He held her very close and kissed her gently. Then, as they heard the ship’s engines slowing down and the cries and shouts of the sailors mooring her, Yamina stepped into the painted trunk, Lord Castleford closed the lid and turned the key in the gold locks.

As he did so, Jenkins came into the cabin.

“You have the rest of my luggage ready?” Lord Castleford asked.

“Yes, my Lord!”

“Then go ashore as soon as we dock. Take a carriage to the British Residency and, as soon as you can get this trunk upstairs to my bedroom, let Miss Yamina out.”

“I’ll do that, my Lord.”

“I will follow as soon as possible,” Lord Castleford said. “There will doubtless be a reception party from the Residency to meet me and I will also have to make my farewells to the Captain.”

“I understand, my Lord. I’ve already arranged for some Stewards to help me ashore with our luggage.”

“Then see that they are very careful with this!”

“I will, my Lord.”

Yamina heard Lord Castleford go from the cabin.

Then a short time later two Stewards lifted her up and she felt herself being carried along the deck and down a gangway onto the quay.

Lord Castleford was right in thinking that there would be a deputation to meet him.

All the senior officials of the Residency staff came aboard to welcome him to Athens.

His reputation had gone before him and he knew that they were delighted and impressed that anyone so well known should be appointed as Minister Plenipotentiary in Greece, which was a trouble spot.

There was a great deal they wanted to tell him and he was further delayed when he found the Captain wished him and the members of his staff to join him in his cabin. There was wine and food and a wearisome exchange of toasts before he could finally go ashore.

Afterwards there were various officials in charge of the wounded soldiers who wanted to offer him their good wishes on his new appointment and it was in fact afternoon before Lord Castleford found himself driving through the colourful streets of Athens.

King Otho had made Athens the Capital of Greece partly in deference to the classical interests of his father, King Ludovic I of Bavaria.

Under the Turks Athens had degenerated into little more than a fishing village and it had grown up overnight into a conglomeration of booths and Palaces.

Great numbers of the population lived and slept in the streets as there was an acute shortage of housing, but Athens had a picturesque charm which was, Lord Castleford thought, more Oriental than Western.

The noisy streets were crowded with exotic costumes.

There were rich Moldavian nobles riding fine horses who looked out of place beside the austerity of the monks moving up and down the steps of the dark iron-studded Churches.