Finding Ithaka

by Anna Harvey

  Afterwards they slept together peacefully, their bodies closely entwined. As daylight filtered through the shutters, he leaned into her again, his touch light as he caressed her smooth skin with his coarse weathered hands. This time he made love to her slowly and tenderly, no longer with frantic urgency, until they both succumbed to exhaustion.

  When Thea awoke, beams of silver light were flooding into the room. She reached across and felt the empty space next to her. The indent on ruffled sheet was cold to the touch and instinctively she realised that side of the bed was empty. He had gone. Blinking back sleep, Thea raised herself onto her elbows and glanced around. It was then she saw a note, a torn piece of paper, neatly folded on the bedside table beside her. Reaching over for it, she read the words hastily written. Gone to the car. Back shortly. Rob x. Only the cross hinted at any sign of affection.

  Thea grimaced, pulling herself out of the cold sheets. What had she done? She felt a moistness on her body. She needed a shower. The water from the solar heating system was tepid, as Thea hastily bathed and scrubbed herself. Her crumpled clothes were still scattered across the bare stone floor, which she picked up, quickly dressing herself. Angeliki was waiting for her, as she descended into the foyer.

  “Kalimera.” Her hostess’ welcome was somehow comforting and stemmed the deepening anxiety rising up inside.

  “Kalimera-sas.” Thea said, returning the greeting and allowing herself to be directed to same table, which they had occupied only the previous evening. Angeliki disappeared, re-emerging with a tray of hot coffee, fresh rolls, juice, pots of honey and apricot conserve. Her hostess stayed briefly to chat and keep Thea company. It did not take long to discover Rob’s whereabouts. He had left with Angeliki’s husband an hour ago, as Thea slept, but there was uncertainty when he would return.

  “Einai o andros sou?” enquired Angeliki with a knowing smile.

  The directness of the question startled Thea. “Ochi,” she replied firmly, raising her eyebrows, as she explained Rob was not her husband but a colleague.

  “Omorfo zevgari!” With that Angeliki departed for the kitchen, leaving a perplexed Thea to stare after her.

  Despite her natural aversion, Thea for once appreciated the warm instant coffee. Eagerly she took sips of the piping liquid in the hope of it clearing her head clouded from the wine. She felt slightly nauseous from the bitter taste of last night’s meal and the skin of her ankle was inflamed from a mosquito bite during the night. Thea pulled her woollen sweater closer round her, glad for its comfort and warmth. With the taste of bile in her mouth, she didn’t feel like eating but made an attempt for the sake of her hostess Angeliki.

  The promise of the early morning and its sunlight was now gone and shrouded thick clouds obscured the full view of the bay. The sea was grey and tempestuous against the chalk-white cliffs. Thea hardly noticed the view, listlessly toying with her food. Since awakening, a gnawing sense of foreboding had been growing inside her. Angeliki’s comments about making a good couple only unnerved her further. What had happened must be written all over her face. She quickly dismissed the thought but the feeling of being caught out like a wayward youth remained. How could she have allowed it to happen? When there was already the complicating matter of Dimitri Kampitsis. And though she liked Rob there was an uncertainty, which puzzled her.

  The urgent sound of a car horn tore Thea away from her thoughts. A vehicle had pulled up outside, its wheels scrunching on the loose gravel. Rob’s familiar form sat in the passenger side, waving towards her. Within seconds, he was greeting her enthusiastically, still dressed in the clothes from the previous day. A shudder ran down her body at the memory of their night.

  “I hope I didn’t wake you?” Rob began, as he strode towards her. “I thought it better to leave you sleeping, while I met the mechanic. We’ve arranged to have the car towed to a garage. Dionysios,” he gestured towards the driver, “is here to drive us with the equipment back to the main town.” Rob glanced more closely at her and flashed a smile. “I see you’ve got breakfast already. Do you need more time to finish? There’s no rush as we’ve still to pack the car.”

  “I’ve just finished but can I get you something?” Thea noticed herself falling back into politeness to cover her awkwardness. “I’ll see if I can sort out some coffee and rolls for you both if you’re hungry,” she said, grateful for an activity to distract herself.

  “No, we’re fine,” Rob replied. “I ate earlier. Do you want to get your things from the room and we’ll start loading the car. I’ll come up and get my stuff in a few minutes.” Thea nodded and with that he was gone.

  Alone, Thea stepped into the room they had shared, the orderliness now disrupted by the pile of crumpled bed sheets and blankets strewn on the floor. Instinctively, Thea straightened the bed, smoothing down the sheets and covers, as if obliterating traces of any incriminating evidence. She started to gather together her few possessions and put them in her rucksack. For a moment, she held her copy of the Odyssey, idly thumbing through the pages, before placing it carefully into her day sack.

  There was a quiet knock at the door, before Rob entered. “I’ve just come to retrieve my bag,” he said, picking it up from the floor. “Are you alright,” he asked solicitously, studying her face as she refused to meet his eyes. “You look pale.”

  “Just a little too much wine,” Thea replied, feeling a slight wave of nausea wash over her. “I’ll be alright.”

  “You’re sure, as I could do with getting these samples back to the lab as soon as possible,” he said and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

  On the journey back, an awkward silence fell. Squashed against the hotchpotch of sample cases and equipment, it was difficult to think of what to say with the presence of a third person. Rob had been attentive as he helped Thea into the back seat, but now they both settled into polite conversation. Dionysios, the driver, had sensed the strained atmosphere, offering small talk about the weather, Greek politics and the logistics of getting a pick-up truck out to them.

  After a while, they all lapsed into a stilted silence again. Thea watched through the window the sweep of the lagoon, as the car drove away from the gentle swell of Paliki. Despite having showered, Thea felt as if she carried the smell of him, a male scent imprinted on her body. A blush came over her cheeks, sure that the two men must also have noticed. As the outskirts of the main town approached, the emotional distance grew.

  “We’re going to take the samples back to the lab,” said Rob shifting into professional mode, any intimacy firmly dispelled. “But first we’ll drop you off at the hotel.” He twisted his head round towards her. “You’ll probably want to freshen up.”

  With the winding journey back to the town and civilisation, Thea’s feelings of nausea had intensified. “That will be fine” she replied simply, feeling as if she was being dismissed.

  Rob directed them through the town. The streets were quiet that Sunday morning and only a handful of people had ventured out, mostly elderly yeia yeias dressed in black, on their way to church. Or middle-aged women, clutching plastic bags from their trip to the patisserie, anticipating the arrival of the family brood later in the day. At last the car pulled up in front of the hotel and Thea swung open the heavy car door, gratefully taking a gulp of fresh air, whilst Rob courteously held it open for her.

  “I’m going to be working most of the day,” he said, “to get these samples processed. Would you like to go out later for something to eat?” For the first time on the journey, he looked at her directly and she caught an affectionate glance.

  “Yes, I would like that,” Thea replied, allowing herself to meet his eyes, though her skin prickled with a cold sweat.

  “I’ll be back in the hotel by early evening. Come and find me around eight o’clock. I’m in room 211.”

  After thanking Dionysios for coming to their rescue, Thea mounted the hotel steps as the car swept out of the hotel gates.

  *********************************************

/>   Darkness had fallen outside, as Thea made her way down the dim-lit corridor, trying the read the tarnished bronze room numbers. During the daytime, natural light flooded the space, with its airy white washed passage-way and high-ceiling windows. Her mood had been reinvigorated by the afternoon nap, which had cleared her head, and the fresh change of clothes. She had chosen to dress comfortably and for warmth, her lime-coloured tunic complementing her copper coloured hair. In front of a solid wooden door, bearing the numbers 211, she stopped. She heard Rob talking loudly to some-one.

  Had he forgotten their dinner? Thea wondered to herself as she knocked on the door, suppressing her feelings of insecurity. There was a delay before the door swung open.

  “Come in. I’ve been expecting you,” Rob grinned, steering her into the room. To her surprise, the room was empty. A laptop was sat open on the desk, where a chair had been pulled back.

  “I’m just skyping my son,” Rob explained, sensing her confusion. “Come and say hello.”

  Thea cautiously walked towards the brightly lit screen, which threw a blue-phosphorescent light into the room. Peering closer to the display, Thea could make out the features of a young male, casually dressed in a heavy checked shirt and pullover. The likeness to Rob was unmistakeable, only the features were softer and the skin less weathered by the sun.

  “I’d like you to meet my son, Ryan,” said Rob. “And this is my friend and colleague, Dr Thea Sefton.” He ceremoniously introduced Thea with a sweep of his arm.

  “Hello Thea,” the camera shot of a young male casually replied, beaming out from the computer screen. “Dad’s not mentioned you before,” the voice continued. “I didn’t know he was dating. Have you two been together long?”

  Was it so obvious they had been intimate? she wondered, feeling her cheeks blushing, just as Rob stepped in to rescue her.

  “Thea is working with me on the Odysseus Palace project.” His words came breezily. “We were just about to go out for something to eat.”

  “You must be very privileged!” remarked Ryan, laughingly. “I’ve never known Dad to set aside his work so early in the evening. He usually lives a hermit’s existence.”

  “Thank you Ryan,” Rob interrupted, cutting his son short. “We’d better get going, so speak to you later. Can you pass on my regards to your grandfather? I’ll see you both in a couple of weeks’ time at the airport.”

  The younger man grinned, nodding “Will do, Dad. Good meeting you Thea.” There was a familiar ping on the computer screen as the call was ended.

  “Sorry about that,” said Rob apologetically. ”I’d forgotten that Ryan and I usually skype at this time. I hope you’re not offended by what he said. He can be very direct.”

  “Not at all. It’s good you both keep in contact.”

  “Shall we go?” he said, gesturing towards the door. He had changed his clothing and had made an effort with his appearance. His white cotton shirt was heavily creased and looked as if it had just been unwrapped from the packaging. His beard had been closely trimmed and Thea caught the pleasant aroma of sandalwood.

  “I hope I look presentable?” he grinned. ”I don’t get much chance to shop for new clothes.”

  They headed out onto the promenade, where a regimented row of street lights lit up the sea-front and waves lapped against the break-water. On the opposite side of the gulf, the mountains were shrouded in darkness and only the glimmering lights dotted across the opposite hillside signalled the presence of small villages. As they walked, Thea noticed Rob kept a respectful distance as if the previous night’s intimacy had created an invisible wedge.

  “Where are we going?” asked Rob.

  “There used to be a café close by,” Thea replied. “The food’s quite simple but always popular amongst the locals.”

  “That sounds like it meets the mark,” he said, a good-humoured look on his face. “You lead on and I’ll follow.”

  The restaurant was located on the edge of the town. Tables had been optimistically set out on the terrace anticipating the balmy summer, when office workers and guests might chat over a slow lunch, savouring the dramatic views across the gulf. A waiter greeted them warmly and ushered them into the interior, where a glass partition shut out the night chill. They were seated at a small table close together, so that their knees almost touched. Having surveyed the menu, they settled on a traditional Greek fare of hot chicken stew, steeped in wine and tomato and several plates of mezedes: giant beans, spanakopita, fried potatoes and horta, mountain greens. There were few other fellow diners that night, as others had either been put off by the chill of the wind or the still relatively early hour, for Greeks tended to eat late.

  “Your son,” said Thea, after placing their order, breaking the silence between them. “You resemble one another quite closely. Tell me more about him.”

  “Well,” Rob said, resting his chin on his hand, his voice filling with pride, “as you know he’s an only child. Following in my footsteps, he decided to study geophysics and earth sciences at Bristol. He would have joined the expedition but it clashed with exams.”

  “It must have been difficult for you both, being apart so much.”

  “It hasn’t always been easy,” Rob agreed, nodding his head. “As a child, he used to struggle with my absence and often took it out on his mother. He’s always been close to his granddad, my father. It was he who taught Ryan how to play football, hunt for fossils and camp outdoors. Despite that, we’re a close family.” A look of pain, clearly visible, passed across his face. His absence was obviously a source of deep regret. He raised his head forcing a smile. “While I’m back in the UK, I’m hoping that we’ll be able to spend more time together.”

  He turned and gestured to the waiter to bring more wine. “And what about you? Do you have children?” he asked.

  “Unfortunately I don’t,” Thea responded lightly. She felt the heat rise to her face, remembering the herbal tincture she had prepared earlier, as a precautionary measure. She had been determined to take no chances.

  “So what about the palace?” Rob asked, as the waiter deposited a full carafe in front of them and cleared away the assortment of empty plates. “You were keen on the idea that it is close to Mousatoi. Do you think we are any closer to finding it?”

  “I’m not sure,” Thea replied. “It’s a hunch but there isn’t much on the ground to see or in the old archives. I’m thinking of looking at the old archaeological reports for the village, but that would mean a trip to Athens. With Easter coming up next weekend, it may be quite tricky finding space on a flight.”

  Rob looked at her again, pausing as if weighing up whether to share a confidence or not. He lowered his voice, almost conspiratorially, as if not wanting their conversation to be overheard. “The provisional results we’re getting from the tests seems to bear out the theory,” he confided. “The samples show signs of marine life and you have to go a long way down before you hit solid bedrock.”

  “So what does that mean?” Thea asked, trying to figure out the significance of this information.

  “It means that the geological evidence points to a channel of sea-water separating Paliki from the main part of the island.” Rob raised his head towards her so that the clear blue irises of his eyes caught the light. “There must have been a massive landslide in antiquity, which isn’t surprising given all the seismic activity in this area.”

  “Are you sure?” Thea could feel her excitement rising, like a hound picking up the scent of quarry.

  “I can’t be completely certain quite, but the findings so far fit the theory.”

  “How long before you will know for definite?”

  “Six weeks’ time, by the end of the field survey,” Rob replied, sitting back in his chair. “Your plan to see what you can discover in Athens sounds good. It’s better than the needle in a haystack approach and might help Richard more accurately pinpoint the palace location.”

  Thea raised her head, alert, her mind already formulating a plan.
She had been considering going to Athens, but this decided the issue.

  “I’ll speak to Richard,” she said firmly, “and see what can be arranged.”

  “By the way, you seemed to be unhappy after your conversation with Richard yesterday. Did he say something that upset you?” His perception startled Thea, as little seemed to escape his notice.

  “He’s wanting to set up a meeting between myself and our benefactor Mr Dimitri Kampitsis.“ At the mention of his name on her lips, her body stiffened, braced for the familiar surge of emotions. But as she tightened her grip around the wine glass, only a mild wave of dread washed over her. The overnight trip to the uplands must have done me good, she thought.

  “And he wouldn’t take No for an answer?” Just then Rob’s phone went off with a buzz. Rob glanced at it before stuffing it back into his pocket, a fleeting scowl passing over his face and then vanishing like a summer shower. “Of course, you missed being introduced to him at the reception. Quite the local celebrity. Do you want me to join you at the meeting?” he asked, as if sensing her internal dilemma. “I noticed Richard can act quite deferential around our honourable patron.”

  “I can take care of it,” Thea declined firmly, relieved not to be entangled by the gnawing dread but realising she had yet to come up with any plan. “Shall we get the bill?” she asked, keen to escape the gloomy topic.

  Afterwards, they walked through the open expanse of the main square of the town, joining the procession of families, loving couples and young people out for an evening stroll. As they turned down the wide tree lined boulevard, Rob reached for her hand, entwining her fingers in his own. Just then, his phone started buzzing with an urgency.

  “Someone is trying hard to get hold of you,” Thea said, feeling a slight jolt in her stomach at the pressure of his fingers. Rob pulled out the mobile and snapped the button to silence it.