Page 8 of The Silent Sister

Once they got to the top of the hill, they were rewarded with the most wonderful view.

Through the pine trees, the sea was a vivid aquamarine, streaked with varying shades of turquoise and azure.

Tiny frills of white foam edged the little beach.

Eugenia’s house was crystalline white and glowed in the bright sun.

‘What a view!’ Tom turned to Cassia. ‘Your sister is so lucky to look out on that every day.’

Cassia’s stomach churned the nearer they got to the house. To the side was an olive grove casting shade on the sandy soil underneath. White sheets billowed in the breeze on a washing line that stretched from the opposite side of the house to a tall pole hammered into the ground.

‘It’s the first time I’ve seen it,’ said Cassia.

‘When I left Fiscardo, Eugenia still lived with my parents. She hadn’t met Georgios then.

When she got married, a friend let me know her address but I didn’t think I’d ever need it.

..’ She lowered her voice. ‘She sided with my parents. Believed what they said about Nikos.’

‘Oh, I am sorry.’

Cassia got down from the trap and walked to the front door that was set back under the overhang that ran the whole length of the house. She knocked on the door and waited, her heart thumping. How would her sister react?

The door opened. Eugenia’s mouth dropped open when she recognised who it was.

‘Hello, Eugenia.’

‘Cassia! I don’t believe it! What are you doing here? I’ve been so worried. I had no address for you and I heard most of Argostoli has been flattened.’

Her face drained of colour. She pulled Cassia into her arms and both sisters dissolved into tears.

‘It’s been terrible. I came to you. I have nowhere else to go. My house was destroyed along with others in Argostoli. You wouldn’t recognise it. Our beautiful town has been reduced to a pile of rubble.’

Her sister looked past her as Tom and Eléni walked to join them. ‘And who are these people with you?’

Stavros still stood by the horse and trap.

‘These are my friends, Tom and Eléni. I will tell you more later. And this is Stavros, who was kind enough to bring us here. Please can we come in?’

‘Hello. Of course, follow me.’

Relief that Eugenia had not rebuffed her surged through Cassia. All she had to do now was convince her sister that taking Eléni without the authorities’ knowledge was the right thing to do.

Eugenia opened the door wide and led them into a large kitchen-cum-living-room. Dark wood panelling clad the walls and a long table took pride of place in the centre. It was good to finally be out of the sun and in a cool, shaded room.

‘You must all be exhausted after your journey. Can I offer you some iced water or lemonade? Or perhaps you men would prefer a beer?’

‘Lemonade for me. Eléni?’ The little girl didn’t respond. ‘And one for my young friend.’

Eugenia looked puzzled. ‘She’s shy, is she?’ Cassia just nodded her head, trying to be discreet.

‘Two beers for us, parakaló, ’ said Tom.

‘Why don’t you go and sit under the awning outside, and I’ll bring the drinks out to you. I’ll call Maia to come and play with Eléni. She’s down on the beach.’

They all walked outside while Eugenia went to the front of the house to call her daughter.

‘Eugenia is very welcoming. You are safe here from prying eyes. No Welsh reporters, eh?’ Tom smiled and Cassia relaxed.

He was right. But she knew that if her sister’s fisherman husband had been there, the reception would have been more frosty.

Georgios had never approved of her relationship with Nikos even though they’d been a couple for some time when he came on the scene.

Nikos would never say, but Cassia suspected Georgios had a dark secret he didn’t want Eugenia or her father to know about.

Now, Nikos was dead, and she would never know if Georgios had been involved in his death.

A little girl with crinkly black ringlets raced around the corner of the house, followed by an out-of-breath Eugenia.

Before going back into the house to get the drinks, Eugenia introduced her daughter. ‘This is Maia, everyone.’

When she was around three, Eugenia had been identical to this little bundle of energy who introduced herself to everyone. How had Cassia not known her sister had a child?

‘Hello, Maia. I’m your theía, Cassia. This is Eléni.’

‘Do you want to come and play?’ Maia took Eléni’s hand, but she pulled it away and shook her head.

‘Maybe later.’ Cassia smiled at her niece. ‘I’m going to help your mamá get the drinks now.’

Eugenia was waiting for her. ‘What’s going on? Friends?’ She raised her hands, palms open.

‘I’ll tell you, but you must swear you will tell no one.

Eléni’s house was destroyed in the earthquake.

She was buried under the rubble for two days, and Tom, one of the British sailors drafted in to help with the rescue, was the one who got her out, barely alive.

Everyone else in her family died. She has no one. ’

Eugenia’s expression was one of shock. ‘Poor little mite. Look, I’ll take these drinks out and I’ll come back for you to tell me more.’

On her return, Cassia continued to tell her the story. ‘She has been nursed back to health by the Red Cross, and both Tom and I visited her every day. We’ve both become very fond of her and we can’t let her go into a home for orphans — we can’t.’ Tears pricked her eyes.

‘Oh. Come here.’ Eugenia pulled her into a tight hug.

‘It was Tom’s idea. He suggested Fiscardo.

There’s no structural damage from the earthquake and no one to remember Eléni had a family who died.

He thinks people will assume she is my daughter.

’ Tears then fell and her voice became a sob.

‘I did have a daughter once. Angelika would be three now, just like her.’ She looked up at Eugenia’s puzzled face.

‘Nikos and I had a baby who was stillborn. I keep thinking that if she had lived and I had died in the earthquake, I would want someone to look after her and become her new mamá.’

‘Oh, I’m so sorry. That’s awful. We must have been pregnant at the same time and neither of us knew. Damned stupid family row over politics. I’ll never forgive Father! Come on, let’s join the others. Tom’s obviously fallen head over heels in love with you.’

Cassia stopped in her tracks. ‘No! You’ve got the wrong idea. We’re friends. We’ve only just met.’

Eugenia gave her a knowing look. All the years they’d spent apart disappeared and the two sisters reverted back to the teenage girls they had once been, always looking out for each other.

‘If you say so. Surely you’ve noticed the way he looks at you... or you must be in denial.’ Eugenia hugged her sister again. ‘I’m so pleased you’re back. I’ve missed you.’

Cassia thought about her sister’s words as they rejoined everyone outside.

Tom’s eyes focused on her alone. She had been so moved by his kindness and his concern for Eléni that she hadn’t thought of it as anything other than friendship.

Warmth spread along her skin. What if her sister was right and she’d missed all the signs?

‘Mamá, Eléni won’t answer me.’ Maia looked disappointed.

Tom intervened. ‘She is tired. The journey is long. That is right, eh, Eléni? She plays later.’ Eléni got up from her seat and sat beside Tom on the bench. Smiling, he put his arm around her.

It was the first time Eléni had shown any reaction since leaving Sophia, Arianna and Argostoli.

Tom had the knack of getting Eléni to respond that Cassia didn’t.

What am I going to do when he returns to his ship?

She was going to miss the support he’d given her every day since that awful day back in August. But she realised it was more than that. Her heart skipped a beat.

‘We should leave soon, Tom,’ said Stavros. ‘I must not be away from the farm for another day. My wife, she needs help with the animals, I think.’

Eléni grabbed Tom’s arm. Panic returned to her eyes. ‘It is all right, cariad . You are safe here. You have Cassia, Eugenia and Maia.’ The little girl’s eyes filled with tears.

‘But not yet,’ Eugenia said. ‘I will make Stavros and Tom something to eat on the journey. Do you and Maia want to help?’ Surprisingly, Eléni took Eugenia’s hand and disappeared into the house.

‘Stavros, I like to speak with Cassia alone. Parakaló, excuse us.’

Cassia and Tom walked in the direction of the little cove.

He turned to her, taking her hand. ‘It is very hard for me to leave you and Eléni, but I have to go back to my ship. You know that already. Your sister will look after you and you will make a new home here.’

A wave of emotion washed over Cassia. She was never going to see this lovely man again. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she pulled him into a tight hug. ‘I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for us.’

Tom stood back and looked at her. ‘It sounds as if you think this is the end. If it is all right with you, I will write to this address and you can reply telling me all about how Eléni is getting on . . . and you, of course. I hope even when the ship leaves Malta, we can still be penfriends.’

‘Friends of the pen?’ Cassia hadn’t heard the word before.

‘We will stay friends by writing. Wherever I go in the world, I can write to you and Eléni. I will never forget you . . . or her.’

Cassia heard a catch in his voice. They hugged again and walked back to the house. Stavros had gone to get the horse and trap from the olive grove, where it had been left in the shade.

Eugenia handed Tom a basket full of bread, feta and tomatoes. The two girls held a bottle of water each.

‘We grow the tomatoes ourselves,’ she said. ‘More than we can eat. I take them to the small market in Fiscardo to sell. The olives are not ready yet. Girls, give the men their water.’

Stavros got down from his seat.

‘ Efcharistó , Maia.’

Eléni handed hers to Tom, who put the basket down and crouched down to the little girl’s level. ‘ Efcharistó. You are good for Mamá. You have fun playing with Maia.’ Eléni nodded and grabbed his legs as he stood up.

Cassia’s mouth fell open. It was the first time he’d referred to her as Eléni’s mother. But wasn’t that what she was going to imply to the people of Fiscardo? Eugenia alone would know the truth, and she’d been sworn to secrecy.

Tom shook Eugenia’s hand. ‘ Goodbye and efcharistó . Look after them. I know you will help these two get over what’s happened. I have a feeling little Maia will soon get Eléni talking. Now we must get back.’

He embraced Cassia. The warmth of his body against hers made her heartbeat quicken. ‘Goodbye, cariad . I hope it all works out for you and Eléni. Remember, she’s your daughter now.’ His eyes full of unshed tears, he lingered no longer and picked up Eléni, swinging her round.

‘Bye-bye, little one.’

As they watched the horse and trap disappear along the lane from the house, Cassia’s chest filled with sadness. It was the last time Tom Beynon would be part of their lives. Letters would not be the same. She was on her own now. It was up to her to make a success of it.

Turning to go into the house, she saw the glaring face of a tearful little girl. Would Eléni ever accept her as her mother?