Gypsy in Black: The Romance of Gypsy Travelers by Sarah Price Read Free Book Online

nursing process.  But the infant did not cry, just sought the breast once again before hungrily eating.  “Father!” She adjusted herself, covering her baby’s face and her own bare breast with a scarf.  “I did not see you there,” she stammered.  She had been living with silence ever since the baby had been born.  No one had spoken to her and she had, in fact, become invisible.  She hadn’t minded, after all.  Instead, it had been welcome.  There were no questions, which meant she did not have to produce any answers.
    “It has been decided that you will leave to join another family,” he said softly.
    She frowned. “Another family?”
    “Once we are on land, you will join another and the child will be promised to the first born,” he said.  “It is the only way.”  He did not say another word nor did he spare a glance at his first-born grandchild.  Instead, he turned on his heel and fought his way back to his area.  The woman watched him leave, not speaking.  Her expression was blank but her heart pounded inside of her chest.  She knew that no one would ever own her for her heart belonged to another man already. 
     

Chapter Four
    The two men danced.  T heir bronze d limbs moved wildly, rhythmically, beautifully in time to the music.  The golden glow from the fire caressed their s kin, casting shadows around the audience.  Sahara felt light as he r head paid heed to the devil's race from the strings.  The fid dle breathed music, eerie music that hypnotized Sahara.  T he two men, dressed in colorful costumes made from sheer silk scarves, slapped their hands and
knees, leaping into the air and twirling around like a child's toy top.  The other gypsies sat around the fires, watching the dancing as they tore into piec es of chicken with their teeth. Occasionally, someone would forget their meal for a minute to trill their tongue in time wi th the music.  Several children fought over a large chicken leg.   Their selfish struggle grew louder and continued until they were finally silenced by their mother.
    The music raced, faster and faster.  T he two men twirled around and around, their shadow s falling over every face that  turned up to watch the crazed and flamboyant dancing.  Faster and faster they spun around.  Harder and harder Sahara's heart beat.  As the men twirled, Sahara began to clutch her hands together.  The fiddle kept racing and the men continued to dance faster.  Suddenly, the music crashed to s ilence and the two men crumpled to the ground.  They laid there in the ensuing silence.  Sahara saw their backs rise and fall as they caught their breath.  Were they as excited as she or just exhausted, she wondered.
    “ You like? ”
    Sahara looked up at Nicolae .  Already she had drunk more than her share of barreled ale and bottled whiskey.  Blinking back her intoxication, Sahara realized Nicolae loo ked more beautiful in the firelight than she had rem embered.  His skin was a golden brown and his eyes sparkled the color of the flames.  A wave of his black hair, the same blue blac k color as her own, hung across his forehead.  For a second, she almost re ached out to brush it aside.  Composing herself, sh e narrowed her eyes.  “ It meant nothing to me. ”
    “ You lie, ” he said softly, a quiet laugh escaping his lips.  The sound was gentle and soothing.  He reached out, touching her cheek lightly with his finger.  “ But that is just fine, S’hara. You will learn soon enough to appreciate the music that flows through your blood as well as to your ears. ”
    Sahara shrugged her shoulde rs, trying to deny the emotions the music had aroused in her.   Or was it his touch? “ Think what you like. ” If anything, it was h er blood that raced in her veins when he laughed again.  Her skin tingled where he had touched her.  She wished he would touch her again.  She wished the dance could continue t o distract her .  Whenever he was near, her heart pounded