Her uncle was immensely more experienced and a smooth and very effective operator. Katerina thought he was planning to lunch on her and digest her twice in the space of a few hours and then spit out the unsavoury parts, but she would not give him the pleasure. It was a long time ago that she was that young girl running around hiding behind cabinets, chairs and lampposts, safe in the innocent and misguided belief that nobody could see her.
Andrew on his part knew that he could not underestimate this young woman who had proven to be a formidable businesswoman and at such a young age.
Andrew picked up the phone, dialled, said a couple of brief words in what she recognised as Mandarin into the phone and then hung up. He made his way to the table, sat down and gestured for her to join him.
‘I have been thinking and I have a proposition to make to you and your father. I presume that you are aware under what circumstances I left Cyprus to come here.’ Katerina nodded. ‘I can sense your scepticism, but believe me when I say that my intentions are entirely sincere. Katerina, I am not getting any younger. Andros, Anna, you and Giorgos are all the family I’ve got left. It may seem cold to you now, but try and see it from my perspective. I had been so preoccupied with survival and then initial success which spurs you to build on success after success, that it’s only now that, having achieved so much, I have, upon reflection, realised that it’s not enough, that it was time, if not, strictly speaking, going back to the fold — only a black sheep in the family would say that — at least to mend the bridges and make up for the past, for the lost years gone and lost moments which would be impossible to recapture.
‘I want to chase away any leftovers from the bitterness that made me leave what was my home.’ Katerina said nothing. She felt there was more. ‘I plan to visit you in Cyprus soon. I’m planning a tour of the European and Middle Eastern operations to coincide with that.’ Katerina raised a quizzical eyebrow. ‘I assure you it’s not the other way round. Seeing your family is the reason I’m going there.’ He paused. ‘Katerina, I can also see a lot of synergies between many of our respective operations. I can open up many markets for you, especially in Asia. You can do the same for me in Europe and the Middle East. It’s a win-win situation. Both our groups will emerge strengthened from such an alliance or cooperation, if you prefer, for lack of a better term.’
Katerina still kept silent. The silence lengthened. He had clearly finished his monologue. She was too busy absorbing and processing the information and pondering what she’d just heard to comment. It was simply too much to take in all at once. He became concerned at her silence.
‘Will you at least take my sincere offer to your father, mother and brother?’
‘I will. That’s why my father sent me here. To hear you out.’
‘It sounds as if you did not want to come.’
‘I didn’t.’
‘I’m glad you did and I mean you personally. Your father always had a soft heart. He’s a good man, your father.’
‘A good heart that if you hurt, I promise you, I will pursue you and make you pay with my bare hands.’
He did not blink or show any sign of concern at her threat. Empty threats were cheap a dozen and rarely carried through to their logical conclusion. He was not angry. His smile showed his amusement. ‘It’s always a pleasure to see your feisty side. I can see your father’s trust in you and place in his companies is justified.’
Katerina flinched at his charm offensive. But she did not even smile let alone acknowledge his compliment. She wouldn’t give him the pleasure of seeing her blush.
‘When do you fly back?’
‘I’ve decided to stay for a couple days. I’m leaving on Thursday.’
‘Will I have the pleasure of seeing you again before you leave?’
‘Don’t push your luck.’ She gave him a sincere smile, though, when she said it.
CHAPTER 36
Limassol, Cyprus
Present day
The day after the meeting between Katerina and Andrew, Andros, Katerina’s father, received a special delivery, hand delivered by one of Andrew Le Charos’ most trusted lieutenants. The man said that the plane was flying back to Sydney that very evening and would take any message Andros wanted to send back to Andrew.
Andros couldn’t help wondering what merited Andrew going to the expense to send a plane. Even though the cost would be lost-down-the-sofa-and-not-missed loose change for him, nobody looked after his money or bargained harder than a billionaire.
But why didn’t he give the package to Katerina at the meeting? Could it be that he did not want to be seen to have it in his possession and handing it to Katerina? Was it because it would put him or, perhaps, Katerina in danger? Did he really have such noble intentions? What was so sensitive an object as to merit such precautionary measures?
Andros thanked the man and asked him to wait. He called for refreshment for his guest and went to his study with the package. A letter accompanying it gave instructions for the package to be opened only in the event that Andrew Le Charos could not be reached for a week or was dead.
Andros pushed a button and part of the wall panelling moved, revealing a huge safe. He locked the package and letter safely away and the panelling went back firmly into place. As he could not open the package the only message he could give to the man was ‘Your wish will be respected’. He went back to the hall, delivered the message and sent the man on his way. The man lost no time and within seconds he was in a car that had been waiting for him outside and was driven away.
Andros wondered about the contents, but then put any thought of the package at the back of his mind for the time being. Even though he tried to let the matter go for now, in the following weeks it would not be far from his mind.
CHAPTER 37
Monastery of Pantokrator
Mount Athos, Northern Greece
Present day
Elli was booked onto the next flight to Thessaloniki en route to Ouranoupolis and Mount Athos (the Holy Mountain) and the Monastery of Pantokrator.
When she arrived in Thessaloniki, she was swiftly whisked through customs, and a car waiting outside picked her up for the two-hour drive to Ouranoupolis, the last frontier, the last town before the semi-autonomous community of the Mount Athos and its twenty monasteries.
From there, a boat took her around the Athos Peninsula, to its North-Eastern coast and the Monastery of Pantokrator. At the quay, she was met by a monk who led her to the igoumenos or abbot, an old friend. She was of course under disguise, as according to a peculiar and ancient rule of the one-thousand-year-old monastic community there, no woman was ever allowed to step even a toe on the Holy Mountain.
Once inside the abbot’s private rooms, she removed the hood of her cloak. The abbot had been expecting her and he greeted her warmly and, unusually for the monastic community, embraced her and kissed her on both cheeks.
The abbot had not always been a monk. He lived a normal life before devoting his life to God. He came from Cyprus. He was the son of a business associate of Elli’s father. He and Elli were the same age and grew up together in the streets of Limassol. They had remained good friends and loyal to each other ever since and looked to stay lifelong friends, till death do them part. The abbot was intrigued when she sent word requesting a permit to be issued, because she needed to speak to him urgently.
‘Ellitsa mou, my Ellitsa, kalos ilthes agapi mou, welcome my love.’
Ellitsa, the diminutive word for Elli, was a way of showing endearment and familiarity.
‘Now, tell me, to what do we owe this honour?’