Down the zigzag path from the church, the Easter procession of
worshippers unwound in a flickering stream of candle flames through the
pine forest below them, and the singing carried sweetly on the still
night air. On its far hill-top the stately columns of the Acropolis
were flood-lit so that they glowed as creamily as ancient ivory, and
beyond that again on the midnight waters of the bay the American fleet
wore gay garlands of fairy lights.
The glory that was Greece murmured the star of Italian westerns, as
though she voiced the wisdom of the ages, and placed one heavily
jewelled hand on David's thigh while with the other she raised a glass
of red Samos wine to him and cast him a look under thick eyelashes that
was fraught with significance.
Her restraint was impressive, and it was only after they had eaten the
main course of savoury meats wrapped in vine leaves and swimming in
creamy lemon sauce that she suggested that David might like to finance
her next movie.
Let's find some place where we can talk about it she murmured, and what
better place than her suite?
John Dinopoulos waved them away with a grin and a knowing wink, a
gesture that annoyed David for it made him see the whole episode for the
emptiness that it was.
The star's suite was pretentious, with thick white carpets and bulky
black leather furniture. David poured himself a drink while she went to
change into clothing more suitable for a discussion of high finance.
David tasted the drink, realized that he did not want it and left it on
the bar counter.
The star came out of the bedroom in a bedrobe of white satin which was
cut back from arm and bosom, and was so sheer that her flesh gleamed
with a pearly pink sheen through the material. Her hair was loose, a
great wild mane of swirling curls, and suddenly David was sick of the
whole business.
I'm sorry, he said. John was joking, I'm not a millionaire, and I
really prefer boys.
He heard his untouched glass shatter against the door of the suite as he
closed it behind him.
Back at his own hotel he ordered coffee from room service, and then on
an impulse he picked up the telephone again and placed a Cape Town call.
It came through with surprising speed, and the girl's voice on the other
end was thickened with sleep. Mitzi, he laughed. How's the girl?
'Where are you, warrior? Are you home? 'I'm in Athens, doll. 'Athens,
God! How's the action? 'It's a drag. Yeah! I bet, she scoffed. The
Greek girls are never going to be the same again. 'How are you, Mitzi?
I'm in love, Davey.
I mean really in love, it's far out.
We are going to be married. Isn't that just something else? David felt
a spur of anger, jealous of the happiness in her voice. That's great,
doll. Do I know him? Cecil Lawley, you know him. He's one of Daddy's
accountants. David recalled a large, pale-faced, bespectacled man with
a serious manner.
