She was very much surprised when an older man with a familiar face stepped forward to greet her with solemn formality and ask if he might take her luggage for her. She recognised him as her grandfather’s chauffeur.
‘My goodness…I’m afraid I wasn’t expecting to be met off my flight.’
Nik explained that they had made their own arrangements to travel to the funeral.
‘Do you think the driver did that off his own bat?’ Prudence asked when they reached their own limo. ‘Grandfather’s staff were very nice to me when I stayed with him.’
In Nik’s experience staff, no matter how kind or well-intentioned, rarely took such initiatives. Were Theo’s legal executors keen to cast a polite public veil of concealment over the late tycoon’s brutal treatment of his grandchild? A limo ride to the funeral would have been cheap at the price. His handsome mouth took on a sardonic curl. He considered that the more likely explanation.
From the airport they went to Nik’s family home, where they had been invited to lunch with his parents. Prudence had received several sympathetic phone calls from her mother-in-law and Nik’s sisters and had been warmed by their friendly acceptance. Nik’s father also accompanied them to the church.
During the church service, Prudence became conscious that quite a few people seemed to be craning their heads to look in her direction. At the cemetery, the surge of her regret for the fact that she’d never got to know the older man sent tears rolling down her face. Theo Demakis had been her last living relative and to the last he had been a stubborn, bitter, unforgiving man who had rejected her every attempt to treat him like a family member. Of course, that had been his choice, she reminded herself ruefully. While Nik was engaged in dialogue with his father, Gregoly Lelas approached her to check that she was coming back to the Demakis villa outside Athens.
Prudence was surprised by the question. ‘I wasn’t planning to,’ she told her grandfather’s lawyer.
‘But you are the only possible hostess. Everyone here will be your guests,’ the older man pointed out, as if there was nothing extraordinary about her taking a place that had been denied her during his employer’s life. ‘I would also welcome the opportunity to read the will.’
The concept of acting as hostess at the palatial Demakis villa shook Prudence, but she could not see that she had any choice in the matter if it was expected of her. Her eyes widened a little at that reference to the will. Had her grandfather left her something? A small token? Or possibly some item that might act as an unspoken rebuke for the disappointment she had brought him while he was alive, she thought wryly.
‘I can’t accompany you,’ Nik breathed in a taut undertone of apology when she explained. ‘I was content to offer my respects at the funeral but it would be inappropriate for me to enter the Demakis home.’
‘But you’re my husband,’ Prudence protested in dismay at the prospect of being left to cope alone with so many strangers.
‘I hate to disappoint you…however, circumstances are such at this moment that I could not be present, thespinis mou.’ Nik grasped her hand, his thumb massaging her wrist in a soothing gesture. ‘The limo will drop me off at my office and return to wait for you until you are ready to leave. I’ll be at my apartment by six.’
Feeling that she had been selfish and thoughtless to expect more concessions from Nik when he and her grandfather had parted in such acrimony, Prudence managed an understanding smile. In any event, the number of guests arriving at the Demakis villa kept her too busy to notice Nik’s absence. It was still a shock, however, to lift her head and see Cassia Morikis gliding towards her like visiting royalty. With her shining fall of platinum-blonde hair tumbling round her slender shoulders and wearing an impossibly elegant little black dress and hat, Cassia looked like an exquisite doll put on earth purely to depress other women.
The blonde woman settled sparkling brown eyes on Prudence. ‘A lot of people were very impressed that Nik attended the funeral. He has so much class. You’ll never match him. You didn’t notice me at the service, did you? You were too busy looking devout.’
‘The church was crowded.’ Prudence fought to maintain her composed front, even while her tummy lurched as if she was in a tiny boat spinning in a whirlpool. She had always found the blonde intimidating and that teenaged fear of humiliation was with her still. ‘I wasn’t aware that you were acquainted with my grandfather.’
‘Weren’t you? My father has been a powerful man in Demakis International for several years.’ Cassia, who was on the best of form, gave her a sickeningly smug smile. ‘Of course, the will may not have been read but we all know that Theo has left the lot to his first wife’s cousins in Germany. They don’t need the money and they’ll leave the business in the capable hands of the current management. Nice for us, but not so nice for you.’
As Prudence had never been under the impression that she would inherit her grandfather’s wealth, Cassia’s spite had no effect on her. ‘If you like to think so.’
‘Oh, I do.’ Cassia laughed softly. ‘I’m amazed that you can act as though you belong in this house. Whose sad idea was that? After all, you weren’t welcome here when Theo was alive.’
‘I’m amazed that you still hate me so much,’ Prudence confessed truthfully. ‘The past eight years must have been very empty for you if you’re still so bitter about Nik and I getting married-’
‘And what sort of a marriage is it?’ Cassia cut in furiously, twin spots of high colour burning over her delicate cheekbones. ‘Just a big fat fake! I did him a good turn when I ensured that he flaked out on your wedding night. Beautiful Nik, forced to marry someone ordinary and boring like you-’
Prudence’s soft blue gaze had turned to steel. ‘You…ensured?’
‘Who else?’ Cassia could not conceal her triumph. ‘I slipped the pill into his drink when he wasn’t looking.’
Prudence trembled with rage. She remembered that Nik had said how much he cherished the fact that she never forgot she was a lady. She remembered that it was a solemn and sad occasion. She also strove to recall that violence was not an answer to a difficult situation. She breathed in so deep as she restrained herself that she almost went into orbit.
‘Mrs Angelis…’ Gregoly Lelas interposed at a most welcome moment. ‘Would you like to come into the library now?’
Prudence was bemused to find that she was alone in the room with three lawyers. ‘Where is everyone else?’
‘There are no other beneficiaries,’ she was told and before the significance of that statement could sink in the will was read.
‘I don’t think I quite understand.’
‘You have inherited the entire estate and are now an extremely wealthy woman,’ Mr Lelas clarified with assurance.
‘But the cousins in Germany…’ she said weakly.
‘A cover story that amused your grandfather. You have been an heir to the Demakis holdings since the day that your father, Apollo, died.’
Prudence was shattered by that statement. ‘But that was more than fifteen years ago…and at one stage my grandfather believed he had a second son.’
‘Yes. But even during that period you would still have inherited a substantial share of Mr Demakis’s estate. You have Demakis blood in your veins and that meant a great deal to him.’
The shock Prudence had received was so great that she felt numb and unresponsive. ‘But my grandfather wasn’t even speaking to me…’
‘Mr Demakis was a very complex and clever man and not always easy to understand.’ The lawyer and his colleagues went on to list the main assets of the estate; ten minutes later they were still talking and Prudence’s lower lip felt permanently parted from the upper.
‘Obviously we will need to have a series of meetings as there are many formalities to be observed.’
‘Obviously,’ Prudence echoed, a slightly glazed look in her eyes.
‘I don’t wish to tax you with more today. Shortly before Mr Demakis died he made a short film that he wished you to
view.’
‘A film? He knew that he was ill?’
‘Yes. He preferred that his fragile state of health towards the end of his life remained a private matter.’ The lawyer passed her a DVD in a sealed case, indicated the player and announced that he and his colleagues would wait outside to answer any questions she might have.
With a thudding heart, Prudence broke the seal, extracted the DVD and fed it in. The image of her grandfather flicked up on screen. It was a good five years since she had seen him in the flesh, and age and poor health were etched in his grim pallor.
‘How does it feel to be an heiress and hold your husband in the palm of your hand?’ Theo Demakis asked with a sardonic smile. ‘As this film is being made, you and Nik Angelis are sunning yourself in Italy and carrying on like newly-weds. You can thank me for that development.’
‘No…you can’t have known!’ Prudence gasped in stark disconcertion that the older man could have found out about their Tuscan honeymoon.
‘Picking a fight with Nik was not difficult. He’s very loyal to you. When I evicted you and your menagerie from that squalid house, Nik raced to your rescue as I knew he would. It brought you together. Adversity brings out the best in Nik. So I put him under financial pressure by poaching contracts from his company. He fought back. He even sold his yacht to fund the purchase of Oakmere Abbey. How chivalrous of him.’ The older man shook his grizzled head in wonderment. ‘Since then, as you’re no doubt aware, Demakis International’s campaign to put your husband’s company out of business has been steadily gaining ground. I knew Nik wanted to feel free of my influence and I gave him good reason to believe he had succeeded.’
‘Oh, my word…’ Prudence mumbled sickly, for a hundred and one things were falling into place for her and she was aghast at what she was hearing. On more than one recent occasion, she had marvelled at the endless hours of work Nik put in and the frequent phone calls he made and received. Indeed, she had scolded him for his preoccupation with business and his exhaustion. But he must have been worried sick, for her grandfather was a formidable opponent. How could she not have guessed what was going on? And how could he not have told her?
‘And now Nik is yours and you can call all the shots, Prudence. That is how I always planned it,’ her grandfather assured her.