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acting which had done the trick. She would continue to act, and deceive this disagreeable specimen of Greek masculinity who considered women as inferior beings whose lot it was to be mastered. A few minutes ago she was wishing herself back in England, and free of the complications entailed by Paul's scheme; now, she was anticipating a good measure of enjoyment from bamboozling the man who had caused her such discomfiture. He was watching her and she met his dark glance with suitable submissiveness in her own wide gaze.
    'Thank you for being so kind,' she murmured. 'I was so very frightened that you wouldn't approve of me.'

    Slender brown hands were spread. Leon said pleasantly,
    'I must approve of a girl so obviously devoted to my brother as you are. I hope you will be very happy together.'
    'Thank you,' she said again, and smiled charmingly at him.

CHAPTER THREE
    'TARA, you were simply marvellous! I'm sure Leon will raise no objection to my having my money. It was incredible - the way you acted! I'm ever so grateful to you!'
    They were strolling in the garden, having left Leon a moment ago as he said he had to work in his study for an hour or so before dinner.
    'I'm glad you're satisfied,' she returned, her attention more with her surroundings than her companion. The flowers were fantastic; she had never seen so many blooming all at once. And the perfume assailing her nostrils - it was heady and exotic, filling the air with sense-stirring delights. For a fleeting moment her thoughts strayed and she was with Ricky, walking here, in this lovely Eastern garden, on an enchanted island floating like a gem on the calm blue waters of the Saronic Gulf. Romance ... That was what it all spelt. To be in love, in a setting like this. . . It would be sheer heaven, every single moment of it. Ricky. She closed her eyes tightly, and shook her head in an angry gesture. She would not think of him, would not torture herself with visions of him with Freda, walking and talking; kissing and petting . .. making love— No! She would not allow him to intrude into her thoughts!
    'You're miles away.' Paul's voice cut in, and she mentally thanked him for the diversion. 'What are you thinking, Tara?'
    'it was nothing of importance, Paul. This garden, it's absolutely delightful! What are all these flowers.
    Name them for me.'
    'These are oleanders; they smell nice, yes?'
    'Delightful. And these?'

    'Bougainvillaeas. They climb, as you see over there. Everybody grows them up pillars of the verandahs, because they look so petty.
    There they are again, clambering over those walls. On the islands of Rhodes and Cos you see them everywhere, because there are lots of ancient walls on those islands. These are hibiscus - so bright a red!
    You have no such lovely flowers in England.'
    'We have roses—'
    'But so have we! All your flowers will grow here, but ours won't grow in your country. We have flowers all the year round.'
    She nodded, inhaling deeply. She had always been susceptible to perfume, especially the natural perfume of flowers.
    'Those trees, on the hillsides over there?'
    Tines - Aleppo pines. See down there; they grow right to the water's edge. And can you see the lovely golden beaches down there too? We have wonderful bathing beaches, and much sun all the time.'
    She had to smile at his enthusiasm. There was no doubt about it, the Greeks certainly loved their homeland. Perhaps this was owing to the fact of their many struggles to defend it. They had fought numerous greedy enemies in their long history, and often they had lost, only to rise again, as was fitting for the people who had been the first to bring civilization to the West. And they were a devout people despite their paganism in the past. Churches were everywhere - numerous white edifices, charmingly humble and lovingly cared for, their campaniles always gleaming in the brilliant sunshine, their black-bearded priests always smiling a welcome to strangers, should they desire to look