Page 22 of Vows of Revenge

She felt a pang of sadness well up in her—or something like sadness. She wasn’t sure what. All she knew was that she didn’t want the day to end.

Just why that was she didn’t want to think about. Because what would be the point? She wasn’t glamorous, or beautiful, and Damos Kallinikos had only been being friendly, sharing today with her as a convenient but passing companion, for want of anyone else—that was all.

‘Well...’ he turned on to the road leading back to Oxford ‘...if you’re not too tired, I’ve another favour to ask you.’

He threw a glance at her, and Kassia looked at him with questioning surprise.

His eyes went back to the road.

‘The favour is this,’ he said. ‘After my meeting yesterday, while you were at your conference, it seems I have an invitation to one of the colleges this evening. It’s some kind of shindig—is that the word in English?—where former students who are now influential in the world of business and politics and so on can be wined and dined. Presumably with a view to encouraging them to spend their money and exert their influence on behalf of their old college. My business contact here is one such former student, and he has got the Master to give me an invitation as well.’

His voice took on a sardonic tone.

‘It seems one does not have to be an old student to be considered potentially useful to the college providing one has money—even foreign money, like mine. That said, the evening could potentially be useful to me, too, as my business contact tells me that a government trade minister whom it would be helpful for me to know personally will be attending. So...’ He glanced at her again. ‘Would you be prepared to be my plus one for the evening?’

Kassia looked at him. ‘But surely you’ll be the guest of your business contact?’

He shook his head, his eyes back on the road. ‘Not really. The invitation is from the Master, and it includes a plus one of my own.’ He looked at her again as they paused for the traffic lights by the Oxford ring road. ‘It would be good if you would perform that office.’ He made a slight face. ‘It would just make the sociability of it all that much easier.’

His tone grew sardonic again

‘As I’m sure you’ll appreciate, nothing so vulgar as business or money will be mentioned—this is all about networking, socialising, making introductions and so on. It’s a social investment, I suppose—and my arriving with a plus one would play to that.’ He paused again. ‘What do you say?’

Strange feelings were going through Kassia. It was happening again. A man she barely knew—or, to be fair, had barely known before today—was now making a point of inviting her to spend time with him. But why?

Obviously, as she knew perfectly well, it was not for any of the usual reasons that a man might invite a female out—that thought wasn’t even in the running. But did he really want to extend the day they’d spent together into an evening together as well? It seemed he did. And, yes, she could see why—up to a point...

He was speaking again.

‘And it’s not just any plus one, Kassia. This is your world—academia. You’re at home in it in a way that I am not, even though it could prove useful to me in a business sense ultimately. You’ll be at ease at an Oxford college social event.’

‘I never went to Oxford,’ she objected.

‘You work in academia—that’s my point.’

‘In a very junior capacity—’

‘Stop making objections!’

There was humour in his voice, but there was something else as well. She could tell. It was determination. He wanted her to say yes. It would suit him for her to do so.

‘Look...’ he went on. ‘On my own, I’m just some self-made Greek business guy, only knowing the world I come from, only knowing the English businessman who arranged this invitation for this evening. With you at my side it would give me something else as well. I’ve no idea if their professor of ancient history, or whatever, will be there tonight, but just the fact that you can talk on equal terms with other academics—even if you’re just a junior one—will help oil wheels. Like I say, this is your world, not mine. You’ll be at home here, and that will help me. So, will you come along?’

What he said made sense. OK, so she wasn’t an Oxford graduate, but she could hold her head up robustly enough. She’d just been a conference delegate here—she was, in short,bona fidein the world he was entering this evening.

But then a real objection hit her.

‘It’s going to be black tie, isn’t it? These formal things always are at Oxford. If so, I haven’t got any evening clothes with me,’ she said.

The smartest outfit she’d brought with her had been for the pre-conference dinner—a day dress she’d worn with a jacket and low heels. Nothing good enough for a black-tie affair.

‘No problem. We’re still in time for the shops,’ said Damos. ‘I’ll head for the shopping centre and drop you off. Will that do?’

‘Um...yes, thank you,’ she said.

‘Good. That’s settled.’

Satisfaction was clear in Damos’s voice.

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