With every bus from Stephanos town there came more and more pilgrims arriving for the coming festival until the village seemed full to bursting. Auntie and I headed out towards the coast and found the strengthening south-easterly in step as we joined the cliff walk. Along with our nervous laughter, it offered some shelter from searching questions. It pulled at our clothes and whipped away our words so we had to keep our heads down, side-stepping anything in our way. And so we trudged, arm in arm, dazzled by the breathtaking beauty contrasting with the pointless tragedy that had invaded our lives. It was hard going but we battled on, shoulders against the obvious, each holding on to the other's silence hoping the next step would be easier. But conscience is a funny thing, it whispers from inside. It hints of something else that should be laid to rest. It wonders who should guide these people now? Who now?
A welcome pressure on my arm brought me to my senses, but my guilt began to smoulder. My aunt was guiding us out of the wind, taking us somewhere special, this was no random meander. We came upon a path that led to two little chapels in the distance.
'Godfrey, do you ever think we spend too much time developing technology when we should be developing our most natural resource?' I said nothing, unsure where this was heading. 'The human mind - don't you think it would be more natural to develop what we already have in preference to stuffing young minds with the latest technologies?'
'Er, is this anything to do with the village kids needing a guiding hand?'
'Well, they're trying to get everyone to go away to university these days, aren't they? Soon they won't have any shepherds or carpenters. It's unhealthy, isn't it?'
'I never wanted a career, myself. It didn't make any sense.'
'What do you mean, lad?'
'Well, whenever the teachers asked us what we wanted to do when we left school, I could never make a decision because I wasn't ready to sign my future away. How could I when I hadn't finished being a kid?'
'Oh, I was the same. All I wanted was to be on the stage and for that I was condemned by the priests for being wayward. They didn't help at all.'
'And I used to confuse vocation with vacation, thinking a vocation was two weeks of meaningless fun before going back to school. It took some time before realising it is calling, a personal thing, and the opposite of ambition.'
'Now you're making fun.'
'No, I'm serious. In every job I've had since leaving college I die standing up.'
'Every job you've ever had? I thought you liked the last two.'
'Oh, being a Teaching Assistant was great but not a driving vocation. The school psychiatrist was insane, kept shaking his head in despair and telling me I was mad until he told me once too often. The point is, they try to clone you. Set you in their formula. I have to be free.'
'Don't blame you. There is no other way.'
Could it be my foxy old aunt had cornered me into a decision? But just as I was about to put her off, she floored me with a question, 'So why don't you consider moving here?'
'I'll think about it.'
'Want a sweetie?'
The path ran past two little chapels overlooking the cliffs and the glittering sea. Auntie held onto my arm, trying to convince me I was her rock, 'Pantelis told me once when a man leaves his village to go abroad to earn some money and does well, he sends money home to help his family. If they make a lot while they're away, he sends instructions for them to build him a little chapel in gratitude for his good fortune. They name the chapel after their patron saint.'
The second little chapel had a soft pink dome and once inside, all was silence. Overlooking a stone floor stacked with several bundles of candles, a large framed icon hung on the wall next to the altar. Surrounding the icon, candles stood in rows like parishioners, waiting to be lit.
'This is the chapel of Agia Agni and that is the precious Agia Agni icon. Would you believe it, Pantelis built this chapel and named it after my patron saint. Wasn't that nice?' She swallowed, 'Do you know, after three years they exhume the bones and put them in a little box and keep them in the ossuary at the entrance to the cemetery? The ground must be too hard to dig deep and it seems before the burial they fill a pillow with olive leaves for his head and they trim his hair. Isn't that thoughtful?'
A rude thumping on the door broke the spell and when I opened up, the brick-heads from the terminus blocked the light. They were laughing as they brushed past and swaggered inside pointing at the icons, chewing gum and mocking, 'This one any good?'
My aunt stood her ground and levelled with one of them as he was lighting a cigarette, 'Excuse me. I've come to pray to Agia Agni and would be grateful if you'd respect my wishes. Please! You can wait outside if you want.'
She stood stoney-faced, unyielding, holding the door ajar until they gave in and filed outside, reduced to being naughty boys. 'Thank you', she snapped and slammed the door firmly behind them. On the track outside, one of them paced up and down, puffing at his cigarette while watching his colleague talking into his mobile. Once the scene was set Auntie reappeared and although she thanked them I could tell she wasn't happy. Her jaw was set. With great care, she wound the piece of string around the nail that was the latch until she was satisfied the door was secured to her liking, and then she turned and looked at them one by one, 'I prayed for my dead husband.' They stared right back, not knowing what to say. 'I even prayed for you. I prayed for me as well because you irritating gawps really piss me off!' Then she strode over to join me at the cliff edge. One of the men coughed.
'Come on, lad, let's walk before I burst,' she was shaking with laughter.
We made our way along a goat track high above a cove taking great care and making good progress. But the way was sandy and steep and before long I began to feel queasy and wary of looking over the edge. We inched along, me keeping my eyes on my feet until we met someone coming from the opposite direction. It was one of the men in shorts I’d almost bumped into from the crumbling house the day I arrived in Sophia, and he was in a hurry. The track widened just enough to make a passing place as long as one gave way. He stopped and made us wait a few seconds before giving a sharp snort and leaned into the cliff face but that just made matters worse because now we had to walk where there was nothing between us and the long drop from the cliff. Auntie said nothing so neither did I. Seagulls in my stomach would not go away. We stiffened and scrambled past.
'You can see why he loved his island home, can't you? Raw, wild and beautiful. When I first saw it I was terrified but now, with a little mutual consideration, I think we get along rather well.'
'Yes Auntie, it's beautiful. I'll try to bear that in mind.'
We crept along the ragged track and watched the anxious sea below, one behind the other, leaning in to stop from falling into space. About half way round, the track ran out for about a foot and melted into a bank of scree. I lost my nerve and couldn't help but imagine the worst, 'Shall we go back? It looks dangerous.'
'It's been like that for years. I'll go first and guide you. The gap's about eighteen inches, you can step over that onto the next bit, can't you?'
'Don't laugh, Auntie, I'm petrified.'
She stepped over and waited. 'OK lad, just you take off your satchel and ditch those tasteless plastic sandals so you can gauge your movements better.' Her voice became steady and gentle. 'Now give me your hand.'
'I'll be alright. Stop fussing.'
'Oh, shut up, Godfrey.'
My eyes were tight shut. My forehead ran with sweat, my armpits were wet and the sun elbowed my back. My fingers gripped jutting rocks that came loose with my weight as I inched across the chasm. The space went on forever and then a voice broke through my darkness, 'There you are, lad. You're safe now.'
At last, after taking firm and steady steps along the rest of the goat track, we reached the far side of the cove where I was able to flop down onto good old planet earth and rest for a minute until my confidence returned. We sat for a few minutes, wiping away the dirt on whatever clumps of grass we could find until just as we were about to continue, a local lady appeared at the far end of the track striding along in her ankle-length black skirts and boots. Being local, she must have known it petered out but she seemed oblivious to any danger and before I could warn her, she reached the spot and without breaking pace just hitched up her skirts, widened her stride and marched on, bidding us a good day as she passed. I was left open-mouthed at her nonchalance.
'Come on, we have to get back. I have to see Nikos and thank him.'
We could hear the music rolling along and the excited cries of the children the nearer we got to the town. The atmosphere was light and bright enough for a village reception or some kind of celebration which, of course, it was. But eager to get away to be with her friend in Stephanos town, my aunt went off to talk business with Nikos whilst I bided my time moving through the throng enjoying the music and watching nutty children creating chaos.
But the afternoon came to a standstill when my attention was drawn to the vision of a lady completely dressed in white. She wore a white wide-brimmed hat and stood on the fringe of the gathering examining the scene until it became clear she was looking for a place to sit, and somewhere she would not have to fraternize too much with the villagers. Just behind her stood an over-bronzed popinjay, also in white, whom I presumed was her man. He found her an empty chair; she sat down and removed her designer sunglasses. It was Daphne.
'This'll do, darling.' She took a tissue and brushed some crumbs from the table top. She lowered her sun-glasses and almost as soon as her eyes met mine her mouth fell open. 'Oh, my goodness! Is that you Godfrey?'
'Daphne. Hell's bells. What brings you here?' I tried to appear casual and pleasant, forcing a smile.
'Hello darling. Good to see you too!' She cocked a sarcastic eyebrow, 'I'd just arrived when I heard the sad news about your uncle and it just seemed right to make a detour and offer my condolences to your aunt.' I almost corrected her then decided not to.
'Thanks. She's inside if you want to see her yourself.'
'We can't. We're in a bit of a rush, you know how it is. But look at you, prised out of Cornwall at last.'
'The funeral.'
'Of course, your aunt must be devastated. She'll need all the support she can get.'
'It was unexpected. I'm just here to help tidy up the loose ends...'
'And your treasured responsibility is...what? Putting a finger on the knot?' A spiked, cruel laugh, brittle and hard, 'Sorry, that was thoughtless. Godfrey, this is my partner, Adrian Mann.' Adrian had taken off his sunglasses and was admiring the reflection of his diamond earring in a lens - until he turned to clamp my hand in his grip. I was sure I saw him sneer.
'Pleased to meet you,' he looked the sort of man who regarded infidelity as a virtue.
'And you,' I tried not to wince. He replaced his shades and turned to face me. Two pools of darkness met my eyes.
She spoke, 'Adrian is a free diver and we're on our way to Kos and maybe Turkey to check out the competition for the next challenge.'
'Free diver? Is that to do with drugs?'
'Free diving is diving as deep as you can without any air tanks or weights. It's a sport,' he said.
'Doesn't sound very sporty to me - sounds frightening.'
'There is no such thing as courage without fear,' Adrian was handing out the chestnuts.
'Don't get upset Adrian darling.' Daphne turned to me, half smiling, 'I'll have you know it takes strong psychological, physical and physiological endurance capabilities.'
'What's the big attraction?'
'Natural euphoria,' Adrian sneered.
'I'll have to give it a try. Can't swim but I could probably get to about two meters if I take a deep breath. What's your record, Adrian?'
'In the Unassisted Constant Ballast section I've dived to forty-six, I tell you, man - unassisted. The record is forty-seven plus.'
'Sounds fun.'
'I don't think you understand,' I wondered if there were eyes behind the lenses. 'Free diving takes the essential motivation and intelligence of an elite athlete.' Just then Nana sat down with a thud, yawning and stretching at a nearby table.
Adrian continued his mechanical delivery, 'There are many dangers that can lead to permanent injury or death. Free divers are subject to many risks such as drowning, shallow-water blackout ... er ... sinus injuries, line tangles and even shark attacks.' He sniffed.
I turned to Daphne, 'So, on holiday?'
'Business and pleasure, as usual, with the emphasis on as much pleasure as I can squeeze in,' she sniggered.
'And the business?'
'We're looking for an investment property.'
'In Greece? I would have thought Mykonos or Crete would have more tourist attraction for you,' I'd forgotten her protruding canines and how they made her sneer whenever she smiled.
'I wanted to show Adrian around Sophia first.'
'Why here?'
'Oh, it's so quiet, so remote. I love it.'
'Still in the arts I see, and doing well,' I'd forgotten how angular her jaw was, almost masculine.
'I'm very fortunate there's such a growing interest in art history - I'm a busy girl,' she gave Adrian a filthy look for jingling coins in his trouser pocket.
'Of course! I remember now. Weren't you on the History channel recently?' I asked.
'Oh, was I? It must have been the illegal trading thing. We have to be extra careful but we're doing OK, thankew.' She always jumped an octave on the 'kew', just to let you know it was none of your business. Daphne forced a cigarette into a black onyx holder until it creased then lit it with a pencil-slim matching lighter. Adrian Mann wasn't quite sure what to do with himself, now fiddling with a pearl signet ring until Daphne sang, 'Ash tray, darling?'
Adrian fumbled one from a nearby table and held it towards her.
'Are you in the village overnight, Daphne?'
'Why? Trying to get rid of us when we've only just arrived?'
'No. No. It's just that I've got an appointment in about half an hour.' A lie but they made my flesh creep and I'd had enough of all the banter. They got up and I walked with them towards their car. Their driver, a little over-zealous about his carefully ruffled mane, got out and opened a door. Even in the afternoon breeze, I winced at the sickly sweet smell of over-cooked toffee that escaped from his pomade.
'Well, why don't you come to us for lunch, you know, old time's sake, and see my boat before we leave. It is a beauty. We'll collect you from the quay at, er, that harbour place below, what's it called, Adrian?' Daphne yawned.
Adrian was beside himself with glee, 'Dorini. Impossible to miss, three big masts! Wait 'till you see it, you'll faint.'
'I'm not sure…' I felt trapped.
'Now, now, you know I never take no for an answer. So let's make a date, any day soon, and do not keep this lady waiting, OK?'
'Right. After the festival then. How about next Friday, dead on twelve? See you then.'
When they'd gone, I found auntie on the balcony overlooking the sea and sat with her for a while. Our memories came and went, ebbing and slowing with thoughts of our man. At last she stood up and kissed my cheek and sighed, 'I'm off.'
I lowered my voice. 'Oh, before you disappear, I suppose you know Daphne's on the island? She's just been here. Wants to pass on her condolences.'
She pulled a face. 'Good grief, wonders never cease. I wonder what she really wanted. Showing off her bracelets, I suppose.'
'Now now, Auntie. She means well.'
'No she doesn't. If you believe that, you're more of a fool than I thought. Anyway, enough, let's just forget about her for now. I'm jaded, so I'm going back to have a lie down. By the time you come round in the morning, I'll be gone. I'm leaving with Aristethes early because he wants to miss the traffic. Irene will drive me back in a few days.'
'In time for the festival on Tuesday?'
'Oh, I thought I might, but probably not. I've conga'd in more festivals than I can remember. Godfrey, don't worry so much about people's expectations. Make your own decisions. Talk to Alessandra, she and Pantelis cared a great deal about this little village. I'll see you in a few days. Take care and watch that Daphne. She's not to be trusted.'