Pandora Gets Vain (Pandora (Hardback)) Read Online Free

dad wants him in the family export business so he needs to get used to being on a ship,” Pandy summed up. “He’s not that bad. And he’s stopped sleeping outside our cabin door, so at least we’re not tripping over him anymore.”
    The blond-headed body was now lumbering up to the three girls.
    “Here he comes,” said Iole, quietly, as a large shadow blocked the sun.
    Pandy and Iole slumped. Alcie straightened up.
    “Hi, Homer,” said Alcie brightly.

CHAPTER THREE
    Homer
    7:58 a.m.
     
    “Uh . . . hi,” said a gruff voice as they stood at the railing, Crete now fading into the distance.
    They turned and craned their necks upward to stare at the blond-haired, blue-eyed, six-foot-two wall of muscle who was, for the duration of the voyage, their protector.
    Pandy’s thoughts flashed to the first time she’d seen Homer, only a few days earlier. Entering the shipping agency back in Crisa to inquire about cabin rates, she’d found the red-faced proprietor yelling at Homer, who was almost on the verge of tears.
    “You will go to Alexandria and you will deliver these parcels to your uncle and I will hear no more about it!” yelled the older man, his loose brown teeth knocking and clattering in his mouth as he spoke.
    “But Dad,” said Homer. “I just came back from Ethiopia!”
    “And why did you come back? Because you couldn’t hack it in gladiator school! So you dropped out. I scrimp and save for years but you ‘don’t like it’ in the arena. At sixteen you think you know what’s best, so you just quit!”
    “I didn’t want to go in the first place,” said Homer.
    “Oh, that’s right,” his father spat. “My son wants to be a poet ! Well too bad. You’ll learn the family business and like it!”
    Pandy had almost coughed up a lung as she exclaimed loudly, “Ex- cuse me!”
    Both men had turned, seeing her for the first time.
    “I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said, “but I’d like to ask . . . um . . . inquire about going to Egypt. Alexandria, actually. How much would it cost to get there? Me and two other people? And my dog?”
    The older man’s eyebrows had stood almost on end, seeing a young maiden alone in his offices. Before he would book her passage, Pandy had to answer many questions about where she was from, why she was traveling without her parents, and who was traveling with her. She told only one or two teeny little fibs: traveling with her sisters, tragic death in the family, etc.
    “Fine,” the man had said at length. “I have a ship leaving tomorrow. It’s a cargo ship, so you’ll be cramped, but you’ll get there. And Homer is going, so he can look out for you.”
    “Homer is not going!” said the boy.
    “Homer is going,” said the man, turning to his son, “if I have to plant the toe of my sandal where Apollo doesn’t shine! You’re still not too big, my boy . . . Well, yes you are, but I don’t care. You’ll deliver the parcels, have a nice chat with your uncle about the import/export business, and watch over this lovely maiden and her sisters on the way. Period!”
    Pandy had felt herself blush at being called lovely. The man tallied up the charge and wrote out the tickets and a letter of introduction for the captain of the ship. Pandy paid for the passage. As she left, she’d wondered if she’d actually see Homer aboard the ship and whether or not he’d be manacled. The three girls had spent the night in a small inn, listening to Pandy’s experience in procuring the tickets and then creating a fake history for themselves as they were all “sisters” now.
    The next morning, Homer and his father were standing on the appointed dock. The older man had looked strangely at Alcie and Iole, noticing almost nothing but differences among the girls. Pandy smiled weakly, Iole kept her head down, and Alcie was supposed to do the same. But after one glance at Homer, Alcie had decided that the view was better if she looked up.
    Homer said nothing. He didn’t even