough to arrange a taxi for me?’

      Alex shot a startled look at Luke, who showed his teeth in a cold smile.

      ‘Miss James may stay here as long as she wishes.’

      Not one second longer, if she could help it. ‘How kind,’ said Isobel frostily. ‘But I wouldn’t dream of inconveniencing you. So will you sort out a taxi for me, Doctor?’

      Alex looked so uncomfortable Luke took pity on him.

      ‘I will drive you myself, Miss James,’ he said impatiently. ‘But only when you can manage alone. Demonstrate this for us.’

      Isobel summoned every scrap of willpower she possessed to sit up straight. She paused for breath, swivelled round until she could put her good foot on the floor and then took the hand Eleni held out to help her as she struggled to stand. ‘You see?’ she said through her teeth. ‘If you gentlemen will kindly leave, I’ll get dressed.’

      ‘Miss James, this is not a good idea,’ said Alex, plainly expecting her to collapse in a heap at any second.

      ‘I must try. The cottage is all on one floor. I have food there, so if Mr—’

      She glanced at her host. ‘I’m afraid I don’t know your name.’

      ‘No?’ He raised an eyebrow in scornful disbelief. ‘I am Lukas Andreadis.’

      ‘How do you do?’ She turned to Alex. ‘If Mr Andreadis will drive me, I’ll be just fine.’ She swallowed hard on rising nausea and wavered slightly, her hand tightening on Eleni’s.

      Luke shook his head. ‘I will drive you when you are fine, Miss James, but that is most obviously not today. Put her back, Eleni.’

      ‘That is best, Luke,’ said Alex, relieved.

      Isobel gave up. She let Eleni make her comfortable, then turned her face into the pillows in despair. Her longed-for odyssey had come to a grinding halt before it had even started. She ignored the hushed interchange in their own tongue between the men, wishing they’d just go away and leave her to wallow alone in her misery.

      ‘Miss James,’ said Alex, coming back to the bed.

      Isobel opened her eyes. ‘Yes?’

      ‘If you allow me to have your keys, I will take my sister to your house to pack for you.’

      ‘How kind,’ she said unsteadily. ‘The keys are in my backpack.’

      ‘I am most happy to do this, but it was Luke’s idea,’ he added.

      She turned unsmiling eyes on her host. ‘Then thank you, too, Mr Andreadis.’

      ‘Here in Greece we believe in helping travellers,’ he informed her indifferently.

      ‘Unless they invade your beach.’

      ‘True.’ He unbent enough to smile faintly. ‘Come, then, Alex. I will drive you.’

      Eleni closed the door behind them, poured iced fruit juice into a glass and gave Isobel two of the tablets. ‘Drink, kyria,’ she said firmly.

      Isobel obediently swallowed the painkillers and drank some of the juice. ‘Efcharisto, Eleni.’ She managed a smile. ‘But

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