Happy memories of time spent with her grandmother as a girl came flooding back.
What her sister said next surprised her. ‘Mamá hasn’t been the same since the awful row when you left. Father dying so soon afterwards was a shock and she’s never got over it. I try to visit her when I can, but there’s always something to do at home and...’ She paused. ‘And I hate saying this, but Mamá isn’t the easiest of women, is she? She may appear not to care, but the number of times she says, “I wonder what Cassia’s doing now”, I’ve lost count. You were always her favourite — the one she wanted to carry on her embroidery business.’
‘I never knew. She seemed to want me and Nikos gone.’
‘We all missed you. Even Baba. The thing we didn’t miss were the rows between him and Nikos. Then, of course, it was Georgios they hated. The main difference was that he was on the same side as them in his politics. Neither Nikos nor Georgios was good enough for his daughters. He’d have been happy with the old way of selecting a nice boy from a good Greek family of their choosing. And neither of them fitted the bill.’
Eugenia placed the earthenware dish in the oven and sat down next to Cassia to drink her coffee. There were tears in her eyes.
Cassia reached over and patted her sister’s arm. ‘You miss Georgios, don’t you? But if he’s betrayed you once — more than once — he’ll do it again. You must see that.’
‘I know you’re right but I still love him, in spite of everything.’ She stood to lay the table. ‘There’s no likelihood of him coming back anyway. The siren will see to it.’
‘Perhaps it’s for the best. Then you and Maia can move on with your lives.’ Cassia could see her sister was upset and looked to change the topic. She fumbled in her pocket to take out the letter.
‘Eléni. I have a surprise for you.’
The little girl came and stood by her.
‘I’ve got a letter and it’s addressed to both of us.’ Eléni pointed at her chest. ‘Yes, you.’ Cassia smiled at the little girl’s delight.
She slid her nail under the seal and took out the letter. The handwriting was neat and even, resembling her yiayiá’s.
23 Davaki Street
Athens
Greece
12 October 1953
AgapitíCassia and Eléni,
I hope you are both settled living with your sister. It is the address you gave me, so I hope this finds you safe and well. It broke my heart to see you both go, especially when my lovely Eléni got so upset. But it was for the best. The nights are very cold now and with no place to stay apart from under the shelters.
I am one of the lucky ones. My daughter arrived and took me back to Athens to live with her. There is nothing left for me in Kefalonia now. Everything I had was buried in the rubble of my house. Whatever time I have left, I know I will be looked after by my daughter. But the earthquake couldn’t take away my memories. I will never forget your kindness to me, Cassia, and how you never gave up searching for little Eléni. If you are in touch with Tom and the Welsh reporter who got her out alive, please remember me to them. If you are ever in Athens, please call to see me.
Your friend,
Sophia
Eléni smiled. She pointed at herself and mimed drawing.
‘Yes, I think Sophia would love a drawing from you.’
Eléni grinned and rushed to start a picture for Sophia.
Chapter Eleven
Cassia continued to travel to Fiscardo selling whatever foodstuffs she could, together with her lace and embroidered items. Sometimes she would take Eléni with her and the little girl would practise drawing while Cassia worked hard to try to sell her goods. On one occasion, they visited the post office on the way.
‘Shall we send your beautiful drawing to Sophia?’ said Cassia. The previous evening, Eléni had taken great care over a drawing of Cassia, Eugenia, Maia and herself that she’d got Cassia to label. Cassia signed itFrom Eléni, with loveand the little girl had drawn kisses underneath.
Eléni beamed and held her hand to her heart.
‘Sophia is going to love it,’ said Cassia.
The woman in the post office was interested in Eléni and Cassia knew in a small village like Fiscardo, every detail, especially the fact Eléni didn’t speak, would be relayed back to her mother.
