Among the Olive Groves Read online

  “It is Pietro.”

  “Your Greek is very good, Pietro.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Why are you here?” She felt uncomfortable, and wondered if she had done something wrong. “Am I in trouble?”

  He laughed, “No. I just could not get you out of my mind and wanted to see you again.”

  His response floored her. “But...” For the first time in her life she was speechless.

  “Has my feisty piccolina nothing to say?”

  “I do not understand.”

  Pietro guided her to a fallen log by the road and motioned for her to sit. “You are a very pretty woman, Elena, a pretty woman with great spirit. I would like to get to know you better.”

  “I do not fraternise with the enemy of Greece!” she replied, suddenly finding her voice again. How dare he talk to her like this.

  “I can understand why you would feel that way, but I assure you I am merely here to help keep the peace. I like you Elena. Please say you will think about it.”

  She glared at him, arms crossed. “Never!”

  “Okay. I know when I am beaten,” he shrugged and stood, dusting down his trousers. “It was nice to see you again, piccolina.”

  He began to walk away, but stopped and walked back towards her. “There is one more thing.” He pulled her up from the log and, before she knew what was happening, he threw his arms around her, and his lips were on hers, hungrily kissing her. Her brain told her it was not right, he was her enemy, this should not be happening. Her body kicked in and with every instinct she fought him off, pushing him away. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and took a step back.

  Laughing, Pietro shook his head. “You are a very brave woman indeed. You will see me again soon.” Turning, he left her alone in the field feeling ashamed and confused.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Bristol, England, 2002

  Kate sat at her desk staring at the ever-growing pile of paperwork. She was due to leave work in three hours but still had not finished everything she needed to do. Mild panic rose within her. She was nervous enough about leaving the company for two weeks as it was, but if she did not get this paperwork done she would not be going at all and could lose her best client in the process.

  Her staff had been shocked at the announcement. Kate Fisher taking a holiday? It was unheard of! But they had quickly learned the news was true. She would be gone for two weeks and she was leaving them all in charge. As six pm arrived, Ashleigh bundled Kate into her coat, and pushed her out of the door. In return Ashleigh was met with stern words and a promise to make sure their best client was top priority.

  Kate was perturbed. It was as though she had just left a newborn baby with a bunch of teenagers, and she was not sure she had made the right decision. But she had to trust them. The following day she would be on a plane travelling to Greece and work would be out of her hands.

  ~

  Excitement buzzed through Kate as she ran around the house gathering her belongings. A few minutes later she was in a taxi on the way to Bristol Airport. It had been so long since she had had a holiday and, although she had reservations about the real reason she was going, she had to admit that she was excited to be getting away.

  Why had she not done this sooner? She could not wait to leave the UK and visit somewhere new. A bit of sunshine would not go amiss either. It had been a long cold winter, and she was looking forward to feeling the warmth in her bones, and the sun on her skin.

  The flight was quicker than she expected and she spent most of it staring out of the window as they passed over Europe. As the aircraft began its descent, she absorbed the view. The sea was a mix of bright turquoise and deeper blues. The land was earthy and scrubby and shot through with deep greens, brown rocks and sandy beaches. Zakynthos did not look very big, but it did not bother her. She was just excited about being somewhere different, experiencing a new culture and getting away from England.

  Finally the plane touched down with a small bump and a screech of tyres before coming to a halt. The warm air kissed her skin as she stepped from the plane onto the tarmac. She smiled. It was great to feel the warm Mediterranean sun upon her face, and she knew in that moment that she had made the right decision to come here. Following the other passengers into the small terminal, she easily passed through customs and collected her case and stepped out into the bright sunshine to find a taxi.

  She gave the driver the address of her hotel, and then settled back to enjoy the journey. Despite similarities, the scenery was very different to the UK. Once they had left the environs of the airport, the roads turned into country lanes. There were no pavements to speak of, just grass verges, shrubland and trees. Every now and then a house or shop appeared at the side of the road, interspersed with the rich soil and lush greenery that seemed to be everywhere. The air flowing through the open window was warm and the sun shone brightly, bathing everything in a comfortable glow. Occasionally, Kate caught glimpses of the sea, shimmering brightly in the distance, and just the sight of it relaxed her. It was not long before they were driving down a narrow road edged with olive groves and dotted through with grass and bright wild flowers. Turning a corner, they arrived at the hotel on the north east coast of the island near Kypseli. After paying and thanking the driver, she dragged her case along the path and into reception.

  “Welcome!” A pretty woman looked up from the desk, greeting her with perfect English.

  “Hi. I didn’t expect you to be English,” Kate said.

  The woman laughed. “I get that a lot. I’m Michelle. I come over every year to work for the season. There are lots of English people here who do the same.”

  “I’m Kate Fisher. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” Michelle said scanning the computer. “Kate Fisher, we have you down for a two week stay. Why don’t I show you your room?”

  Kate nodded and followed Michelle up the stairs and along a light and airy whitewashed corridor. Stepping into the hotel room that would be her home for the next few weeks, she was pleasantly surprised. There was a small kitchenette, a spacious living room, a bathroom and a bedroom. Michelle explained where everything was and then left her to get settled.

  Opening the double doors in the bedroom, Kate stepped out onto a wrap-around balcony that could be accessed by almost every room. The view was incredible. To the left, the rough, green terrain of the island was dotted through with the occasional building, eventually rising to hilly peaks. To the right was an expanse of sea that seemed to go on forever. Dependent on the light, the sea’s colour shifted from brilliant turquoise to deep cobalt blue. It was difficult to gauge where sea ended and sky began, but small wispy clouds occasionally passed overhead, disrupting what was otherwise a perfect bright and sunny late spring day. In the distance she could see the faint outline of land, and she was not sure if it was another island or mainland Greece.

  Settling back on one of the patio chairs, she pulled out a book and decided to relax for a bit before unpacking her case.

  ~

  With her sunglasses on and a bottle of water in her hand, Kate headed towards the main road. It was quiet and very peaceful. Long grass and wild flowers grew at the side of the road, and the sun shone brightly as she walked. The road was dusty and winding and eventually she came to a decision point: turn left or right? She chose right, and eventually found herself on a long pebble-covered beach. It was nice to be near water again. She had missed the coast so much since moving to Bristol. Sitting down on the warm pebbles, she watched as small waves washed back and forth with a swishing noise. They lifted smaller pebbles, rolling and pushing them slowly along the beach; constantly moving, constantly changing.

  Unlike her.

  Her parents were right. She was stuck in her comfortable job and had just stopped, seemingly going nowhere. She had no friends and no one to share her life with. How had it come down to this?

  She wondered where Fletch was and what he was doing. They had spent so many hours
sitting together on a beach, talking while growing up. She had lost track of the number of early mornings that she had run down to watch him flick and turn his board, riding the waves until eventually he lost the battle and plunged into the sea.

  She felt a surge of sadness go through her. She wished they had both swallowed their pride and made up after their argument. She really missed him. Funny, handsome Fletch, her best friend in the whole world. She picked up a large pebble, and angrily flung it into the waves, venting her frustration. They had both been so stubborn and pig-headed and were now both adrift, lost to each other. It had been too long and there was no going back now. She wished, there in that very moment, that she could turn back the clock, wipe the slate clean, go back and change history, but she knew that could never happen.

  Great heaving sobs racked her body, and she pulled her legs up, hugging her knees, allowing all of the pent up emotion to spill from her body. Finally, alone on a beach in a foreign country, Kate began let go and relax for the first time in years.

  ~

  The sea shimmered like glass in the early morning sunlight. It was quiet and peaceful, and Kate felt like she had been transported to heaven. In the distance, a boat passed, leaving a line of white froth in its wake. She breathed deeply, a mixture of smells enveloping her that were a pleasant change to the fuggy smell of the city.

  “Beautiful isn’t it,” Michelle said, as she set a pot of tea on the table along with two bowls containing food.

  “It is. I was surprised when I got here. You always see pictures of Greece and they are of little harbours filled with boats, whitewashed buildings with blue domed roofs or ancient ruins on clifftops. Zakynthos seems very different. It’s not like I imagined at all.”

  “You know why, don’t you?”

  “Why?”

  “Because it’s so much better!” Michelle said. Kate laughed as Michelle walked back inside. Pulling the bowls towards her, she dipped her spoon in one. The sweet taste of fruit salad was a welcome change from her usual boring breakfast cereal. Once finished, she lifted the other bowl and savoured the creamy yet slightly bitter thick white contents. The traditional Greek yogurt was delicious, and nothing like the sort you bought in the supermarket back home. It was so much better, and something she could definitely get used to.

  The boat she had been watching finally disappeared behind the headland, leaving a sparkling expanse of blue in its wake, and she sighed. Coming here was definitely the right thing to do. She had come to the island with a purpose, but that purpose was loose and not thought out. She realised then that she had no plan. How was she supposed to even start finding out about her family? She had little to go on. How did she go about discovering a past that had been hidden, a past that was so far removed from her own life that it was almost as if she was never supposed to discover it?

  Michelle appeared next her, breaking her train of thought.

  “Is there anything else I can get you?” she asked as she cleared away the dirty dishes.

  “No, thank you.” But after a slight pause, added, “Actually there is something you can help me with.”

  “Of course,” Michelle said as she sat opposite, relieved to be able take the weight off her feet even if it was for a few minutes.

  “Is there an easy way of getting around the island?”

  “Yes, if you can drive. I can recommend a car hire place, and I can drop you down there if it would help?”

  “Thanks. That would be great.”

  Michelle could see something else was bothering the girl. She had no idea whether it was grief or a wayward boyfriend, but something was definitely off.

  “Is everything okay, Kate?”

  “Yes. I just have a lot on my mind.”

  “Want to share?”

  “You don’t need to hear my woes. But thank you for the offer.”

  Feeling slightly disappointed, Michelle shrugged and stood, leaving Kate to finish her cup of tea.

  ~

  Having changed her clothes, Kate bounced down the stairs to reception. She was looking forward to getting out and seeing the island. Michelle was behind the reception desk surrounded by paperwork, looking a bit stressed.

  “Is the offer of helping me sort out a hire car still there?”

  “Of course. I’ll just get the owner to watch the desk for me.”

  “Thank you.”

  At the car hire company in Tsilivi, Michelle handled everything for Kate. She was glad Michelle was there as she understood no Greek at all, and even though the owner spoke English, he was difficult to understand. Once they had settled on the best car, the owner handed Kate a set of keys, a map of the island and ran through a brief set of driving rules for Greece. Michelle kindly translated everything before leaving Kate to it and racing back to the hotel.

  Kate decided to drive across the island to see what she could find. Leaving Tsilivi, she followed the sporadically placed road signs towards Zakynthos Town. She had learned that the Italians re-named it Zante Town during the war, but most locals still called it by its original name, Zakynthos Town. After a few false starts and wrong turns, it was not long before she reached it and found herself near the busy harbour absorbing the many sights and sounds of the town. Tall palm trees surrounded a large paved square. The harbour was wide and sweeping, and was filled with boats, which bobbed on the gentle movement of water. A salty smell came from the turquoise waters and tingled as it hit her nose. She marveled at the many buildings including the large Venetian church tower that reminded her of St. Mark’s Square. The town was busy and crowded, cafés and roadside shops enticed locals and tourists with the smell of heavenly food and myriad gifts. She could not find anywhere to park, so continued on, promising herself that she would return another day. Reaching the end of the harbour, she followed the signs to Laganas. The lads in the office had mentioned it, telling her she should definitely go there.

  Kate turned off the main road, and it was not long before she was in the heart of Laganas strip. She found a parking space and pulled in. Getting out of the car she stretched and caught sight of the sea in the distance. After locking the car, she walked down the strip towards it. Both sides of the road were lined with a multitude of shops, cafés, restaurants and nightclubs. She was not really sure what to make of it, but decided to reserve judgment until she had seen it properly. Abruptly, the road ended at a small concrete car park and Kate found herself looking at a large sweeping beach, lined with yet more bars and restaurants. She strolled along the busy shoreline taking in the sights and sounds. She could understand why the lads had recommended it. It was wall-to-wall bars and lots of pretty girls. Just their sort of holiday. It was not really Kate’s thing, but she appreciated it for what it was.

  She wandered into one of the bars, took a seat at an empty table, and ordered a drink. Gazing out across the sea, her brain went into overdrive again. How was she going to find out about her family? She did not speak Greek, could barely get around the island and had no idea who to talk to about getting started. It felt like an uphill battle already and she had barely begun. An hour later she was still none the wiser, and she was beginning to get a headache. The waiter came over to ask if she wanted another drink but she politely declined. She left the bar, and walked back to her car.

  Taking the main road north, she passed Zakynthos Town and the turn off to her apartment. Carrying on northwards, it was not long before she reached Alykes. Rather than stopping, she drove through until she reached a small inlet with an island sitting in the middle of the bay. She sat in her parked car for a minute, looking at her map, and worked out that she had arrived at Agios Nikolaos. She got out of the car and walked to the small brick wall, sat on it and looked out at the calm turquoise waters. A handful of people were on the beach, a few boats were moored in the natural curving harbour, but other than that, it was relatively quiet. At the edge of the beach was a small covered restaurant, so she walked over to it and took a seat all the while marveling at the sea as its waves gently l
apped at the restaurant’s edge. She realised she was starving so she took a seat and ordered lunch. Watching the water lap back and forth, she thought of Fletch again. He would have loved it here. She really did miss him, and wished he was here; he would have helped her make sense of everything. She sipped her water and shook thoughts of him from her mind. It was time to forget about him, enjoy the tranquility of the place and wait for her food to arrive.

  It was not long before she was back in the car studying the map once more. The owner of the restaurant had recommended she visit the shipwreck. Driving through ever narrowing lanes that wound slowly upwards, through dusty scrubby gorse-lined roads, she found herself driving blind. Signposts were almost non-existent and she wondered how anyone ever found their way around the island. It was with more luck than judgment that she finally reached her destination.

  Steep white cliffs appeared before her as she stepped from the car. They descended sharply to a deep blue sea. Waves crashed at the base of the cliffs, frothy and white. Walking the path to the edge of the cliff, she reached a small stone wall and a viewing platform with a metal rail that hung out over the cliff. It looked precarious and she hated heights, but she swallowed her fears and slowly stepped along it until she reached the end. Staring straight down, she was shocked. Directly below lay an arc of cliffs, in which hid a sheltered beach. Lying at the centre of the beach was a rusted, listing ship. She stared in awe, taking in the beautiful view. She had not been on Zakynthos long but she had already fallen in love with the place.

  A noisy group of tourists appeared behind her, and there was not enough room for all of them on the viewing platform so she stepped back on to firm land to let them have a look. Instead of leaving, she sat on the wall and stared out across the brilliant blue sea edged with striking white cliffs, trying to make sense of her life and everything that had happened.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Zakynthos, Greece, 1942