But it was lost forever in the darkness.
EPILOGUE
The man and woman moved through the cemetery, their faces dappled by the shadows of the tall, graceful cypresses that lined the path. They walked slowly in the shimmering heat of the noonday sun.
Sister Theresa said, "I wish to tell you again how grateful we are for your generosity. I do not know what we would have done without you."
Constantin Demiris waved a deprecating hand. "Arkayto," he said. "It is nothing, Sister."
But Sister Theresa knew that without this savior the nunnery would have had to close down years ago. And surely it was a sign from Heaven that now she had been able to repay him in some measure. It was a thriamvos, a triumph. She thanked Saint Dionysius again that the Sisters had been permitted to rescue the American friend of Demiris' from the waters of the lake on that terrible night of the storm. True, something had happened to the woman's mind and she was like a child, but she would be cared for. Mr. Demiris had asked Sister Theresa to keep the woman here within these walls, sheltered and protected from the outside world for the rest of her life. He was such a good and kind man.
They had reached the end of the cemetery. A path wound down to a promontory where the woman stood, staring out at the calm, emerald lake below.
"There she is," Sister Theresa said. "I will leave you now. Hayretay."
Demiris watched Sister Theresa start back toward the nunnery, then he walked down the path to where the woman stood.
"Good morning," he said, gently.
She turned around slowly and looked at him. Her eyes were dull and vacant and there was no recognition on her face.
"I brought you something," Constantin Demiris said.
He nulled a small jewelry box out of his pocket and held it out to her. She stared at it like a small child.
"Go on, take it."
Slowly she reached out and took the box. She lifted the lid, and inside, nested in cotton, was a miniature, exquisitely made gold bird with ruby eyes and outstretched wings poised for flight. Demiris watched as the child-woman removed it from the box and held it up. The bright sun caught the gleam of its gold and the sparkle of its ruby eyes and sent tiny rainbows flashing through the air. She turned it from side to side, watching the lights dancing around her head.
"I will not be seeing you again," Demiris said, "but you won't have to worry. No one will harm you now. The wicked people are dead."
As he spoke, her face happened to be turned toward him, and for one frozen instant in time it seemed to him that a gleam of intelligence, a look of joy came into her eyes, but a moment later it was gone and there was only the vacant, mindless stare. It could have been an illusion, a trick of the sunlight reflecting the sparkle of the golden bird across her eyes.
He thought about it as he walked slowly up the hill and out the huge stone gate of the nunnery to where his limousine was waiting to drive him back to Athens.
Chicago
London
Paris
Athens
Ioannina
Los Angeles
Acknowledgments
I wish to express my gratitude to those who generously helped me color the mosaic of this novel with the tiles of their knowledge, expertise and memories.
In a few instances where I felt it would enhance the narrative, I have taken literary license; but any factual errors are my responsibility alone.
My grateful thanks go to the following:
In London:
Ms. V. Shrubsall, Air Historical Branch, British Ministry of Defense, for invaluable information on the Eagle Squadron, the group of American pilots who flew with the RAF before the United States entered World War II.
Earl Boebert, for additional material on the Eagle Squadron.
In Paris:
Andre Weil-Curiel, former Vice-Mayor of Paris, for helpful suggestions and recollections of Paris under the German occupation.
Madame Chevaulet, Head Archivist for the Comedie Francaise, for allowing me access to her files on the history of the French theater.
Claude Baigneres, journalist for Le Figaro, for his assistance in helping me track down sources of firsthand information about the French occupation.
In Athens:
Mrs. Aspa Lambrou, who magically opened all doors and was unfailingly and generously helpful.
Jean Pierre de Vitry D'Avaucourt, personal pilot to Aristotle Onassis, for his technical advice and suggestions.
Costas Efstathiades, distinguished attorney, for his assistance on Greek criminal law procedures.
In Los Angeles:
Raoul Aglion, Conseiller Economique of the Banque Nationale de Paris, for sharing his knowledge of French history and French customs.
Except for the mentions of various historical world leaders, all characters in this book are fictional.
About the Author
SIDNEY SHELDON is one of the bestselling novelists of all time, with over 300 million copies of his books in print. He passed away on January 30, 2007. His wife, Alexandra, was by his side.
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Praise
PRAISE FOR
THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT
AND #1 NEW YORK TIMES
BESTSELLING AUTHOR
SIDNEY SHELDON
"Fast-paced, sophisticated, erotic...with a climax as startling as any you will find!"
- Sunday Oregonian
"Sex and intrigue laced together in a never-fail pattern!"
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Superior, first-rate entertainment!"
--Nashville Tennessean
"When you want a novel you simply cannot put down, go to Sheldon."
--New York Daily News
"A master storyteller at the top of his game."
-USA Today
"When it comes to concocting plots full of twists, Sheldon has no peers."
--Associated Press
"Sheldon hypnotizes the reader as he brings distinctive characters alive."
--Baltimore Sun
"The master of the storytelling genre."
--People
"Sheldon still has the knack for creating characters and a story that readers care about."
--Detroit Free Press
"A storyteller for readers who like to be entertained."
--Pittsburgh Press
"A master teller of tales, a wizard of words who casts an uncanny spell over his readers."
--Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Books By Sidney Sheldon
The Other Side of Me
Are You Afraid of the Dark?
The Sky Is Falling
Tell Me Your Dreams
The Best Laid Plans
Morning, Noon & Night Nothing Lasts Forever The Stars Shine Down
The Doomsday Conspiracy Memories of Midnight
The Sands of Time
Windmills of the Gods If Tomorrow Comes
Master of the Game
Rage of Angels
Bloodline
A Stranger in the Mirror The Other Side of Midnight The Naked Face
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright (c) 1973 by Sheldon Literary Trust All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition (c) APRIL
ISBN: 978-0-062-01560-0
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Sidney Sheldon, The Other Side of Midnight
(Series: Midnight # 1)
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