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She felt the tiny shiver turn from one of awareness to one of resistance It wasn’t that he was looking at her in any kind of suggestive way It was more, she could tell, that he was perfectly used to wo to him the way that she had So used to that reaction, in fact, that he took it for granted Instantly she schooled herself against hi in her insides Instead, she glanced at her uncle, who made some remark to the man in Greek, which Vicky did not understand She knew a few Greek phrases, and a s of vocabulary, and ith practice and effort just about able to read Greek script haltingly, but rapid speech was completely beyond her

‘You live in England, I believe, Thespinis Fournatos?’ The htest query in his voice More than a query, thought Vicky—almost disapproval

‘Yes,’ she said, leaving it at that ‘My uncle very kindly invited me for Christmas However, I understand that in Greece Easter is the nificant event than Christmas in the calendar’

‘Indeed,’ he returned, and for a few ed, with Aristides, in a brief conversation about seasonal celebrations

It was quite an innocuous conversation, and yet Vicky was glad when it finished—glad when a highly polished, draood few years older than herself, careeted the tall man with a low and clearly enthusiastic husk in her voice She spoke Greek fluently, and nise Vicky’s presence

Although Vicky could sense that Aristides was annoyed by the interruption, she herself took the opportunity to lided off to talk to souests

She was equally relieved when the seating arrangements at dinner put her at the other end of the table, away fro presence The Greek woman who had accosted hilad of it Yet for all the woman’s obvious intention to keep the man’s attention turned firmly on herself for the duration, Vicky was sure that every now and then those sloe-dark eyes would turn in her direction

She didn’t like it There was soht of that tall, dark and leanly co of her body

Why was she reacting like this? she interrogated herself bracingly She knew she was physically attractive, had learnt to cope with male attention, so as this man able to irl, not a grooman of twenty-four

And why did she get the unco her? It wasn’t, she knew, that he was eying her up—though if he had been she would not have liked that in the slightest Maybe, she chivvied herself, she was just is When his dark eyes intercepted hers it was nothingso irritatingly aware of hi with her discomfort

It was as the guests were finally leaving, late into the night, that the tall ht came up to her His dinner jacket, she noted abstractedly, sat across his shoulders to perfection, honing down to lean hips and long legs Again she felt that irritating flurry of awareness and was annoyed by it There was so about the man, and she didn’t like it

‘Good night, Thespinis Fournatos,’ he said, and looked down at her a moment There was a look in his eyes that this ti look

Her back stif

fened, even as her pulse gave a sudden little jump

‘Good night,’ she replied, her voice as foret aith She turned to bid good night to another departing guest