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frown deepened. 'He would have taken me if I been his wife! But he would
never take you because you not really his wife '
'Why am I not?'
'He marry you against your will, and so you can have the marriage put away.'
An annulment--Yes, this was what she already had in mind&
'I would have liked to get away today.' Sarah looked at her, thinking of the
coming night and feeling sure that Charon would not leave her again. 'In
fact, I must get away today.'
'I have said, if we go now we might meet Charon as he come back from the
village.' Elena's face actually lost a little of its colour as she added, 'He kill
me if he find out that I help you to get from him.'
'Marko,' said Sarah as the thought suddenly occurred to her. 'He will tell
Charon you've been here today.'
The girl shook her head, and told Sarah that she had a hold over the man, that
she could expose him for theft, and so she had warned him not to say
anything to Charon of this visit.
'Surely you can go another way missing the road from the village?'
suggested Sarah, leaving the matter of the Greek servant.
'It is possible, yes! I not think of the small road because we never use it. So
many stones and big holes, you see.'
'But you can manage it?'
'I think so.' Elena became thoughtful; Sarah found herself looking at the
clock every couple of seconds or so.
'We shall have to make haste.'
'That is true.'
'If we go along to the small room you can show me the panel.'
The girl hesitated.
'You have not make your solemn promise that you give Charon to the
police.'
Sarah looked at her, saw the hatred in her face, the expectancy in her eyes.
Some strange compelling force seemed to be holding Sarah back, exerting
some pressure whereby she was unable to give the required promise.
What was the matter with her? Her freedom was of theunost vital
importance to her and here it was, being offered, and yet she was hesitating
about giving a promise which would ensure that freedom. It was illogical to
hesitate, and presently her common sense prevailed and she gave the
promise.
'I will have him brought to justice,' she said, a slight tremor in her voice. 'He
shall be put in prison.'
Elena became brisk then, and, making sure that Marko was not about, Sarah
accompanied her to the small room and was shown the panel. It swung open
easily and Sarah, peering into the aperture, saw only blackness.
'I have no torch.' Sarah was frowning heavily. She disliked intensely the idea
of travelling any distance in that tunnel. Yet she estimated she must spend at
least ten minutes in there.
'I carry a torch always in my handbag,' said Elena, 'but it is not very good
light.'
She produced it. Sarah accepted it from her hand and, switching it on,
decided it would do very well.
'I just carry on until I see daylight?' she asked.
'At the other end is a door, hidden in the hillside and with many earth over it.
I clear away this earth and you see daylight, yes!'
'Thank you.' Sarah closed the panel, then opened it again, to make quite sure
she knew how to manipulate the rather complicated mechanism by which it
was opened. 'How long must I wait until I begin this dark journey?' she
inquired, and Elena said she could start as soon as she herself had left the
tower. 'I not take long to get to the outer door and to clear away the earth.'
The two went from the small room to the hall; there was still no sign of
Marko and Sarah surmised he was outside in the grounds as usual, keeping
watch in the front door, which was the only one by which anyone could enter
or leave the tower.
'Adio,' said Elena as she ran lightly down the steps. 'This been most pleasant
talk with you!' These words were spoken loudly, just in case Marko should
hear. But as Sarah glanced around she saw no sign of him. He would be in
the bushes, she thought, elated at the idea of his keeping watch on the front
door while she escaped by the secret door inside the house. He would be in
serious trouble with Charon, but Sarah dismissed the matter of his probable
punishment. She had the more important matter of her own skin to think
about, for she would never feel safe from Charon until she was actually back
in Athens, in the villa she shared with Miranda.
CHAPTER TEN
THE panel was just sliding open under Sarah's fingers, and she was preparing
to enter the inky blackness of the tunnel when she heard her husband's
voice just outside the door!
With a thought as swift as lightning she knew she could not make it, not with
having to close the panel behind her. With disappointment flooding over her
she reluctantly pushed the panel back into place and barely had time to move
to the centre of the room before Charon entered. Why had he to arrive back
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