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Maribel studied the island far below them as the helicopter wheeled round in a turn There was just enough light left for her to get a good view Zelos was surprisingly lush and green and there were loads of trees Long slices of golden sand were edged by the turquoise of the sea that washed the shores She thought it looked like paradise A very substantial residence occupied a nificent site in splendid isolation at one end of the island At the other, there was a picturesque fishing village with a church and a huge yacht in the harbour Zelos here Leonidas had grown up and, for that reason alone, she was fascinated by the prospect of living on the island

Darkness had fallen when Elias elcoh he were royalty Maribel watched her son being borne off to bed by Diane and her co-nanny, a young Greek woman, closely followed by the housekeeper, the nursery maids and her son’s personal protection officer Slowly she shook her head ‘Elias is never going to be alone again, is he?’

‘We Greeks are gregarious by nature I was alone too much as a child but, just as I was, he will be watched over by everyone on the island Welcome to your new home, hara mou’ Leonidas closed a shapely brown hand over hers ‘Let me show you the house’

It was as large as Heyward Park, for several generations of his fas to suit their individual tastes In a glorious room that opened out onto a beautiful vine-shaded terrace, Leonidas tugged her into his arms with immense care

‘I want you to be happy here,’ he told her huskily

Maribel stared up into his brilliant dark eyes and felt her heart lurch She had pro Leonidas any foolish questions But suddenly she could no longer withstand her need to know the truth ‘There’s so I want to ask you, Leonidas,’ she breathed abruptly

Leonidas regarded her in level enquiry

‘Did Io that I was in love with you?’ Maribel completed

It was the very last question that Leonidas could have foreseen Having braced himself for a query of an entirely different nature, indeed an accusation, he was bemused

Maribel stepped out of his loosened hold ‘It’s true She did tell you!’

Leonidas frowned ‘You haven’t even given me the chance to answer you’

Maribel drew herself up to her full height ‘You don’t need to Sometimes I can read you like a book’

Leonidas was anything but reassured by that statearded his famed iranted Once or twice before, however, she had given hiht where he was concerned ‘I of that nature,’ he conceded with the utmost casualness

‘Well, it’s not so you need to worry about,’ Maribel told him firmly