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"She knows she's dying?" Damon's voice, was vibrant with emotion,
and in spite of her dislike of him Kim felt a surge of compassion
sweep over her.
"She seems to have guessed. And all she wants is to see Suzanne and
be sure that you've got yourself a nice girl at last. She's never
approved of your wicked ways, you know, Damon."
A small silence and then,
"I haven't brought Suzanne back with me."
"You -! But that was why you went to England - to bring her over and
present her to the family."
"We quarrelled," Damon explained briefly.
"You don't appear to be very upset about it," the other man
commented curiously.
"I'm too concerned about Mother --" A small silence and then, "I
obviously can't tell her that Suzanne and I have quarrelled. I shall
think of something as I go along. I must leave you, Nico -"
"Damon ... your mother will be quick to notice if you lie. Even I know
that's it's virtually impossible to - deceive her, and I'm only her
nephew. You as her son should know better than to believe you can
deceive her. Is the engagement off?" Nico went on to add, and after a
small pause Damon admitted that it was. "What happened?" Nico
then asked, and all Damon would say was that they had discovered
they weren't suited. "Not suited!" exclaimed Nico. "Isn't it a bit late to
discover that?"
"Look, Nico, I'm not wasting time explaining my private affairs to
you. I'm going to Mother right away."
Kim drew back as Damon went towards the car. Nico followed and
she heard him say,
"Aunt Maroula will be heartbroken. I was with her an hour ago and
she said she would die happy only if she knew your future was
settled. She wasn't really in favour of your becoming engaged to an
English girl, if you remember, but she abided by it. And I think the
fact that Suzanne was at college, and seriously studying for her
teacher's certificate, helped to assuage any fears -she might have had
that the girl would not prove a suitable wife for you. Aunt Maroula
admires studious people, as you know." Kim looked out and saw
Nico shake his head. "What a tragedy that you couldn't bring the girl
back with you."
Suddenly Damon stopped in his tracks, and glanced towards Kim's
window.
"I have an idea!" he said in tense and vibrant tones. "Nico, go home
and get a dress of Katrina's, and a coat - yes, a coat! Hurry!"
"But ... a dress and coat of my sister's? Damon, what-?"
"Go, Nico, and ask questions later!" And without waiting for any
further argument from his cousin Damon strode back to the patio.
Kim saw him take the steps at a couple of agile leaps, her heart
pounding and her head beginning to throb again.
She was standing by the bed, her face pale and her hands clenched,
when without ceremony Damon entered the room.
"You," he began without preamble, "get your face and hands washed.
You're coming with me!"
She swallowed, clearing her throat in preparation to telling him she
had been listening and she had not the slightest intention of carrying
out his wishes. But something about his face - the stricken expression
it carried, and the greyness at the corners of his mouth - checked the
intended refusal and instead she feigned surprise and asked,
"Whereto?"
"The hospital. My mother's -" Emotion cut short the rest, emotion
which seemed totally out of place in so strong a man as Damon Souris
undoubtedly was. "My mother's dangerously ill," he continued
presently. "She wants to see my fiancee before - before she dies. You
must impersonate her - No, don't ask questions," he snapped as Kim
opened her mouth. "I'll explain all you need to know on the way to the
hospital." He thumbed towards a door which, Kim had already
surmised, led to a bathroom. "My cousin's gone to get you some
clothes. Tidy up best you can - in there." He looked frowningly at her
disfigured face. "Ill tell Mother you had a fall - and don't you dare
deny it, or anything else I say. Get me?"
Kim gritted her teeth. The man was asking a favour and yet he
adopted this dictatorial manner. She couldn't help retorting,
"And supposing I do deny things you say?" and instantly wished she
hadn't exhibited such temerity, for with a sudden leap he was close
and before she knew what was happening she felt the strength of his
fingers on her throat.
"I'll strangle you when I get you back!" he snarled, and released her,
watching her swallow convulsively as she tried to ease the muscles,
and the pain. "And at the hospital," he added darkly as he read her
thoughts, "if you so much as dare ask anyone's aid, or mention what
has happened to you, I'll immediately call the police and hand you
over to them. Now," he ordered, "in there, and make yourself as
presentable as possible!"
Kim obeyed without -further delay, lifting a soothing hand to her
throat. The man was a savage, a demoniacal brute who, she decided,
would not stop at murder, should murder be necessary for the
furthering of any scheme he might happen to have in mind.
True to his word, he gave her a brief explanation as they drove along
to the hospital. She learned little more than had been conveyed to her
by her eavesdropping, but she listened without comment, merely
expressing suitable words of sympathy on hearing him say that his
mother had a brain tumour. She was a widow and had lived a few
miles from her son, in a pretty village nestling at the foot of Mount
Dikalos. For some time she had wanted to see him settled down and
now she desired to see the girl to whom he had become engaged some
months ago when he was on one of his business trips to England. His
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