Follow a Stranger

must tell you some time.”

“How long have your family lived here?” she asked.

“Off and on for generations, I believe. My great-

grandfather was a fisherman who left the island for the

mainland when there was bad fishing for several years. My

grandfather was successful enough to build up a good

business and my father bought the island thirty years ago.

He built this house.”

“Sophia said you learnt your English at school,” she

said. “Was that in England?”

He nodded. “My mother is French, but English schools

are famous all over the world, so they decided to send me

to England, and then to a French university.”

She was startled. “Oh, you were at university?”

His dark face was suddenly alight with laughter. “That

surprises you? You thought I was illiterate, I suppose?”

Kate flushed. “I hadn’t thought about it,” she said

offhandedly.

“Well, I left without taking a degree, in fact, because my

father was ill, and I had to take over the business. Then

he died, so I carried on. I have often regretted it, but that

is fate!”

She watched him curiously. His face had a fatalistic look

as he said the last words. “Do you believe that?”

His brows rose. “In fate? Of course.” His tone was

suddenly brusque, as though he disliked the subject.

“Why have you never allowed anyone to visit the temple

before?” she asked him after a long silence.

“My father would never have strangers on Kianthos. He

felt that they would spoil it. There are so few roads that it