The Goddess Of Love Read online

  “Very good, my Lord.”

  Corena heard Lord Warburton walk from the cabin, moving carefully, she thought, against the yacht’s roll.

  Then, as the door closed behind him, Hewlett put his hands on her shoulders and lifted her so that she could sit up.

  “Now, you let me help you out of your coffin, miss!” he said cheerfully. “Then, if you lies down on the bed, I’ll get you somethin’ to eat and some more coffee. You’ll soon be as right as rain!”

  Because it sounded so sensible, Corena forced herself to reply.

  “Thank – you. I do feel rather – muzzy.”

  “‘Course you do!” Hewlett said. “Now, come along, heave-ho and you’ll soon be yourself again.”

  He lifted her out of the packing case and half-carried her, although she tried to walk, across to the bed.

  Because of the movement of the ship, she found herself falling against him.

  Then, as Hewlett lifted her body onto the bed, she sank back with relief against the pillows.

  Only as she did so did she have the terrifying thought that perhaps Mr. Thespidos had undressed her and taken away her clothes.

  She opened her eyes tentatively and saw to her relief that she was still wearing the blue gown that she had travelled to Folkestone in.

  At least it was decent, but the horror of what Mr. Thespidos had suggested to her in relation to Lord Warburton had already come back into her mind.

  She had been afraid that, in making her look like a statue and covering her with a white cloth to make it appear that she was made of stone, he had tried to make the impression even more convincing by leaving her naked.

  It was such a relief to see that that fear was unfounded that she shut her eyes again.

  She wanted to drift away into the unconsciousness that had overtaken her in Mr. Thespidos’s office.

  She wondered now what he had given her and thought that it must have been laudanum or some other drug.

  She had no idea for how long she had remained unconscious and thought that was something she must enquire about of the valet when he returned.

  He had already left the cabin, presumably to fetch her breakfast.

  She thought that it would be pleasant if she could wash her hands and face.

  But it was too much effort and she did in fact feel very strange and as if she was only half in possession of her senses.

  In fact, when after what seemed a long time, he spoke to her, she thought that his voice came from far away.

  It would be easier to ignore it rather than to answer it.

  Then he was giving her more coffee to drink and, as the warmth and strength of it seemed to pass down her throat and into her body, she felt that everything had become more real and coherent.

  “Now, what I wants you to do, miss,” Hewlett said, “Is to have somethin’ to eat, then have a good sleep. We’re runnin’ into some rough weather and you’ll be better off in bed than flounderin’ about breakin’ your arms or legs, if you’re not real careful!”

  Corena thought that this was a good idea.

  Then she said in a voice that was little more than a whisper,

  “Does – his Lordship – want to – see me?”

  “His Lordship can wait!” Hewlett replied. “Now, just you do as I says and while you’re eatin’ your egg before it gets cold, I’ll unpack your trunk.”

  He made Corena feel that she was in the hands of a kind and competent Nanny.

  Since Nannies always had to be obeyed, it was so much easier to do what he said than to argue.

  She ate the egg, drank some more coffee and realised when she had done so that Hewlett had unpacked most of her trunk.

  He had even hung up her gowns in a fitted cupboard. Then he put one of her nightgowns down on the bed and said,

  “Now make an effort, miss, and do as I say. You’ll find a bathroom on the other side of the cabin, but be careful how you walks.”

  He picked up the tray and went on,

  “I’ll be back in quarter-of-an hour and expect to find you undressed and in bed!”

  He did not wait for her to answer, but went from the cabin.

  Slowly, because her head felt as if it was filled with cotton wool, Corena climbed out of bed and, moving very cautiously, reached the bathroom.

  Vaguely she was aware that it was very unusual to have a private bathroom attached to a cabin in any yacht afloat.

  However it was difficult to think of anything except herself.

  She pulled off her clothes one by one and washed in the basin, feeling that it was too much trouble to run the bath.

  She put on her nightgown and crept, again afraid of being tossed from side to side, back to the bed.

  It seemed like a haven of security as she reached it.

  As she slipped between the sheets and lay back against the pillows, she was aware that her head was aching and she wanted more than anything else to sleep.

  She did not hear Hewlett come back into the cabin and look at her with satisfaction.

  Nor did she hear him tidying her clothes away from the bathroom or pull the curtains over the portholes.

  She would, however, have been amused if she could have heard the conversation he had later with Lord Warburton.

  “What is that young woman doing now?” Lord Warburton asked as soon as Hewlett went into the Saloon.

  “Sleepin’, my Lord, like a new-born baby! And that’s what she’s likely to be doin’ for the next twenty-four hours!”

  “What the devil is she doing aboard?” Lord Warburton enquired. “Who brought her here?”

  “I’ve made enquires, my Lord, as I was certain you’d ask that question,” Hewlett replied. “There seems to have been two men as brought her aboard. It was a Steward as sees them and spoke to them and who showed them down below. He says as how they was foreigners.”

  Lord Warburton stared at him.

  “Did he say what nationality?”

  “He didn’t know, my Lord, but the chef as was listenin’ says as how he’s certain they was Greek.”

  Lord Warburton sat up in his chair.

  “Greek?” he ejaculated.

  “Seems strange, my Lord, they should be Greek, when that’s just where we’re goin’!”

  “Very strange!” Lord Warburton agreed. “I wonder if she is Greek too?”

  He was speaking his thoughts aloud, but Hewlett answered him.

  “She speaks English all right, my Lord,” he said, “but she’s a woman and there ain’t a woman born as doesn’t know every trick in the calendar! So she may be Greek or she may be a Hottentot for all I knows!”

  Lord Warburton made no reply.

  He was frowning and Hewlett was aware that he was irritated.

  Knowing his Master’s moods better than anybody else, he decided that this was the moment to retreat.

  Chapter Five

  Corena awoke and found to her relief that she now felt her normal self.

  For the first time she was able to look around the cabin and thought it very pretty.

  She liked the pink curtains with their while lilies and she realised, although she had never been in such a large yacht before, that all the fittings were very cleverly designed and attached to the walls.

  There was a large mirror with a lot of drawers under it that made it an excellent dressing table. The cupboards were concealed by being white like the rest of the cabin.

  The bed too was very comfortable and she lay for a little while enjoying the sunshine flooding in every time the ship rolled.

  She fancied, although she was not sure, that the sea was smoother than it had been when she went to sleep.

  Yet it was difficult to remember anything except that her head had not seemed to belong to her.

  Suddenly she remembered that now she was herself again she would have to face Lord Warburton.

  She felt a little tremor of fear run through her.

  As she did so, there was a discreet knock and before she could answ
er, Hewlett put his head round the door.

  “’Mornin’, miss!” he said. “I thought you’d be awake and I needn’t ask if you’ve had a good night, I knows you have!”

  “I slept – peacefully,” Corena replied, “and I remember now that you unpacked for me and gave me something to eat. Thank you – very much!”

  “That’s all right, miss,” Hewlett said, “and I expect now you’d like me to run your bath, then when you’re dressed, you’ll be able to go up to the Saloon and talk to his Lordship.”

  He did not wait for Corena’s reply, but disappeared into the bathroom.

  She wondered if she could say that she was too ill and would like to stay in bed for at least a few more hours before she encountered Lord Warburton.

  Then she knew that she was being cowardly.

  When Hewlett told her that he had run her bath and not to let it get cold, she realised that she must climb out of bed.

  “I’ll be back in a quarter-of-an-hour to button your gown,” he said, “and it’s somethin’ I’m real good at!”

  He gave her an impish grin and went from the cabin.

  Corena sensed that she still had to walk carefully in case she staggered and to hold onto something when the yacht rolled in a deep trough.

  She managed to have a bath and enjoy it and she found that Hewlett had laid out all her underclothes on a chair.

  She did not feel embarrassed because he was a man.

  Yesterday he had seemed so like an experienced kindly Nanny that she still thought of him that way.

  She had buttoned the top buttons at the back of her gown and was doing her hair when he came back.

  “That’s better!” he approved. “You’ll feel your old self again, miss, soon as you’ve been out in the fresh air. But you’ll need a shawl, it’s still a bit nippy outside.”

  He buttoned up her gown, brought a warm shawl from where he had placed it in the wardrobe and said as if he were speaking to a shy child,

  “Come along now, the first step’s always the hardest!”

  Corena gave a little laugh.

  At the same time she had the feeling that Hewlett was well aware that the first step as far as she was concerned was to encounter his Master.

  He helped her up the companionway.

  Then, as she longed to go through the glass door that led onto the deck, he opened the one that led into the Saloon.

  “Here’s the young lady, my Lord,” he announced in a cheerful voice, “and feelin’ quite herself.”

  Corena thought that it was an overstatement.

  She looked across the Saloon at Lord Warburton, who was seated in one of the comfortable chairs with a book in his hand.

  She felt frightened and was wondering frantically what she should say as she walked a little unsteadily towards him.

  Before she reached him he half-rose in his chair and indicated one opposite him saying,

  “I should sit down as quickly as possible. There is still a considerable swell, but we have passed through the worst of it.”

  Corena obeyed him.

  As she was facing the sunshine coming through the glass windows behind Lord Warburton’s head, he could see her very clearly.

  As her eyes were dazzled by the sun, it was more difficult for her to see him.

  She sat back in her chair, as if she felt it protected her.

  Then, as she looked at Lord Warburton with her eyes wide and frightened, he thought once again that she looked like a Greek Goddess rather than an English girl.

  It was an effort, although he would not admit it to himself, to ask,

  “Perhaps you would explain to me why you are here.”

  It was a question that Corena had been expecting.

  Yet when it came everything seemed to fly out of her head and she could only stare at him, thinking that he was very handsome but extremely formidable.

  She tried in vain to formulate what would seem a sensible answer to his question and, after what seemed a long pause, he said,

  “I am waiting! There must be some reason for you to be aboard my yacht.”

  She thought for the first time that he had obviously not recognised her from her last visit at Warburton Park.

  It was not really surprising, considering she had called on him wearing a black bonnet and veil that partially obscured her face, besides the tinted spectacles that belonged to her father.

  Just for a moment it flashed through her mind that perhaps the best thing to say was that she had no idea why she had been brought here.

  Then fearing that he might in that case put her off at Gibraltar, she said hesitatingly,

  “It was the only – way I could – reach my – father.”

  Lord Warburton stared at her.

  Then he asked,

  “Are you telling me that you are Miss Melville?”

  “Y-yes.”

  “So you were determined to travel with me rather than by train!”

  “I-I thought it would be – quicker,” Corena responded faintly.

  Now she was tense, waiting for him to rage at her and, when he did speak without raising his voice, it was a relief.

  “It seems extraordinary,” he said, “for you to be so persistent and I cannot imagine that the difference in time of the journey was your only reason for foisting yourself on me.”

  Corena drew in her breath, thinking that he had given her an idea for an explanation that would sound logical.

  “I thought, my Lord,” she said, “that as – you are so important – and have a great deal of influence – you might help – my father when I reach him.”

  Again Lord Warburton stared at her.

  “Surely Sir Priam, even if he is ill, is not alone, but has servants or friends to attend to him?”

  “I-I am not – certain of that,” Corena said. “When Papa is exploring a site where he thinks he might – find something – significant or excavating, he prefers to be – alone.”

  “You are telling me that your father is an archaeologist?” Lord Warburton asked.

  “Yes, my Lord. He is obsessed with anything Greek and is only happy when he is looking for forgotten sculptures that he can bring home with him.”

  “I had no idea of that,” Lord Warburton said, “and who has informed you that your father is ill?”

  Corena had to think quickly and then, after a little hesitation, she said,

  “A Greek who had – travelled to London from – Crisa brought me a – message from – my father.”

  Because it was a lie, she could not look at Lord Warburton as she spoke.

  She had the feeling, however, that he was scrutinising her closely as if he suspected that she might be deceiving him.

  “Surely, if you wished to go to your father,” he said after a moment, “there would be some relation who could travel with you or at least you could have been chaperoned by an older woman?”

  “There was – nobody.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” Lord Warburton said, “and you are certainly breaking all the conventions, Miss Melville, not only by coming aboard my yacht in such an extraordinary manner but also by journeying with me alone.”

  “I will – not be a nuisance – I promise you, my Lord,” Corena said quickly. “In fact you need not even – see me if you don’t – wish to.”

  She was sure that he was looking sceptical and she went on quickly,

  “I will stay in my own cabin and only go out on deck when you are – busy or – asleep.”

  Her words seemed to tumble over themselves.

  Before Lord Warburton could speak she knew that he was considering whether it would be best to send her overland at the next convenient Port of call.

  “Please – ” she pleaded. “Please let me – stay with you. I would be – afraid to travel alone.”

  She looked so young and at the same time so agitated as she spoke that Lord Warburton thought that was not surprising.

  However he disliked being forced into doing what
he had already refused to do and he thought that the girl opposite him was not only unpredictable but over-persistent.

  But she was very young.

  While she was speaking, he could not drive it out of his head that she might have been one of the Goddesses from Mount Olympus asking for his protection.

  Aloud, he replied,

  “I will think over what you have suggested, Miss Melville, although I cannot help feeling that it is very impractical.”

  “But – I may stay – on board?” Corena asked.

  For the first time since they had been talking there was a faint twist at the corner of Lord Warburton’s lips as he replied,

  “I can hardly ask you to leave immediately. It is a long way to swim to the coast of Portugal unless you can produce a dolphin to carry you!”

  “I only wish I – could have a – dolphin!” Corena said in a low voice, “like the one that guided Apollo to Crisa – where I want you to – take me.”

  “If your father is an archaeologist, I presume you know a great deal about Greece,” Lord Warburton remarked somewhat grudgingly.

  Corena smiled.

  “My great-grandmother, my Lord, was Greek and my grandmother, who was very beautiful, resembled her.”

  “I presume that is the reason why your father finds that country so interesting.”

  “He loves every stick and stone of it,” Corena answered, “and it is because he was so unhappy after – Mama died that I was glad he was – going back there.”

  As she spoke, she thought of what had happened to him since and how he was a prisoner of the bestial Mr. Thespidos.

  She was not aware that her eyes were very expressive and Lord Warburton said,

  “I should not be too anxious about him. He may only be suffering from one of the fevers that are so prevalent in that part of the world and by the time you arrive he should be perfectly well.”

  “I am – praying – so,” Corena murmured.

  Then, because Lord Warburton had spoken in a kinder way than he had before, she said,

  “You will – take me to – Crisa?”

  There was a distinct pause before Lord Warburton replied,

  “You make it very difficult for me to refuse, considering that there is nobody to accompany you and you are far too young to travel alone.”