The Olive Tree by Lucinda Riley Read Free Book Online Page B

and
smiled. ‘He will come here tonight, and maybe you will have a pool to swim in by the time your husband arrives.’
    ‘That would be wonderful,’ Helena said gratefully. ‘I was also wondering where I go in Paphos to buy a new fridge-freezer, an oven, a microwave . . . in fact, the whole nine
yards, kitchen-wise. We have a heap of people arriving next week. Though I’m worried everything might take time to be delivered.’
    ‘No need for delivery. I have a transit van for transporting my wine to the hotels and restaurants in the area. I can take you, and we can bring the items back here ourselves.’
    ‘Are you sure you wouldn’t mind?’
    ‘Not at all. It will be my pleasure, Helena.’
    ‘And would you know anyone in the village who could help me with the housekeeping? Perhaps do a little cooking?’
    ‘Of course. Angelina, who left you the keys, worked for the colonel in his last year here. She is available, I am sure, and she loves children. I will contact her for you. She will come to
see you.’
    ‘Thank you, Alexis, you are a saviour,’ said Helena gratefully, sipping her tea. ‘Maybe I’ll ask her whether she’d like to do a little babysitting, too, so we can
go out in the evenings sometimes.’
    ‘I can babysit, Mum,’ put in Alex.
    ‘Yes, I know you can, darling, thank you.’
    ‘And what about the structure of the house?’ enquired Alexis.
    ‘It looks all right to me.’ Helena shrugged. ‘But then, I’m hardly an expert.’
    ‘I will ask Georgios to look at it when he comes to see the pool. For example, the plumbing and the wiring . . . these things have not been touched for many years, and we must make sure
they are safe.’
    ‘I know.’ Helena sighed. ‘It really is a Pandora’s Box. I hardly dare open it.’
    ‘You know of the legend at this house?’ Alexis directed the question to Alex.
    ‘No,’ he replied sulkily.
    ‘It is a good legend, not a bad one. It is said that anyone who comes to stay at Pandora for the first time will fall in love while he or she is staying under its roof.’
    ‘Really?’ Alex raised an eyebrow. ‘Does that apply to five-year-olds too? I noticed Immy looking rather dreamily at her toy lamb earlier today.’
    ‘Alex! Don’t be rude!’ Helena reprimanded him, her patience finally snapping.
    ‘Ah, he is a boy and afraid of love,’ Alexis said with an indulgent smile. ‘But when it comes, he will welcome it, as we all do. Now, I must go.’ He stood up, and Helena
followed suit.
    ‘It is wonderful to see you, Helena,’ he said, kissing her warmly on both cheeks.
    ‘And you, Alexis.’
    ‘I will be here tomorrow morning at nine to go to Paphos, yes?
Adio
, Alex. Look after your mother.’
    ‘I always do,’ Alex grunted.
    ‘Goodbye.’ Alexis nodded at him and strode across the terrace and out of sight.
    ‘Really, Alex,’ Helena sighed at him in frustration, ‘do you have to be so obnoxious?’
    ‘I wasn’t, was I?’
    ‘Yes, you were, and you know it! Why didn’t you like him?’
    ‘How do you know I didn’t?’
    ‘Oh come on, Alex, you went out of your way to be contrary.’
    ‘Sorry, but I just don’t trust him. I’m going down to see the pool, if that’s okay with you.’
    ‘Fine.’
    Helena watched her son amble off across the terrace, glad he had left her in peace for a while . . . that they had
both
left, these two males who had the same name and held court in her
heart. As the shock of Alexis appearing began to subside, she thought how he had been little more than a boy back then, only a few years older than her son. Now he was a middle-aged man, but his
essence remained unchanged.
    Helena rubbed her nose thoughtfully. No one forgot their first love – everyone believing their own experience was unique, unrivalled in its power, passion and beauty. And of course, that
first summer here with Alexis had stayed in her memory for twenty-four years, like a butterfly caught forever in amber.
    They’d