'I was allowed to observe while he was being questioned later,' Luke told Isobel when he rang for the second time to give details. 'Once in custody, the man begged protection for his family against Zena and Zoe Karras, twin sisters of the dead Melina Andreadis. As I suspected, they were the driving force behind this all along. Just like the man who attacked me, your kidnapper's wife and children had been threatened by the two harpies. But he swore he was no killer, which is why he sent me the note giving me your location.'
'And he never actually hurt me,' added Isobel.
'But he tied you up and left you in that hut,' said Luke grimly, then continued to tell her that the police went straight to the Karras house to question the sisters, who promptly went berserk with fury at the failure of their plan and poured everything out in a flood of venom against him, which shocked even the battle-hardened detectives. Luke laughed cynically. 'But the sisters' vendetta against me was more for the loss of the generous allowance Melina had made them, than for her death. I was informed later that they blamed me for her death and everything else wrong in their lives.'
'They meant to have you killed?'
'No. Just to wound and harm me in any way possible, out of pure venom. As a source of money, I was no good to them dead.'
Isobel shivered, her knuckles white on the phone. 'What was to happen to me?'
'They were too hysterical to make any sense by the time they were taken into custody, but Andres is related to one of the policemen interrogating them, so I shall know more eventually.' His voice dropped a tone. 'But, no matter what they intended, you are safe now, hriso mou. You can sleep tonight.'
'I'll probably have nightmares!'
'If I were there with you I could provide a cure for those,' he said softly.
The mere thought of it made her weak at the knees. 'When will you be back?'
'As soon as I can, Isobel. I must work with Andres for a while first today. Even without all this drama I have been neglecting my business interests since you came into my life, Miss Isobel James!'
'So sorry about that. Never mind. I'll soon be gone.'
'I know this very well,' he assured her darkly. 'When I get back we will spend every possible moment together before you leave.'
Isobel put her phone on the bedside table, limp with relief now it was all over and Luke was safe. But she was very thoughtful as she settled into the pillows. If Luke intended to spend every moment possible with her before she left, did he mean in as well as out of bed? And, if so, what would Eleni and Spiro think of the arrangement? Isobel bit her lip. She had become so fond of the couple the thought of losing their respect was painful. She hugged a pillow to her chest fiercely. If she'd known beforehand that she'd be in danger of falling madly in love during her holiday she would have steered clear of these magical Greek islands. The holiday had been intended as a recovery programme, both from working overtime for weeks and from the hateful episode with Gavin. But now she would need all the hard work she could get once she was home to help her recover from her Greek odyssey. And from Luke. She sighed. If she wasn't her sparkling self for a while, at least Jo would assume that her hair-raising adventures were the reason. Whereas the real problem would be that she was pining for the man who'd rescued her from them.
The next day seemed endless. Luke rang twice in snatched moments between meetings, but he was too busy for more than a word or two. And when Alyssa rang later she apologised because the taverna was short-staffed and she had to work all day rather than drive up to the Villa Medusa as she'd intended. To occupy herself, Isobel finished the drawing of Luke for Eleni and Spiro, ate the lunch put in front of her and in between took walks in the garden with her stick at regular intervals to exercise her ankle and pass the time until Luke got back. After that, her time with him would be so brief she was determined to make the most of every minute-once he tore himself away from his empire to fly back to Chyros.
When Eleni apologised because dinner would be served an hour later that evening Isobel assured her it was fine with her and went carefully up the stairs, supporting herself on the carved banister rail as she went. In preparation for Luke's return tomorrow she would use the hour for the kind of top-to-toe beauty treatment she rarely had time, or inclination, for at home.
Isobel was sitting on the veranda as the sun set, waving her newly painted toes around to dry the polish, when her heart leapt at the sound she hadn't been expecting until the next day. Tense with excitement, she leaned out over the balcony rail as Luke's helicopter circled round to land, then forced herself to wait for him to come to her. She went barefoot into the bedroom, listening to the sound of greetings downstairs as Luke brought Spiro up to date, her pulse racing in time with his footsteps as Luke ran upstairs, and at last he was there in the doorway, arms outstretched. She flew into them and he buried his face in the fragrant mass of her newly washed hair, holding her close against his thudding heart.
Luke raised his head at last, smiling down into her eyes. 'Kalispera, Isobel.'
'Hi,' she said, smiling radiantly. 'You forgot to tell me you were coming home today.'
'I did not forget. I wanted to surprise you.'
She wagged a finger. 'But you let Spiro know, because Eleni asked to put dinner later tonight. She never said a word.'
'On my orders,' Luke said, and put her away from him to look down into her eyes. 'I wanted to see your face when I arrived, and now I have seen it and know you are glad to see me I want to kiss you very badly. But if I do I might not stop, and I need time to make myself worthy of my beautiful dinner companion.'
'Thank you, kind sir. I'll wait for you on the terrace.'
'Wait up here and I shall carry you down,' he said promptly, but she shook her head.
'With care, I can manage without my crutch now if I go barefoot and carry these to put on downstairs.' Isobel grinned at him as she picked up her sandals. 'Don't be long. I'm hungry.'
Isobel had felt no enthusiasm for dining alone, but with Luke for such unexpected company she did full justice to the celebration meal Eleni and Spiro took such pleasure in serving them, both of them blazingly happy now that the man they loved like a son had faced down his enemies and returned to them safely.
At intervals Luke left the table to answer the phone to well wishers who had seen the news, among them Alyssa Nicolaides, who apologised for disturbing him but had been instructed to convey her parents' relief, along with hers, that he had survived yet another dangerous encounter unscathed.
'The gods must be watching over you, Lukas mou. Give my love to Isobel,' Alyssa added sweetly as she said goodbye.
'That was Alyssa,' said Luke as he resumed his place at the table. 'She sent you her love. I shall leave all other calls to the machine. If there is anything urgent from Andres he will use my private line.' He yawned hugely. 'Forgive me, Isobel, I had very little sleep last night.'
'I'm not surprised.' She abandoned the pomegranate she'd been toying with. 'Do you want to go to bed?'
Luke jumped up to pull out her chair. 'Zeus, yes, I do. I will tell Spiro he can lock up.'
'Thank Eleni for a wonderful dinner, Luke, but don't be long,' said Isobel, then flushed hectically at the look her gave her.
As Luke strode off towards the kitchen Isobel slipped off the sandals and began her usual careful ascent of the stairs but, before she was even halfway up, he caught up with her and carried her the rest of the way and along the landing to her room. Once inside, he kicked the door shut and laid her on the bed, then cast himself down beside her and took her in his arms, his face buried against her neck.
'Last night,' he said, his breath hot against her skin, 'I thought of this when I was watching that alley, waiting to seize the man who had kidnapped you.'
'I thought of it every minute of the day,' she admitted huskily. 'Then you rang me to say you were safe, and I could breathe again.'
Luke raised his head to look in her eyes. 'You cared that much?'
'Yes.' She wriggled closer. 'Now tell me about it again. Was it a shock to learn the Karras sisters were behind the vendetta?'
'No. After their behaviour towards me at Melina's funeral it was no surprise at all.' Luke kissed her with sudden heat. 'Now forget them, agapi mou, and concentrate on me.'
Isobel woke alone the next morning and had showered and dressed before Luke came to find her.
'Kalimera,' he said, taking her in his arms.
'Good morning.' She smiled up at him. 'How are you today?'
'Now there is no longer danger to you, I feel as though a great weight has rolled from my shoulders, Isobel. I also feel hungry,' he added, and kissed her. 'For breakfast also, you understand. And while we eat you shall tell me what you would like to do today.'