Huh. Eleanor looked again towards the taverna. Ana was reaching for a jug of water. She refilled Lexi’s glass, then her own. An itchy sensation travelled across her skin: Ana had been lying to her. To all of them.
Eleanor hated liars.
‘Has she asked anything about me?’ Ed said.
Ana had asked several questions about Ed, like whether he’d be happy about the news of Lexi’s pregnancy and what sort of father he’d be. ‘Yes, she has. I think she was digging.’
‘Bitch,’ she heard Ed say beneath his breath.
‘What do you want me to do? Poison, blade, or gun?’
‘Don’t joke.’
‘I’m not. Why has she befriended Lexi? Why not just speak to you?’
‘Money. She gets double the maintenance if there’s no contact between us and my identity remains undisclosed until Luca is eighteen.’
Eleanor was quite familiar with the sensation of being appalled by her brother, her family. ‘Luca,’ she said slowly. ‘So you knew he was a boy?’
‘Yes, I knew. I have a copy of the birth certificate.’
‘Is your name on it?’ she asked, but even as she did, she knew the answer to the question. Under the heading Father, it would read Unknown. Another condition of Ed’s contract.
‘I need to talk to Lexi before Ana does. I’m going to get on a flight right now.’
‘There are only two connecting flights from Athens and they’re on Sundays and Wednesdays. The earliest you’ll get out here is the day we leave.’
‘Shit.’ She could hear him pacing, knew he’d be making tight strides, arms rigid, a knot of tension clenching his jaw. ‘Then I’ll have to do it when I pick her up from the airport. Tell her face to face. That’s the right thing, isn’t it?’
‘Best you’ve got.’
‘Listen, Eleanor, I don’t want Ana to work out that we know who she is. I don’t want her saying anything to Lexi, not until I do. And I need you to keep your eye on her. You’ll do that for me, won’t you?’
She agreed.
‘Call me tomorrow. Let me know everything is okay.’
She ended the call and remained rooted to the spot, shoulder blades pressing into the stone wall of the church. Her neck fizzed with tension, mind abuzz.
A Greek woman ascended the steps, a baby swaddled in a light blanket in her arms. She caught the shock of dark hair, the perfectly round head. She remembered the look on Ana’s face when Lexi announced she was pregnant. She was surprised, like the rest of them, but there was something else there, too. A hollowed expression, the swallow of her throat, her eyes lowering for a moment. She’d pressed her lips together before lifting her head, smiling, offering up her congratulations. Eleanor had never been particularly good at reading people; she’d assumed Ana was simply surprised like the rest of them – but now she wondered what that expression revealed.
Ana knew exactly who Ed was, so she must have planned this – purposefully befriending Lexi; avoiding situations where she’d see Ed, like the engagement drinks; ensuring she was invited on the hen weekend.
Her lip began to twitch as she thought about how Ana had used her, too: the lovely shopping trip to the Old Town; Ana helping her choose a new handbag; her interest in Eleanor’s sculpting; the evening chats over a drink. Her cheeks burned with humiliation. She’d let herself believe that Ana liked her, that they were friends.
Fool.
41
Robyn
Robyn glanced again at the entrance to the taverna. Still no sign of Fen. There was something off about Fen tonight – she seemed on edge, preoccupied, nothing like the relaxed, buoyant company she’d been at the swimming hole earlier in the day.
She waited to see who was exiting the taverna, but it was only the waitress returning with a tray of drinks for another table.
Robyn pressed her fingertips against her temples, moving them in slow circles. She had a banging headache.
‘You okay?’ Lexi asked from across the table.
‘Too much sun, I think.’ The pinkened skin on her shoulders and chest was radiating heat beneath her cotton top.
‘Have you had enough water?’
‘Probably not. I’ll get another jug for the table.’ The waitress was busy with the adjacent table, so Robyn went inside the taverna.
It was quiet and cool away from the hum of chatter. Yes, she’d just stand here for a moment and enjoy the silence and air-conditioning. A faint pulse of nausea was beginning to churn in her stomach. She wanted to return to the villa, take some painkillers, and fall into bed – but she’d feel guilty abandoning Lexi on their one night out.