The Good Greek Wife? by Kate Walker

dead—’
    â€˜Never hoped !’
    She couldn’t let that pass. No matter how terrible things had been between them, she had never once hoped he was no longer still alive. And she was appalled that he might even think so.
    â€˜How could I ever hope that?’
    â€˜Hoped was never coming back…’ Zarek amended without even the tiniest amount of a concession in his tone. ‘Then take that time. I know that I sprung my arrival on you and heaven knows I too need some space.’
    It was like a slap in the face, making pain twist in her stomach. She felt as if the room were closing in on her, crushing the breath from her body, making her feel sick with distress. He had been back—what?—barely an hour, and already he wanted space—to escape from her.
    â€˜To accustom myself to being here again. It has been a long time.’
    Something in his tone brought Penny up sharp, made her look at him more closely. Only now did she see the evidence of new lines about his nose and mouth, the tiniest flecks ofgrey in his hair at the temples. Evidence that hinted at the fact that his life hadn’t been totally easy while he had been missing. She had forgotten everything that the counsellors had told them, the advice they had been given at the beginning of all this, when they had believed that Zarek might be found and might be on his way back to them before the end of the year.
    Wherever he’s been, they’d said, whatever has happened to him, he will need time and space to adjust. He was held hostage, his life was in danger. It was unlikely that he would be able to just walk into the house and take up his old life where he had left off.
    The wave of reaction that swept over her at the thought made her feel sick and ashamed, a terrible sense of guilt pushing her into rash, unguarded words.
    â€˜I’m sorry—I should have thought—do you need anything—want anything? Have you eaten? A sandwich? Some coffee perhaps?’
    She sounded like the most inexperienced and gauche hostess greeting a complete stranger for the very first time. And obviously Zarek thought so too from the way that his beautiful mouth twisted and his dark eyes gleamed with something dangerous and cruel. One long, tanned hand lifted in a flicking gesture of dismissal.
    â€˜No—nothing. If I need anything, I can find it for myself—or get one of the staff to see to it. I do still have the staff in the house, I take it?’
    â€˜Of course you do.’
    Flinging the answer back at him, she emphasised the you so as to make sure he realised that she had heard and noted that arrogant ‘I’ , which made it plain that he was back here in his role as owner of the villa, MD of Odysseus Shipping, lord of all he surveyed.
    And her husband.
    And what of her then? As his wife did she still have a place in this house? And for how long? While Zarek had been missing she had had a role to play, but now that he was back…
    Did he even still want her as his wife?
    â€˜Then you have nothing to worry about.’
    And with that she was dismissed. As if she needed the message rammed home he turned his back on her, walking across the room to stare out of the window, one hand pushed deep into his trouser pocket, the other lifting once again to press against the scar above his eye.
    In the doorway, Penny paused, half turned back to him.
    â€˜Zarek…’
    But his only response was an impatient gesture of his dark head, repulsing without hesitation the tentative approach.
    â€˜Go!’ he said and it was a command she would be a fool to ignore. ‘Just go.’
    Well, what had she expected? Penny asked herself as reluctantly she turned away again and made herself move away, letting the door fall shut behind her.
    Zarek Michaelis. Your absent husband. Home at last.
    The mocking words he had tossed at her sounded in her head as she walked down the long, sunlit hall, heading for the stairs.
    He