The Wind Whispers Her Name

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Book Excerpt

Prologue

An elderly man, with a full head of pure white hair, immaculately dressed, moved painfully slowly down the gangplank of the Dolphin. His right hand rested on a silver-topped ebony cane. A crew member deposited an expensive, well-worn suitcase on the jetty. The autumn sun brushed the fading crest on the case.

The Dolphin left and the old man turned to the waiting taxi, ordered as usual in advance. The same taxi driver, the same moustache, now grey as was his formerly jet black hair. The muscular build long gone, as so many things. He was of an age with his passenger but still proffered a helping arm.

'Welcome, Mr. Kenneth. It's been a long time.'

Kenneth smiled as he waved the arm away.

'Maybe next time, my friend. For now the cane suffices.'

But Kenneth knew there would not be a next time. This would be his last visit. His consultant had advised strongly against this trip. But he had to come. One last time. To feel her presence, to breathe in her essence. Only here could he do that.

'Seven Islands again?'

'Of course. But drive past the house.'

The taxi made its way along the coast road. The bars and restaurants as he remembered them mostly gone, Kostas' Bar, no longer Kostas' Bar. Right, up Horse Buggy Hill, left at Crossbows, no longer Crossbows and so different. The children's playground looked tired and unused as they turned right along the Agia Marina Road, the convoluted turnings he remembered. The taxi slowed as it passed the church on the left.

'Do you want to get out?'

'No, thank you, but stop a while at the gates.'

The dark blue painted, metal gates were set into the wall surrounding a solitary house. Apprehensive of what he would see and how he would feel Kenneth looked first to the right. The hotel was derelict although the out-of-control bougainvillea masked it somewhat. The two floors of the house to the right of the hotel were shuttered, the garden overgrown. But, almost mockingly amidst such surroundings, the vanilla, medlar and damaskina trees sported a display of ripe fruit.

Looking at the gnarled fig tree he recalled fondly the hours of pleasure its contorted branches afforded the three little girls, the middle one invariable hanging upside down, as agile as any trapeze artist. Not one of them had ever fallen, nor were they told not to climb as it was dangerous, only to be careful. Three little girls whose photo he still treasured although the frame had long fallen to pieces. He allowed himself to muse for a while. Where were they all now? Scattered round the world, married with children?

He had never married. How could he? After her. Yes, he had had liaisons but they were ephemeral, a moment's gratification and then, nothing. He had no children, as far as he was aware. He had always been responsible in any sexual encounter, at least in that direction. The non-production of a legitimate heir from the oldest son had caused his parents some consternation but each of his younger brothers had performed the duty Kenneth had so selfishly neglected. There was now male issue aplenty to ensure the continuation of a long and noble lineage. He had no regrets in that sphere of his life.

Thinking of other regrets he turned to the left. The house looked neglected, unkempt, the garden overgrown. A dusty, wheel-less car rested where once the grape vines had flourished. Three motorized bikes of indeterminate age lay abandoned to the left of the walkway, including the red bike that had been there so long ago. A new motorbike lounged outside the main gates as did a sleepy, uninterested dog.

The paint was faded and peeling on all the shutters. The driver watched impassively as his passenger got out of the taxi. With a resigned smile to the driver, who gave an almost imperceptible nod in return, Kenneth walked up to the smaller gate which led to the kitchen entrance. The balcony there had gained an ugly wooden structure around its perimeter. An assortment of boxes cluttered, replacing the once neat border of plant pots. He looked to the right, the side garden, hoping to conjure up a memory. The garden remained mockingly silent. He wouldn't find her here. He returned to the taxi.

'Go on.'

The taxi swept right and left following the curves in the road and drew up outside Kenneth's choice of accommodation.

* * *

Dusk fell. Taking his G&T into the deserted courtyard of the hotel Kenneth closed his eyes to summon a vision of the Ice Queen as he had last seen her. But the picture was nebulous. He couldn't hold it. She wasn't there.

He remembered the night she had thawed. Such a melting. Such passion, such urgency, such need. She had not only taken him to places long forgotten but to heights never known. She had drained him, physically, emotionally. He felt she had taken the very soul of him. After, when they lay quiet he felt a total exhaustion from which he could not believe he would ever recover. He thought he heard her whisper, 'Come back to me, my love.' He didn't know to whom she spoke. Although he might have wished it, he knew in his heart it was not to him.

In the morning she was gone. The place where she had lain was cold. Had she really been there at all? He no longer knew fact from fiction. He heard a car horn. His taxi. He swiftly dispatched the last of the generous drink, more G than T, and stepped out for the journey down to the town.

* * *

Kostas was long gone. The bar had since had several owners but the ambience had not survived Kostas' departure. The first owners had preserved the décor and played the same eclectic mix of music but slowly the atmosphere generated by the third component, Kostas himself, dissipated. Changes had taken place. The highly varnished wooden bar that had been Kostas' pride and joy was now a glaring white. There was a sacrilegious TV up on the wall where the book shelves had once been.

Kenneth gave his order which was received and dispensed dispassionately. He chose to sit outside, carefully gauging his gait across the road to the tables to avoid the through traffic, even more frenetic than his last visit. He sat with his back to the wall from where he could survey all. He saw only strangers, new people. He would not find her there.

He raised an arm as a buggy trotted by. No bell announced its approach and no wild flowers adorned it. The young driver stopped but made no attempt to help the elderly gentleman into his seat. The meagre measure of drink with which Kostas would have been appalled, far more T than G, remained untouched on the table.

* * *

The Garden Restaurant, no longer a garden but a paved courtyard, had a few late season guests as Kenneth re-entered. Some smiled; others gave a friendly 'Good evening.' He acknowledged all with a brief nod. Not wishing to engage in or encourage holiday conversation he chose a table in the far corner where the trees had once been, away from the lights of the main building. A smiling young lady appeared. She lit the candle which nestled in a wreath of cloth roses set in a saucer of smoky opaque glass.

The sight of the homemade roses and the scent of jasmine carried on the night air brought confused memories flooding back. His reveries were interrupted by the young lady. Young to him, as most were these days, but in her late thirties.

'Yes, thank you. I'll have the pork chop with salad, no potatoes.'

'Would you like something to drink?'

'A jug of white, please. And…'

'Yes?'

'The couple who used to run this hotel?'

'My mother and father. They are retired although mama comes to help sometimes. I'll let them know you asked for them. I am Rhea, their daughter. We don't have so many foreigners now. Mostly Athenians who come for the summer or long weekends. Of course we are always full for the Armata. My husband does the cooking now. He is a very good cook.'

Rhea went to attend to the other guests, leaving Kenneth to recall the Armata spent with the woman he had so wanted to be the one to share his life. Why? How? When? Where? The questions remained unanswered as they always had. He watched Rhea go into the kitchen and fill a jug with wine from a barrel. She brought it, together with the small tumbler from which this wine was drunk, to his table.

'From me and my husband to say welcome.'

'That's very kind. Thank you.'

Kenneth took a sip of the slightly warm wine, slowly replacing his glass and politely nodding his appreciation.

'Tell me, Rhea. Do you remember an English lady who lived here about thirty years ago? We came here once or twice when I lived on the island for a year.'

'I remember the English teacher. But I was very young. She always came here after she was alone. I would practise my English with her. She would bring their dog with her. She usually didn't have company but I think I remember you with her sometimes, when you stayed in their old house. I think it's very sad…'

* * *

Rhea returned to the kitchen, leaving Kenneth to ponder the story just revealed to him. The Ice Queen had never mentioned a dog but he clearly recalled the largest of the graves and the Celtic cross. This was one more thing he had never known. And it was 'their' dog. So there had been someone else. Had he ever really known her at all?

He was hardly aware of the pork chop and salad being placed before him or of the 'Kali orexi' that accompanied it as he tried to come to terms with his feelings. Could he, should he, have made greater efforts to find her? Should he have returned to the island immediately after delivering his island manuscript to his agent? That book had been very successful. He had also gone on to write the book his agent had originally expected. Having his amateur sleuth being eaten by sharks had given Kenneth great pleasure but he had never written another book. Finding he couldn't concentrate on a long project he had confined himself to writing articles based on his restless travels. He had never written just for the money. Hadn't needed to. The family trust had seen to that.

Subsequent, spasmodic visits to the island never coincided with hers, although 'just missing her' on occasions. On one such visit he had eaten at a restaurant in the Clock Square, a place he had always liked but to which she had always refused to go - with him. The food was excellent, the service friendly.

It had been a cool, windy evening so he had sat inside. His eyes had been drawn to a black and white photo hanging on the wall. It was a photo of the Dapia, possibly from the twenties. Young men in white trousers, blazers and boaters gazed down on him.

It seemed vaguely familiar yet he was certain he had never seen it before. Argyres had returned with his meal, a platter of seafood with salad.

'Ah, you are admiring the old picture. It was a gift from the lady. Kali orexi.'

The Lady. Kenneth's memory had returned to the oblong shape on the living room wall denoting where a picture had once hung. Photos of different parts of the island had hung on either side. That was what was familiar. All the frames were identical. The picture staring down at him would have fitted the oblong perfectly.

He had finally been told she didn't come any more. No-one had any information so he too had stopped coming. Even Nikki had been unable to help. Although Kenneth knew she held a British passport there appeared to be no evidence of her living in the UK after she had apparently left the island. And she had rarely spoken about her life before she had met him. He had often thought that in her mind she still did live in the past. But on his broaching the subject of her earlier life she had replied there was only the present - the here and now.

After several consultations with specialists he had decided he would return once more to the island to search for her. Although he had not found her anywhere, the wind still whispered her name. He believed she was there, somewhere, and now with this new knowledge he would find her. Tomorrow would decide whether or not he would leave this island forever. He ordered a coffee and brandy.

Diary Entry (mid May - Some thirty years earlier)

What a view. Uninterrupted right down to the sea. Wonder what that is? Another island? Hardly looks big enough. Must say this is quite acceptable, all in all. For a short while. Definitely won't be staying a year. Hardly seems a week since the 'phone call from that ghastly woman.

On the desk a blank sheet of unlined paper, a blotter on which the sheet lay pristine, a monogrammed fountain pen on an oak stand exactly parallel to the top of the blotter. Kenneth stared at the sheet, as he had for several days. There was nothing coming. The telephone, positioned squarely to the left of the blotter, had been calling with annoying regularity. Kenneth reached for the handset.

'Yes?'

'I've found just the place for you.'

Recognising the silky voice Kenneth was tempted to hang up. He refrained, knowing such an action might result in an arrival on his doorstep. His home was sacrosanct. He definitely didn't want the owner of that voice entering its portals. With her he had produced a four volume set of his family's history, no small feat, grudgingly acknowledged by his father when it achieved academic success.

His agent, who had a strong economic eye and with whom he had a fractured relationship, had urged him to break into the popular market of the detective novel.

Kenneth's travels would allow a very authentic backdrop. He had mockingly brought to life Denny Dee.

The first two books regaling the adventures of this singer-cum-amateur sleuth on cruise ships had surprisingly achieved success. How such a banal worm had been well-received by a large section of the public was beyond Kenneth. But several books later Denny was still proving popular. Now his agent, whom he less than affectionately thought of as 'The Bitch', was getting worried at his failure to produce the next. She had engaged a variety of ploys to get him writing but had so far failed. She obviously thought she had the solution.

He vaguely heard 'Greece', 'small' and 'island' being enthused over. All arrangements had been made, a courier was already on the way with details. He could pack whilst waiting. The implications were clear. He wasn't being given a choice.

* * *

He signed for the package and opened it immediately. A brief note informed him The Bitch would see to the flat, utilities, cancellations. She would also send on packages of essentials for his year's stay. Had the woman finally gone over the edge? She wrote she looked forward to receiving the next manuscript a.s.a.p. There was a fat envelope. Inside was an A4 sheet with a detailed itinerary plus an amount of drachma. Other slips of paper proved to be a variety of travel tickets.

The telephone rang. Would 'Sir' please confirm the taxi to the airport, booked to arrive in two hours? Kenneth grabbed the tickets. Five hours to the flight. Bloody Bitch! The itinerary had given Spetsai as the final destination. He had never heard of it.

Where the hell was it? He reached for his 'Times Atlas of the World'. It suggested Spetses as alternative. Turned out to be a small island in the Argo-Saronic Gulf. Pop c.4,000. One main town, Spetses. Original! Looking quickly through other information its greatest claim to fame seemed to be that it was car-free. Something, he supposed.

* * *

He was in a cramped economy seat, no privileged upmarket area on this aeroplane. Another point scored by The Bitch. Her writing was not only on the wall, it was writ large. He had managed to procure an aisle seat so could get up and stretch his legs several times during the flight. A thin, slightly balding, bespectacled man had the window seat and spent most of the time gazing at the clouds. The mountain of flesh Kenneth presumed was the wife overflowed the middle seat.

On being airborne and the seat belt removal sign displayed she had, with a struggle, pushed up the armrest which was Kenneth's only bastion against her physical assault. With a smile that would have made Kaa envious he slowly pushed the armrest back into position. End of discussion. If the lady had wanted or required two seats she should have paid for them. This action also ensured he wasn't addressed by the lady for the remainder of the flight. She did give a running commentary to her presumed husband which is probably why he found the clouds so fascinating.

Kenneth drowsed, vaguely aware of snacks and drinks being sold. No free meals on this cheapy. The Bitch had really thought this one through. But, was he wrong? Could he smell cold chicken? And definitely boiled egg. Kenneth peered through the long eyelashes many women envied, even more finding them sensuously appealing, to see the origin of the smell being waved about by the lady next to him. He wrinkled his nose in distaste.

He consulted his watch - two hours to go. The repast finished, the lady heaved her bulk out of the seat. Pleased to be able to stretch his long legs, Kenneth nimbly jumped into the aisle and, gentleman that he was, bent and pushed both armrests into their upright position to facilitate her passage. During her absence he walked up and down the narrow aisle, moving arms and legs in a way that caused some passengers great amusement. Kenneth cared little, being conscious of the dangers of the inactivity of a four hour flight.

The more than Rubenesque lady having returned to her seat he did likewise, noticing she had returned both armrests to the down position. He closed his eyes until a hand was gently placed on his shoulder. Landing was imminent, seatbelts needed to be fastened.

The lady joined her companion in gazing out of the window. This time Kenneth knew they were not looking at clouds but at the sight of the city below. Athens. He had been several times to Athens to visit his friend, Nikki. He loved the city's night life, felt comfortable there. Had even picked up a smattering of Modern Greek.

But this time Athens was not his final destination. He had a wait of several hours before the next stage of his journey. His friend Nikki lived and worked in Athens but one could hardly pay a social call at two o'clock in the morning, not having been given the time to announce a visit. Night flights were considerably cheaper than day ones. The Bitch. She probably took great delight in imagining him being stuck in the airport with nothing open but the public loos.

* * *

Having passed through passport control - one very bored officer, and a totally deserted customs control - Kenneth collected his luggage and strolled to the furthest end of the airport where buses and taxis for Athens and Piraeus were to be had. There were also coaches waiting to collect package tourists. As he approached the ticket office he saw his flight companions in the queue. He heard them ask for tickets to Piraeus. Kenneth did not do buses. He crossed the road and got into a waiting taxi.

They were straight out into the suburb of Glyfada. The coast road was fairly quiet, it being midweek. Mostly taxis ploughing between airport and ports, buses transporting tourists to their hotels or to the port to wait for ferries to islands with no airport. The lights of bars, restaurants and night clubs, which would glare till late at the weekend, were non-existent but he knew where to look for the beauty of Athens. It was just a brief window of opportunity but he was ready. There she was standing proudly, in ghostly illumination - the Parthenon. A flash and she was gone.

Kenneth heard the driver speaking. He made out the word 'limani' so deduced he was being asked which port was wanted. Coming out with one of his stock phrases, 'Ena leptouli', Kenneth consulted his fat envelope. Yes, he was booked on the hydrofoil - known locally as the Flying Dolphin - which left from Marina Zea. Now he realised why! Zea was totally deserted during the early hours - not even a toilet open. If he remembered correctly there wasn't even anywhere to sit. That was why she'd opted for the Dolphin rather than the ferry. A serpentine smile crossed his face. Another chance to get one over the baptised, confirmed and practising Bitch. He launched into his limited Greek.

'Signomi, to limani megalo, parakalo.'

As he settled back smugly he saw one of the driver's hands being raised into the air. The splayed fingers were thrust heavenwards and the hand appeared to rotate from the wrist, although on closer observation it only turned halfway and then back again. This was the sort of Greek he understood. Again he consulted the envelope, just to make certain.

'Spetses.'

The driver's hand changed shape. The tip of the fingers met the tip of the thumb to receive an enthusiastic smack of his lips, the fingers then snapping open.

'Poli oraia.'

The taxi veered off the main road, taking side streets until Kenneth began to wonder if he were being taken the 'scenic route'. However, they soon drew up at the bottom of some stone steps that reached up to a very large and architecturally ornate church. The taxi driver barely paused as he removed Kenneth's two large valises from the boot, crossed himself - surely the 'wrong' way - and laid his right hand reverently on his breast, which hand then reached out to receive the fare. By the time he'd finished adding on the extras, from the airport, to the sea port, two cases, night charge, the fare was considerably more than the meter stated. Still cheaper than all the other European cities Kenneth had visited.

The ferries to the islands were across the road about two hundred metres down from the church. He crossed the road carefully, checking for stray traffic. At this time of night the traffic lights were switched off to conserve energy. The dockside was totally deserted. The water appeared still, yet the giant ferries swayed gently at their moorings.

Ticket offices were not yet open and the ships had their barriers in place.

He saw the ship he wanted. 'Saronic Express' proclaimed in large letters that its destinations were Æegina, Methana, Poros, Hydra, Ermione and Spetses. It also sported a clock attached above the stern stating it left at 8 a.m. It was just after three. He saw a dim gleam of light past the Saronic ferries. He headed towards the gleam. It proved to come from a small cantina selling tea, coffee, soft drinks, beer and the ubiquitous Seven Day Croissant. Kenneth shrugged.

'Mia beera parakalo.'

His smile as he handed over the money was met with a blank stare. Lady obviously didn't get job satisfaction. Walking back to his ship he settled on a bollard, staring out to sea, waiting for the first sight of Homer's rosy-fingered dawn. But other lights attracted his attention. Dull lights appeared over the boarding areas. The initial quietness and peace were now broken.

Barriers were removed and there was a lot of movement. A closed lorry drew up to his ferry. Bundles of newspapers were transferred from lorry to ship. The lorry then moved on to other ferries. More vehicles began to arrive, a private courier firm, catering companies, private cars. Traffic queues began to build up. The large ferryboats still bobbed serenely, patiently awaiting their human cargoes. The first of these descended on the now-opened, single ticket booth serving all the ships.

The ferries sprang into life. Stern doors were lowered, crews appeared, vehicles began embarking. A trickle of people boarded. Others were buying koulouria - sesame-crusted bread rings, and bottles of water from the street traders who had suddenly appeared. Dawn had arrived without warning. Not Homer's dawn but a lightening suddenly bursting into a surprisingly bright sunlight.

Local people crossed the quay to their work. Many eating breakfast, usually koulouria, occasionally small cheese pies, as they went. He had seen similar sights in Beijing and Shanghai where dumplings were usually the breakfast choice. The hordes rushed to commandeer the 'best' areas on the ferry. Kenneth decided to ensconce himself on the upper deck, under the awning. His fair colouring and strong sunlight did not marry well. He took both suitcases with him despite a crew member offering a 'safe' place to leave them. Donning a pair of Carrera sunglasses to protect his grey-green eyes he sat back to await departure, wishing his Panama hat hadn't been packed deep within a case