Page 41 of Her Greek Inheritance

Chapter 16

The Moustakas Estate…

Gemma burst into tears the minute she saw Damien. Her son reached out his tiny arms toward her. “Please, Leo...”

Leo was carrying her toward the stairs. He hesitated, finally lowering her to the ground, allowing her to hug the little boy close to her for several long moments.

“Mommy missed you so much, little man.”

Damien held onto her neck. When Tressa disengaged him so that Leo could continue carrying her up the stairs, he burst into cries for his mother. The sound nearly broke her heart. She was wailing loudly by the time Leo entered her rooms and laid her upon the bed. Seconds later, Damien scrambled to her side, wrapping his little body around her like a second skin.

“Shush, darling. Mommy’s here now.” Her head was pounding, but nothing could keep her away from her baby.

“Gemma, the doctor is here. Do you think Damien would come with me?” Leo knelt by the side of the bed. His expression was gentle as he looked down at her son, far gentler than she’d believed was possible for Leo.

She took a calming breath. “Hey, Damien, did you say hello to Uncle Leo? How about you go sit in that chair with him while the doctor looks at Mommy’s head?”

Damien didn’t immediately warm to the idea, but when Leo picked up one of his favorite books and offered to read it, he nodded and went to him. He turned and looked at her, wanting to make sure she wasn’t going to leave.

Gemma’s heart melted.I won’t leave you alone again. I promise.

“Kalimera, Miss Larsen.”

Gemma was greatly relieved that the doctor spoke perfect English. “Good afternoon, Doctor.”

He beamed at her. “Now, I understand you were on the open water during last night’s storm. I must say, you are a very lucky young lady.”

“It’s true,” she told him. “I must have fallen backwards in the boat and hit my head.”

“Let’s take a look, shall we?” He urged her into a sitting position and then prodded around her scalp.

Gemma was very aware of her audience. A blush stained her cheeks when the doctor inquired about various other injuries and bodily functions that might have suffered due to last night’s escapade. “I threw up earlier today and have felt nauseated off and on all day long but the achiness seems to have gone away.”

“The nausea is to be expected with a concussion. I would like to prescribe some antibiotics for you and plenty of bed rest. You may experience some dizziness, so take it easy on the stairs for a while.”

Gemma nodded. “Is there anything I can take for this headache?”

“Of course.” He wrote out directions for some over-the-counter painkillers and Tressa immediately sent a maid to fetch them from the household medical kit.

“Thank you, Doctor.”

“You are very welcome.” He packed away his medical instruments and then looked over to where Leo and Damien were huddled over a book. “It’s uncanny how similar to his father he looks.”

Gemma followed the doctor’s gaze and then shook her head, realizing he’d jumped to the wrong conclusion. “Leo is not his father. Alexi is Damien’s father.”

The doctor turned to look at her, shaking his head. “That is impossible.”

The doctor’s comments drew everyone’s attention. Silence fell over the room.

The medical man looked around and sighed. “I promised Alexi that I would never share his secret, but seeing as he is no longer here and you all believe Alexi is the father of this child, I cannot keep quiet.”

Vasil came forward. “What secret are you keeping?”

“This child is not Alexi’s. There is no possibility of that being so.”

Leo carried Damien over to the bed to cuddle with his mother. “Explain,” he demanded.

The doctor nodded grimly. “Alexi was very ill five years ago.”