Legend Of Lexandros

Now it was his turn to look surprised. He studied her intently for a moment, as though weighing up whether she was telling him the truth, and then he shrugged. ‘Perhaps you don’t at that,’ he murmured. ‘I should have made certain before I left that you were informed. It seems apparent that your sister is afraid to tell you herself.’

Dallas’s fingers clenched convulsively on the strap of her handbag. ‘What is she afraid to tell me?’ she asked breathlessly, her eyes wide and dismayed.

Alexander Stavros’s mouth twisted. ‘It seems I must again be the bearer of unhappy tidings; your sister is pregnant.’

Dallas felt her stomach turn over, and she suddenly felt very sick. It wasn’t that it was such a great shock; she had known instinctively that all was not right with Jane for a long time, but now that it was put into words so blatantly, she felt suddenly lost and helpless, with no one to whom she could turn. Except Charles, her emotions argued, but what would Charles think?

Stavros stared out of the car window at the passing traffic, giving her time to collect her scattered wits. He smoked his cheroot slowly, and Dallas, her eyes drawn to him, relaxed a little at his calm acceptance of the situation. When he thought she was recovering, he looked at her with his dark, inscrutable eyes.

‘I’m sorry I had to break it to you so bluntly,’ he said. ‘But it was the only way. Your sister knows, of course, and I was told at the hospital when I went to bring her home. They thought I already knew, you see.’ He sighed. ‘I told Jane to tell you at once, but obviously she found herself incapable of doing so. I also outlined an idea to her which I wanted you to think about, too.’

Dallas drew deeply on her cigarette. ‘She has said nothing at all about anything personal, but I suppose this explains the withdrawal symptoms she is suffering from.’

‘Yes,’ he nodded. ‘So now everything is known to you I will tell you my suggestions, yes?’ As she inclined her head as though in assent, he went on: ‘This child, when it is born, will be my grandchild, do you understand? It matters little to me whether your sister was going to marry my son, or otherwise. The child is all that is important; I cannot have my grandchild ignored by his own family, so I have suggested to your sister that she comes with me to Lexandros until the child is born.’

Dallas stared at him in astonishment. ‘Lexandros?’ she echoed.

‘Yes. Lexandros is an island, my island. My home is there; I was born there, and so was Paris. It is right that Paris’s child should be born there also.’

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