YANNIS (Cretan Saga Book 1)

by Beryl Darby

  ‘I wish I’d been able to draw. Mamma could, and Yannis could if he bothered, but I’m hopeless.’ Marisa twisted her fingers nervously.

  ‘How is Victor?’

  The direct question made her jump and blush. ‘He’s fine. We plan to get married in September,’ she added, somewhat defiantly.

  Anna rose from her chair. ‘I’m going to find Father Minos. I have a message for him.’

  Yannis looked at his sister in surprise. ‘Shall I come with you?’ he offered.

  ‘No. The island’s not big enough for me to get lost.’

  Marisa watched her go, a smile playing on her lips. ‘Aunty still doesn’t really approve. I believe Victor when he says his family are willing to welcome me. You’re not cross with me, are you, uncle Yannis?’ Marisa asked anxiously.

  Yannis smiled at her. ‘Why should I be? Just be gentle with your aunt. She hates the thought of losing you.’

  ‘We’re going to have two weddings, one in Plaka and one in Turin. Will you be able to come?’

  ‘I’m not able to, Marisa, you know that.’

  Marisa pouted. ‘There must be a way. I want you at my wedding.’

  ‘We can think about it nearer the time,’ Yannis promised. ‘I’d certainly like to meet Victor.’

  ‘I’ll bring him over.’

  ‘Come and find Anna.’ Yannis put his arm around his niece. ‘Just remember, Marisa, I’m here if you ever need me.’

  For a fraction of a second Marisa hesitated, then she kissed her uncle’s scarred and knobbly cheek. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I’ll remember.’

  Yannis was pleasantly surprised when Marisa arrived, glowing with happiness as she introduced the young man she intended to marry in a few days time. He sat comfortably in Yannis’s house, sipping wine and talking about his life in Italy. Yannis listened, asking a question to clarify a point that he had not quite understood and expressed his admiration of Victor’s command of the Greek language.

  ‘That is Marisa, she teach me in the war. I was very lucky to stay on your farm. When I hear the fates that befall many of my friends I would not like to think what would happen to me somewhere else.’

  ‘What happened to your family during the war?’

  ‘Many terrible things; I lose an uncle and a brother. Again, I was lucky. Many soldiers returned to their homes to find no one to give them a welcome. Our house need to be rebuilt, but,’ Victor shrugged, ‘that was no great problem, just a bit cold for a while, but you know all about that. I wish my uncle to visit you to see the work you have done. He is an architect and he would like to look at your buildings. I, too, would like to look later.’

  ‘I’ll take you round with pleasure. Marisa, suppose you try to find Manolis. I’ve some business I want him to see to for me.’

  ‘Where will he be?’

  ‘On the quay with Flora, I expect.’

  Sulkily Marisa left. She knew it was an excuse to be rid of her for a while and she wanted to know what her uncle was going to say behind her back. Yannis leant towards Victor with a smile.

  ‘What made you decide you wanted to marry my niece?’

  Victor shrugged. ‘Why you marry your wife? I love her. I think at first it is being away from home and war, but I could not forget her. Almost I dread meeting her again in case I am wrong.’

  ‘Why didn’t you ask her to marry you when the war finished?’

  ‘I want to be sure. She was very young and in the war it is not the same. Besides your family would not be pleased.’

  ‘I’m not sure they are now.’

  ‘Are you against us?’ Victor asked anxiously.

  ‘No, I’m not against you two getting married. I just wish you were a local man for her aunt’s sake.’

  Victor twisted his fingers. ‘I hope I make money. My family have money, but I want to make my own. I want enough for Marisa to come back when she want or aunt Anna to visit Italy. All of you are welcome.’

  ‘Even me?’ Yannis smiled thinly.

  ‘Of course; I have told my family of you.’

  ‘I’m sure they were very pleased to know they’ll have a leper as a relation.’

  Victor shrugged. ‘Every country have. We treat ours a little gently. They are in hospital for treatments.’

  ‘I hope your hospitals are a little more humane than ours then. Personally I would rather be over here.’

  ‘Here is very good.’

  ‘It is now. No doubt you’ve been told how it was when we first arrived and how we suffered during the war.’

  Victor nodded. ‘I have respect for you. I try to help in the war.’

  ‘We were grateful to you.’

  ‘I was very bad soldier,’ Victor smiled as he spoke. ‘Very pleased I was bad. I not shoot no- one. Marisa not marry man who shoot Greek people.’ He leaned forward confidentially. ‘I was student, told to join army for the glory of my country. No glory. All the time I frightened until I come here. I would like to run home. Never go into army again. Fight at home for my wife, my family, but not go in army. I do not like war, the starvation, the torture. I am sick when people scream.’

  Marisa pushed open the door with Father Minos behind her. She turned to Victor with a smile. ‘Father Minos has made a suggestion, Victor. I’m not sure if you’ll agree. He has suggested that we have a third wedding. Over here, on the island, so uncle Yannis can come.’

  ‘That is good idea.’

  Marisa squeezed his arm. ‘We’ll be the most married couple in the whole of Italy. Three ceremonies. Wait until I tell aunt Anna; she’ll be thrilled.’

  ‘A problem. Where will the wedding party occur? On the farm or on the island?’

  ‘Why not have two wedding parties?’ suggested Yannis.

  Marisa shook her head. ‘I’d rather have just one. I want to get married over here on the same day as I do in Plaka and it would be difficult to get away if there was a party in full swing. I’ll have it over here.’ Her eyes sparkled. ‘We can bring everything over in the boats and set it out in the square during the morning.’

  The day dawned bright, promising greater heat to come as the day wore on. Yannis was up at dawn. He swept the tiny square clean of dust and sand, then struggled to bring out his table and four chairs before rousing his immediate neighbours to borrow theirs for the day. They grumbled. He was so early, they had not yet had breakfast; there was plenty of time. Yannis fretted and worried, would there be enough to drink, enough seats, enough food for all the guests as well as the islanders? Father Minos and Spiro did their best to calm him and all drew a breath of relief when a flotilla of small boats could be seen leaving Plaka. Yannis helped Marisa ashore and led her up the path to the church. She giggled.

  ‘I wonder how many other people have been married twice in one day?’ Marisa smiled up at him. ‘I’m so happy. I only wish Victor’s family could be here.’

  ‘He will have his day when you go to Italy with him.’

  ‘I shall wish you were there with me then.’

  Yannis looked at her gravely. ‘You’re quite sure, Marisa? Even now you could say no.’

  ‘Don’t be silly. I’m already married. I’m looking forward to going to Turin.’ She tilted her chin defiantly.

  Yannis said no more. At the door of the church he stood back for Yiorgo to lead her to the altar. Yiorgo shook his head. ‘I did it last time. Your turn now.’

  Proudly Yannis led his niece down to receive a blessing from Father Minos and stood to one side as Marisa and Victor renewed the vows they had made only an hour earlier.

  Nikos read the letter through a second time. He had visited Athens and spoken at length to the doctors there, only to be told they were considering the situation and would let him know their decision in due course. Now their answer had come and he was not at all sure how the contents would be received by Yannis and his companions. He sighed. It would mean making the trip down to Spinalonga. It was not a meeting he could leave to ot
hers, much as he dreaded it. This was not what Yannis had asked for or wanted.

  Throughout the journey he tried to marshal his thoughts and decide how to approach the subject. Yannis would know as soon as he saw him that he had news from Athens, he would not have made the effort to visit him otherwise.

  He arrived in Aghios Nikolaos at mid-day and decided to seek out Doctor Stavros first. The doctor was out when he arrived and he hoped he had not gone over to the island. After a leisurely meal he returned to find the doctor eating a late lunch, a glass at his elbow.

  ‘What brings you down here?’ He placed another glass on the table and poured a generous measure of raki.

  ‘I’ve had a letter from Athens. They want them back in hospital.’ Nikos drew the letter from his pocket. ‘Read it yourself. They say they can’t give them a clean bill of health without a thorough examination carried out by their own specialists. To do that they have to return to Athens.’

  ‘It’s not necessary. You’ve examined them and taken all the samples they asked for. What more can they want?’

  ‘I don’t know. I was wondering if you’d come over with me to explain to them?’

  Doctor Stavros shook his head. ‘Impossible. If you can wait until my regular island day I’ll go with you.’

  ‘May I at least beg a bed for the night?’

  ‘You know you’re always welcome.’

  Despite Doctor Stavros’s insistence that he was far too busy to visit the island with Nikos he was able to spend the rest of the afternoon chatting and bringing his visitor up to date with the medical situation on the island before suggesting they adjourned to a nearby taverna for the evening.

  ‘It made a tremendous difference to them when they were allowed visitors. Yannis’s niece was married over there and that seemed to dispel the last of their fears. One or two have become such regulars that I’ve almost mistaken them for sufferers.’ Doctor Stavros smiled. ‘Most of them seem pretty content with their lot now. I see no point in uprooting them, even for a short time.’

  ‘Athens makes no mention of how long they’ll be undergoing tests and examinations, but I doubt if they’ll be away for more than a month or two.’

  ‘How are they to go?’

  ‘Taken to Heraklion by bus and flown to the hospital.’

  Doctor Stavros raised his eyebrows. ‘That will be something of a harrowing experience for them. Couldn’t they go by boat?’

  ‘I’m only repeating what the letter says. They’ve also enclosed a list of names.’

  ‘You mean, not everyone is to go at once?’

  ‘I doubt if they could cope with them all at once. They’re going to examine them in small batches.’

  ‘Who do they want?’

  Nikos read a list of names.

  Doctor Stavros frowned. ‘Two of those are dead. Do you have any instructions for substituting people?’

  ‘No. I’ll have to ask who they want.’

  ‘Just add two and tell them when you arrive. I doubt that it will matter. Are you taking them back with you?’

  ‘No. I’ve been told a doctor and nurse will arrive here next week to escort them and attend to their needs whilst travelling.’

  ‘Then leave it to them to sort it out.’ The doctor refilled his own glass and looked to see if Nikos’s needed replenishing. ‘Yannis should be pleased that things are moving.’

  ‘I’m not so sure. He hasn’t very happy memories of Athens.’

  ‘I doubt it will be for long. Besides, once he’s been officially declared clear he’ll be able to have a holiday over there and see all the sights he missed before.’

  Nikos nodded. He had not thought of that. Yannis should be very pleased at the way things were turning out.

  One look at Yannis’s face told Nikos he was wrong in his assumption that Yannis would be pleased.

  ‘It’s ridiculous. What tests can they possibly want to do that haven’t been done already? If they don’t believe the results why don’t they come over here themselves? I’m not going. There’s no need. The others can go if they want, but I’ll stay here.’

  ‘You can’t, Yannis. Your name is first on the list.’

  Yannis shrugged. ‘Then cross it through.’

  ‘Don’t be silly. This is what you’ve been after for years. The only way you’ll get a clean bill of health to move about freely is to go to Athens.’

  ‘I’ve decided I’m not interested any longer. If they’d suggested this in the first place it would have been different. Now we can have visitors I’m quite content.’

  ‘You may be, but what about the others? They’d like to see their friends and relatives again, no doubt, and until they have permission from Athens they haven’t a hope. Some of them come from northern Greece and they’ll never see their families again unless they have official clearance. If you refuse to go they’ll have doubts. When you come back with your papers they’ll be queuing up to go on the next flight. They trust you, Yannis. You started this and you’re going to have to see it through. Besides, you’ll be able to see Athens. You always dreamed of visiting there and seeing the museums. You could spend a couple of months or even more and see everything.’

  ‘I wish I’d never started to badger them. We’ve been left in peace for years and it could have stayed that way. I don’t want to leave here, Nikos. This is my home. Phaedra and Anna are here.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous, Yannis. You’ll only be away a short time. The way you talk you make it sound as though you’ll never see the place again.’

  Yannis sat morosely in the stern of the boat, gazing at the island as it receded into the distance. He felt a lump in his throat as the ramparts of the Venetian fort hid the houses from his view and finally began to dwindle into insignificant walls themselves. Aghios Nikolaos came closer and he wished they were going round to the beach where Yiorgo had always moored his boat, rather than the stone jetty that stretched out to make a sheltered harbour.

  Along the waterfront he could see tables and chairs set out in front of tavernas and he realised how much the fishing village had changed since he had lived there. No one was there to greet the boat as it slid into the mooring space, but further down the quay were a group of spectators, anxious to see the lepers from the island as they landed, but afraid to come closer. They were shepherded aboard the waiting bus that bumped its way along the quay and onto the road leading to Heraklion, carrying its occupants who stared curiously from the windows and waved to passers-by who looked at them in surprise.

  ‘When will we get there?’ asked Flora anxiously.

  ‘I don’t know. About another hour, I expect.’

  ‘What’s it like to fly in an aeroplane?’

  ‘I’ve no idea. We’ll probably feel like birds, able to see everything down below. It will be exciting, Flora.’

  Flora pursed her lips. Yannis might think the experience was going to be exciting, but she would have preferred to go by ship. At the sight of the aeroplane she shrank back. It looked so small and insignificant sitting on the runway and the burnt–out shells of three others did nothing to improve her confidence.

  ‘What happened to those?’ she asked Yannis in a whisper.

  ‘That would have happened during the war,’ Yannis assured her, hoping his surmise was correct.

  They were escorted to one of the outbuildings where they sat at small tables and were plied with food and drink. The doctor and his assistant chatted easily to them, hoping to make their passengers relax and dispel the fears, which were obviously growing in their minds. ‘We shall be in the air for about an hour. You’ll find the view of Crete and also of Greece quite spectacular from the air. Have any of you flown before?’

  Yannis gave the doctor a withering glance and shook his head.

  ‘You may feel quite nervous. Very occasionally people become hysterical. If that should happen I have tranquillisers that I can administer. I can assure you there is no need for any of you to be f
earful. Now, if you will excuse me, I’ll see if everyone is ready to leave.’

  Yannis did not enjoy the new experience of flying. He felt insecure so far from the ground. As they took off he felt his stomach churning and hoped he would not be the one to need a tranquilliser. He glanced at Flora and was amused to see she was gazing out of the window at the ground far below with a rapt expression on her face. ‘Isn’t it wonderful?’

  Yannis smiled at her enthusiasm. ‘I prefer to be on the ground.’

  ‘You should look out of the window. Everything is so small. You can see for miles. I wish Manolis were here. He would love it.’

  Yannis smiled again, but did not answer. His stomach was heaving uncomfortably. He shut his eyes and tried to relax, ignoring the doctor as he walked up and down the aisle asking his patients if there was anything they wanted and if they were comfortable. For him the flight could not end quickly enough. The landing found him gritting his teeth and straining his legs against the seat in front. To his disgust he found he was sweating with relief and his knees were shaking as he walked down the steps and on to the solid tarmac beneath his feet.

  Once again they were placed inside a bus and he looked around with interest as they drove up the wide road from the airport. He craned his neck for a first sight of the Acropolis with the Parthenon on top and a strange thrill went through him. Maybe in a week or two he would be able to visit the famous site. As they dipped down into the centre of Athens he was no longer able to see the hill and he felt beads of perspiration breaking out on his forehead and top lip as remembered with clarity the hospital ward where he had spent the most miserable and uncomfortable years of his life.

  The bus jerked to a halt, hooting violently to attract the attention of the gatekeeper, who stared curiously at the occupants of the bus. Yannis bowed his head, the almost forgotten feeling of shame welling up inside him. For the first time in years he felt he was contaminated and had no right to mix with his healthy fellows. He was last to alight from the bus and follow the group into the austere building, not looking to left or right. He heard his name called and muttered acknowledgement.