"Beware the beast" كيف احيا معك بالانكليزية Anne Mather

CHAPTER NINE

CHARLOTTE and Eleni were drinking tea after lunch when Sophia arrived.

The girl was hot and breathless, her cheeks flushed from hurrying in the heat of

the day. Bettina brought her into the parlour, and Eleni regarded her

frowningly.

"Kala, ti thelete? What is it?"

Sophia glanced resentfully towards Charlotte resting comfortably on the

couch, and Charlotte guessed what she was about to say before she opened her

mouth.

"Kyrios Alexandros sent me to find his wife, Kyria Eleni," she replied stiffly.

"We have been worried about her. Kyrios Alexandros has had us all searching

the villa."

Eleni turned questioning eyes in Charlotte's direction. "I thought you told

me that Alexandro knew where you were?"

"I did." Charlotte put down her tea cup arid swung her legs resignedly to the

floor.

"Wait!" Eleni gestured for her to stay where she was. "What are you

doing?"

Charlotte sighed. "I thought you expected me to go with Sophia."

Eleni shook her head vehemently. "Do not be so foolish. You cannot leave

immediately after the meal. Besides ..." She turned to look again at Sophia,

"why did not Kyrios Alexandro come himself?"

"He is working, kyria. Kyrios Constandis is here. They have been working all

morning."

"Then Alexandro cannot expect his wife to wait around for him to find the

time to speak with her," Eleni retorted .sharply. "You may tell your master that

his wife is in safe hands. I will see that she gets home safely, ohi?"

"Ne, kyria." Sophia subjected Charlotte to another of those hostile stares.

"Efkaristo."

Eleni instructed Bettina to give Sophia a drink before she left, but after she was

gone Charlotte shifted restlessly on the couch, "Why does she dislike me so

much?" she exclaimed, half to herself, but Eleni had heard her.

"Sophia's mother used to work at the villa when Sophia was a little girl," she

explained. "Alexandro was already a young man, of course, but he took time out

to play with her when she accompanied her mother. He was fond of her, as he is

of all children. But Sophia did not see it that way. She adored him, she still

adores him. She is jealous of you, that is all. And why not? You are younger

than she is. Perhaps when she realizes you are to have Alexandro's child, she

will accept you."

Charlotte found that very doubtful. Besides, after the child was iron, she

would be going away. Who would Alex get to take cart of the baby? She found

the thought that it might be . Sophia something she did not care to

contemplate.

Conversation lapsed, and Charlotte saw that Eleni's head was nodding. She