A Bridge Of Magpies Read Free

the seat of his pants couldn't have lifted him quicker off his stool.
    'Christ! You! You?'
    'Yes. Me. Mel'
    Without being able to shift his eyes from me, he said to Gigi, 'Get me some of that whisky you keep stashed away for Americans.'
    She gave us both a startled glance and scuttled away. Byron said slowly, holding out his right hand, 'I want to shake the hand that threw away a million dollars in a flash of flame–pool ! Like that.'
    Cut it out,' I replied. 'Don't get
    melodramatic. I had enough drama from the Press at the official inquiry into the sinking. From everyone, in fact That's why I'm here.'
    `You were kicked out–cashiered?' Byron's voice was full of awe and admiration,
    16
    Gigi came back with the whisky and a light which she placed on the bar counter.
    'No I wasn't. I quit. Of my own free will. The Navy was on my side. All the way. But there was a king-sized ruckus over the Walewska. The tanker company sued the. Government for millions. The court hearing went on for months and I was target number one. By the time it was finished I'
    d had the lot of them. Sure, I would have got another ship but I didn't intend to be strung along for the rest of my life at the end of a radio asking, "Please sir, may I do this, please sir, may I do that?" I was the captain of the frigate and I made the decision. I stand by it.'
    'Fit for independent command,' murmured Byron.
    'You're stuffed full of other people's cast-off phrases'
    He shrugged. 'If the cap fits So, because you' don't like other people's querying your actions and decisions, you pulled
    up stakes and quit–to Santorin? An ex-Navy captain sailing aimlessly from nowhere to nowhere?'
    'Just that. I was fed to the back teeth with the whole bunch of them: inquiry, Navy, lawyers, the lot. Anyway, who the hell are you to tell me what I should or shouldn't do?'
    He touched my hand wonderingly. 'A million dollars up the spout!'
    'If you go on fiddling with my hand I'll begin to think I'm Lady Macbeth or you're a lady-boy:
    'Not in front of Gigi, please Struan!'
    The wine–it had that fire which seems to be at the heart of all wines from volcanic soils –started to give me a warm feeling about Gigi; and I was wondering how to get rid of Byron, who was concentrating on the whisky, when Gigi exclaimed:
    'Here's Ari now!
    'Telegram for you, Boss. You must hurry.' He was puffing and grinning as if he'd run all the way down Thera's eight hundred steps. He clutched a buff envelope Only drachmas would loosen his grip.
    'How'd you know, you little bastard? – you can't read.' '
    Mister Tsaras said hurry. It's from overseas,' He offered the envelope. 'Money in advance, Boss.'
    'Cape,' said Byron. 'I'll bet on it.'
    He was right. Although I was half ready to accept that it might be, I nevertheless felt an odd contraction in my stomach 17
    when I saw that the office of origin was Cape Town. It had been sent two days previously and read: 'Your mother critically ill. Imperative you come at once. Groot Schuur hospital.'
    'It's my mother,' I told them. Ìt says, come at once.' ' Where is she, Boss?' asked Ari.
    'Cape Town. It's five thousand miles away. I can get a plane direct front Athens.'
    'Is she bad, Struan?'
    I caught myself staring at Gigi's breast and wondering when I'
    d see her again. For a beach-comber Santorin hadn't been a bad bit of beach.
    'Critical. That was two days ago.'
    Byron said. 'First you've got to get to Athena It's 150 miles. It'll be a hell of a beat right into the teeth of the meltemi. My boat's got an engine and I'd take you except I'
    ve got an appointment on the Turkish coast ...'
    'Thanks all the same, Byron. I'll make out under sail. Pity Santorin doesn't run to a steamer service,'
    'Does it say what's wrong with your mother?' Gigi persisted. `
    No. I'd guess a stroke, at her age.'
    'The other brothers and sisters can be with her ... in case. You needn't go.'
    'There aren't any other brothers and sisters. I'm the only son.'
    'And your