Hidden Truths (Intertwined Souls Series Book 3)

by Mary D. Brooks

  Eva got up, left the rose on the floor, and knelt at Zoe’s head. “I know I have nothing to fear.” She put her arms around Zoe’s neck.

  “If there is nothing to fear, why the jealous streak, my little sugarplum?”

  “Little sugarplum?” Eva looked down with a crooked grin.

  “Big sugarplum?” Zoe giggled. “So tell me what’s wrong.”

  “How do you know something is wrong?”

  “I just know.” Zoe smiled.

  “I don’t know. Something is niggling me and I don’t know what it is. There is something about Mrs. Muldoon.”

  “You don’t like her?”

  Eva paused for a moment. “I do like her, but I just can’t put my finger on the ‘why’ I’m feeling the way I am. Maybe I’m just feeling a little apprehensive about this trip, my mysterious vision, and Mrs. Muldoon.”

  “Or a mixture of the trip, this new job, and my new admirer,” Zoe teased. “We will find out what is bothering you.”

  “Hm, yes.” Eva rested her hands on Zoe’s shoulders. “Would you like a massage?”

  “Are you offering?” Zoe looked up into Eva’s smiling face. “I'll have you know that I used to be an excellent bathing attendant in my younger years so I know all about that.”

  “Really?”

  “Of course. When I was fifteen, I got this job with this really beautiful woman and I helped her bathe, you know.”

  “Hmm, were you any good?” Eva asked as Zoe reached up and held her hands.

  “I was so good,” Zoe looked into Eva’s eyes, “that that gorgeous woman couldn't bear to be without her bathing attendant.”

  “Hmm.” Eva cupped Zoe’s face and kissed her. “Smart woman.”

  Eva gently massaged Zoe’s shoulders, which were knotted and a little tense, as Zoe let her head fall forward. She moaned when Eva increased the pressure. Eva scooped water onto Zoe’s hair before applying shampoo. She massaged Zoe’s head, eliciting a very happy moan.

  “Lean forward, love,” Eva bathed Zoe’s back with gentle strokes. She rinsed her back and washed her face.

  Zoe opened her eyes and gave Eva a crooked smile.

  Eva kissed her. “After we are done scrubbing you clean, we are going to find the cabin Mrs. Muldoon wants to turn into a darkroom. She also wants to meet you.”

  “She wants to meet me?”

  “Yes. Not sure if she’s ready.”

  Zoe stopped and looked up at Eva. “Why?”

  “Not sure if Mrs. Muldoon is ready for Zoe Lambros.” Eva giggled and then laughed harder as Zoe scooped the warm water and splashed Eva’s face, hair, and blouse.

  They laughed, and Eva picked up a towel. “Rise, Miss Lambros.”

  Zoe rose, the water falling from her slender frame. She smiled as Eva wrapped the towel around her body. Eva put her arms around her and they walked out of the bathroom and headed back into the bedroom.

  “This is small,” Eva said as she turned slowly around the small room. The cabin, if you could call it that, was a converted broom closet. She wondered if it was similar to the one they had stayed in on their journey to Australia.

  “It's not similar to the first one,” Zoe mumbled.

  Eva turned to her, startled. “Are you reading my mind now?”

  “Nope.” Zoe took Eva's hand and led her to a blacked-out portal. “You see that?” She pointed to the unpainted part of the wall where a bunk used to be.

  Eva bent down to try and see what Zoe was pointing at. “What am I looking for?”

  “Zoe Loves Eva.” Zoe giggled and wrapped herself around Eva.

  Eva grinned. “Did you write that in the old cabin?”

  “Yes,” Zoe replied with a smile. “When we boarded.”

  “So I took two months longer than I should have?”

  “Well, better late than never,” Zoe teased as she put her arms around Eva’s waist.

  The door opened, and Zoe jumped back.

  The door opened a little more, revealing Dr. Salvatore. Eva frowned.

  “Oh! Hello, I was wondering who was in here,” the doctor said. He saw Zoe, and his smile grew.

  “Dr. Salvatore.” Eva smiled weakly.

  “Miss Haralambos, how are you this evening? I heard voices coming from the cabin and I knew it wasn't occupied, so I thought I would investigate.” Dr. Salvatore took a seat on the only stool in the room.

  Eva scowled as she leaned against the wall.

  “This is Eva's darkroom,” Zoe said cheerfully.

  “Ah yes, Mrs. Muldoon told me you were our new photographer.”

  “Just temporarily,” Eva supplied.

  “Eva has a good eye,” Zoe continued.

  “What will you be doing while Eva is playing photographer?”

  Eva glanced at him, unsure if she should say anything.

  “I’m not quite sure,” Zoe replied.

  “Will I see you around?” he asked.

  Zoe giggled. “I'm not leaving the ship any time soon.”

  Dr. Salvatore chuckled. “Yes, so very true. Oh well, I have a few bones to set...” They gave him confused looks. “Sorry. Small chiropractor joke.”

  Zoe's face split into a huge smile. “That’s funny.”

  “Yes,” Dr. Salvatore replied. “I have been learning a new technique.”

  “What's that?” Zoe asked

  “Are you interested? I call it the Salvatore Technique.”

  “Very original,” Eva muttered in Greek.

  “Absolutely,” Zoe answered, giving Eva an irritated look. “What's the technique?”

  “It is a holistic system of soft tissue manipulation. It was developed by me and it's very good,” Dr. Salvatore replied happily.

  “I’ve never heard of it,” Eva commented.

  Dr. Salvatore nodded. “Do you need a chiropractor?”

  “No,” Eva answered as Zoe answered “Yes” at the same time.

  Dr. Salvatore gave them a baffled look. “Yes?”

  “Yes,” Zoe answered, giving Eva a mock scowl. “We’ve never heard of the Salvatore Technique.”

  “I'm not surprised they haven't told you. It's a holistic approach to back pain.”

  “I don’t like doctors,” Eva muttered in German.

  Salvatore looked at Eva and then back to Zoe with a questioning look.

  “You have to excuse my friend. She doesn't like homoeopathy treatments. We’ve had a few that didn’t work that well,” Zoe said.

  “Oh, well, this technique isn't like that,” Dr. Salvatore said. “It actually works. Would you like me to try...?”

  “No,” Eva replied.

  “But...”

  “I'm not interested,” Eva persisted.

  “I am,” Zoe said.

  Dr. Salvatore smiled at her.

  “Would you teach me?”

  “Zoe...” Eva said.

  “What harm will it do? If it doesn't work on you, then it doesn't work,” Zoe reasoned.

  Eva gave her a frustrated look. “Alright, do what you want.”

  “When you have some time tomorrow, I would be more than happy to show you,” Dr. Salvatore said. “It's ten easy lessons.”

  “How much would that be?” Eva asked.

  Dr. Salvatore smiled. “For you, tell you what, you take a photo of me with Zoe and it will be free.”

  “That's not a bad price, Eva.” Zoe chuckled.

  “Well, I'll see you tomorrow,” Dr. Salvatore said and closed the door as he left.

  “My camera might break,” Eva mumbled.

  “Hey, what's wrong with you?” Zoe turned Eva around to face her. “Ever since we came on board, you’ve been really jealous. This isn’t like you.”

  Eva shook her head. “I just don't like him.”

  Zoe frowned. “He hasn't done anything.”

  “Not yet,” Eva replied, putting her arms around Zoe. “He's after something I have.”

  “What?”

  “You,” Eva replied.

  Zoe looked up incre
dulously. “You can't be serious. He just offered to show me a technique that might help you.”

  Eva sighed. “Zoe, I love you but sometimes you are too blind.”

  “Am not,” Zoe replied.

  “He was flirting with you.” Despite her annoyance with the doctor, Eva found it endearing that Zoe couldn't see how much of an effect she’d had on him. “He’s interested in you.”

  Zoe snorted. “You are the one seeing things.”

  Eva shook her head. “Our baker flirts with you, and our milkman—”

  Zoe laughed. “Eva.”

  “I'm not jealous,” Eva muttered. “It's a fact.”

  “They don't flirt with me. The baker is interested in you.” Zoe giggled.

  “Is that why he leaves crumpets?” Eva replied as she turned off the light, and they left the cabin. “I don’t like crumpets. All I ask is you be careful of him.”

  “Who? The baker?” Zoe teased.

  Eva sighed as they walked back to the cabin together. They passed a few couples in the corridor holding hands, which annoyed her even more.

  They got to their cabin, and Eva pouted a little as she removed her clothes and got into bed.

  Zoe returned from the bathroom and looked at Eva, who was staring at the ceiling with her hands behind her head.

  “I thought you were sleeping on the other bed?” Zoe whispered.

  Eva rolled her eyes and tapped the empty side of the bunk. Zoe grinned, put on her pajamas and joined Eva.

  Eva scooped her into her embrace.

  “You are not squished there, are you?” Zoe asked.

  “No, I'm fine,” Eva replied.

  “Evy?”

  “Hmm.”

  “He wasn't flirting with me.”

  Eva blew a strand of hair from Zoe's eyes and grinned. “Remember Jessica?”

  Zoe groaned. “Jessica, who always wanted to hug you or touch your arm at work? Yes, I remember her. She just couldn’t keep her hands to herself.”

  “She wasn't flirting with me.” Eva cuddled Zoe to her.

  Zoe emitted a derisive snort, exactly what Eva was expecting, and she quietly chuckled.

  “Dr. Salvatore is not Jessica,” Zoe said.

  “Given half the chance, the good Dr. Salvatore would love to do that with you,” Eva reasoned.

  “I really think we should get your eyes checked,” Zoe teased.

  “Ha ha.” Eva shook her head.

  Zoe put her arm around Eva and rested her head on her shoulder. “You are wrong.”

  “What if I'm not?”

  Zoe turned and hitched herself up on her elbow. “You know you have nothing to fear, don't you? I have been repeating this to you all day.”

  Eva nodded.

  “So what's the problem?”

  “He's going to touch you.”

  “Yes, to show me the Salvatore technique. We've gone to chiropractors that had you half naked on their tables. You didn't see me getting jealous.”

  Eva chuckled. “Oh, how easy we forget.”

  “Huh?”

  “Dr. Patakas.”

  Zoe snorted in disgust. “He touched your breasts.”

  “By accident,” Eva said. Zoe had taken an instant dislike to the man after only one visit. They never went back again.

  “That wasn’t an accident,” Zoe replied. “I think it would be good to learn this Salvatore technique and see if it works.”

  “Yes, dear,” Eva said, earning herself a gentle tap on the leg. She sighed and closed her eyes. She opened them again when she felt a gentle kiss on the lips.

  “I love you, Evy,” Zoe whispered. “You've got nothing to fear.”

  Eva smiled. “I'm not afraid of that. That's one thing I'm quite certain of.”

  “You have such a jealous streak.” Zoe giggled.

  “You are mine,” Eva sleepily replied, and drowsed in Zoe’s arms.

  “Evy.”

  “Hmm.”

  “Is this cabin haunted?”

  Eva popped her eyes open and regarded Zoe for a moment. “No. What I saw was real. It’s not a ghost.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I don’t know. I just feel that it’s not something to fear.”

  “I hope not. The last thing I need is a jealous wife and an irritated ghost.” Zoe giggled, causing Eva to laugh.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Zoe stood in Mrs. Muldoon's cabin, waiting for her to arrive. Instead of sitting down and being patient, she got up and looked at the various artwork hanging on the walls. The cabin was unlike any of the others. It was larger and quite luxurious.

  One piece of artwork caught her attention, and she tilted her head and gazed at it intently.

  “Miss Lambros, this is Mrs. Della Muldoon,” Alice said.

  Zoe turned and stepped forward to shake Mrs. Muldoon’s hand. She

  thought Mrs. Muldoon looked as imposing as she did in the newspapers.

  “Please, sit down,” Mrs. Muldoon said.

  Zoe was surprised at Mrs. Muldoon’s accent. She had always thought

  she was English. She sat down, mesmerized by her voice. She was certain

  she was German since she knew that accent very well.

  “You are Zoe Lambros?”

  “Ye...yes,” Zoe stammered.

  “How old are you, Miss Lambros?” Mrs. Muldoon asked as she sat near the window. She looked directly at Zoe and smiled.

  “I'm twenty-two.”

  “Did you like the artwork you were looking at?”

  Zoe gave the artwork a quick glance. “No.”

  Della leaned forward and smiled. “Why is that?”

  “The colors are all wrong, the composition is quirky, and there is something not quite right with it. I'm sure if I stare at it a bit more I'll find the reason.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Yes.”

  After a beat Mrs. Muldoon leaned back on her chair. “That's my artwork.”

  “Well, there's something wrong with it,” Zoe replied. “The colors are just...washed out.”

  Mrs. Muldoon laughed lightly. “How would you fix it?”

  “Burn it and restart,” Zoe replied. The artist in her took an interest in how Mrs. Muldoon was framed against the window, how the sun hit her hair and created a halo. She snapped out of her artistic trance, hoping she hadn’t noticed the lapse.

  “What were you thinking just now?” Mrs. Muldoon asked as she took off her gloves.

  “Um, I was thinking of how beautiful you looked framed against the window and the light,” Zoe admitted. “The sun was hitting your hair, creating a halo.” She totally forgot her nervousness. “The lighting and how you were sitting were perfect.”

  Mrs. Muldoon leaned back on her chair and smiled. “If you were painting my portrait, would you have me in that pose?”

  Zoe blinked. “Um, no,” she stammered and found herself wishing she would stop acting like a star-struck teenager.

  “Tell me, how would you paint me?”

  Zoe took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She looked up at the ceiling deep in thought for a few moments and then returned her gaze to Mrs. Muldoon, who was looking at her. “You are a woman that likes to surround herself with beautiful art...Um, I would paint you as the central figure surrounded by beautiful art as far as the eye could see.” She smiled.

  Mrs. Muldoon leaned forward in her chair and smiled. “That is one of the most interesting concepts I've heard in a long time. It's very interesting.”

  “Thank you.” Zoe sat back, feeling a little less overwhelmed.

  “Can I call you Zoe?”

  “Yes, ma'am.” Zoe nodded.

  “You have a very quick artistic mind. How long have you been an artist?”

  “All my life. For as long as I can remember, I’ve liked to draw.”

  “Are you the only artist in your family?”

  “No, ma'am.” Zoe shook her head. “My mother was an artist, a very well-known artist in Greece. Her paintings were e
ven bought by the Prime Minister and, although I didn't see her, his wife came to Larissa, and while she was there she bought one of my mother's paintings...” Zoe stopped when she realized she was rambling. She felt a little bit silly. She often wished she had Eva's poise and confidence when dealing with important people.

  “So you come from an artistic family. That's excellent to know.”

  “Yes, ma'am,” Zoe mumbled.

  “I was talking to your roommate...”

  “My wife,” Zoe corrected and waited for Mrs. Muldoon's reaction.

  Mrs. Muldoon sat back. Zoe couldn't see any shock or, more to the point, revulsion. Her expression was neutral. “I guess one should expect an artist to be...different,” she finally said after what seemed like an eternity.

  “Well, that's me. I'm different,” Zoe quipped before she could censor herself.

  “I have a secret to tell you, Zoe.”

  “You're a lesbian?” Zoe regretted the words as soon she spoke them but kept a neutral expression, or the best one she could muster. One of these days, you are going to get yourself into deep trouble. Wait until Eva hears about this one.

  Mrs. Muldoon laughed.

  It wasn't that funny. Zoe gave Mrs. Muldoon a half smile. She was more than a little confused at how the conversation was going.

  “No, no, that’s not the secret, although Herbert would be most surprised if this was true.” Mrs. Muldoon chuckled. “No, that's not the secret.”

  “Oh.” Zoe nodded and tried to look relaxed and less annoyed.

  “I know all about you, Zoe Lambros.”

  Zoe pursed her lips and waited.

  “You're not going to ask me what that means?”

  “I could, but I don't have to, since you know all about me.”

  Mrs. Muldoon crossed her legs and sat back in the seat with a cryptic smile that Zoe was finding very annoying. “You're annoyed with me.”

  “You could say I don't find being interrogated all that nice.”

  “I like you, Zoe.”

  “I like me as well.” Zoe rolled her eyes at her own silliness.

  “It was a pleasure meeting Eva. What do you call her?”

  “I call her Eva,” Zoe replied.

  “Yes, that's her name, but what do you call her?”

  “She answers to Eva. Actually it's Eva Theresa Haralambos, but it was Eva Theresa Muller—”

  “You know what I'm asking, don't you?”