Page 69 of Villa of Secrets

‘Actually,’ Rebecca stuttered, ‘I was thinking more along the lines of paying for some assistance.’

Naomi doused a surge of resentment and placed her hand over Rebecca’s. ‘That’s kind of you, but Bubba would find it humiliating for a stranger to come in and wash her, clean her teeth and wipe her bottom. It’s fine. I can do it.’

‘I feel awful, Naomi. I couldn’t have done it . . . no way.’

‘Let me put it like this: she did it for us, didn’t she? All through our childhood not a single thing was too much trouble. Her grandchildren were her first priority; she had no time for friends, or any social life at all. She kissed our bleeding knees, wiped our snotty noses, and applied calamine lotion on our chickenpox. We should have gone to an orphanage, but she gave up everything for you and me. So a few months returning the debt is nothing in the great scheme of things.’

‘I’ve never thought of Bubba like that. To be honest, I took her for granted when I was growing up.’

Naomi hesitated, then said, ‘All children tend to do that. Don’t worry about it.’

‘You’re a saint. I’m ashamed that I haven’t supported you. Is there anything I can do now?’

Bubba whimpered and stared blankly at Naomi.

‘Yes, sure. Bring me a glass of milk from the fridge and her pills off the worktop, while I get her changed for bed.’ She turned to her grandmother. ‘It’s all right, Bubba. You’ve had a bad dream, that’s all. Time for your medication, and a good night’s sleep.’ She got up and kissed Bubba’s forehead.

‘Can I do anything else?’ Rebecca said, pouring the milk.

Naomi shook her head. ‘I’ll be an hour. Why don’t you get yourself a drink and read some of the third diary? It’s on top of the kitchen cabinet.’

Chapter 30

In the villa, I stood before Nathanial and waited to hear what he had to say. He frowned and stared at me.

‘I hope I’m not making a mistake.’ He lifted the brown satchel. ‘We, the Andartes, are very short of firepower but I’m giving you your own weapon, little one. It’s a 1910 Browning.’ He thrust the leather bag towards me. ‘I want you to remember that this gun is the same as the firearm that killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand.’ He recognised the shock on my face. ‘Yes, Dora, a single shot from a pistol identical to this, started the Great War. A conflict that took the lives of millions.’

‘I understand what you’re saying. A gun can have huge and irreversible consequences.’

‘Look after it, use it wisely, and above all, don’t let either the gun or the crate fall into enemy hands.’

‘I won’t, I swear.’

‘You will leave before first light. Xanthi is at the hut. She’ll mind your sister while Irini takes you to Kapitanos Nikos.’

I nodded, unable to come up with anything to say.

‘Now, you’re dismissed. I’ll send directions in the morning and you’ll hear from me again when I’ve a job for you.’

He turned to Giovanni, who sat by the door. ‘Take her back.’

*

Giovanni slung the bag with the gun over his shoulder. I longed to inspect it. The crate had a rope handle on either side and together we carried it through the woods.

At the hut, Evangelisa had cooked more potatoes. ‘Another amazing job. Well done!’ I said, embarrassed by the way she beamed lapping up the flattery. I must praise her more often. I guessed the stranger eating with them was Xanthi.

‘We leave an hour before dawn,’ I told Irini before sitting to eat.

She threw me a quizzical look.

‘You have to give me a riding lesson this afternoon. We must take Zeus with us tomorrow.’ I sensed she was unhappy. If only we had some privacy, I longed to tell her all that had happened, but Xanthi and Evangelisa stayed close.

Irini nodded. ‘Am I going with you?’

‘I don’t really know the details. We’ll find out in the morning.’ Flustered that my best friend had asked me a question I couldn’t answer, I continued, ‘I guess you’ll have to take me this time because I can’t ride well enough to control the horse for long.’

‘What’s in the box?’ she said, lifting her chin towards the bed where the crate was stashed.