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

and she felt weak.  The ale and whiskey weren’t making it any easier to resist the power of his presence.  It was too overwhelming and she didn’t like the direction of the thoughts running through her mind.
    When she looked back toward the dancers, she saw that t he two men were nowhere in sight. They had vanished from the cleari ng.  Instead, a young boy and girl stood where the two men had colla psed.  Their wild, gypsy beauty immediately caught Sahara's attent ion.  Slowly, the music began.  This time, the fiddle sang soft and gentle as the boy and girl danced a love story.  “ How beaut iful... ”   The words escaped her mouth before she could detain them .  She glanced at Nicolae to see if he had heard her.  He was staring at her with a hint of a smile.  Sahara frowned.  “ I meant, they ar e beautiful children.  Are they brother and sister? ”
    Nicolae chuckled softly as he r eached over to touch her hand.  Holding it, Nicolae stroked her s oft skin. “ Brother and sister, S'hara?  They are husband and wife. ”
    She felt Nicolae clutch ing her hand , the warmth of his touch sending a chill through her.  She forced herself to return her gaze to the young ch ildren dancing.  The dance was beautiful, their movement completely fluid and in tune with the music.  Their arms wrapped around each other as they stared into each other’s faces. But, for Sahara, t he love story disappeared.  S he only saw two young children play-acting as they mimicked what they had been taug ht by their parents.  “ They are so young, ” she whispered.  “ N o more than twelve, thirteen! ”
    Leaning closer to her, Nicolae lowered his voice.  “ She is thirteen , he is four teen. ”
    Sahara gawked at him, am azed at the difference in gypsy culture.  “ They are still children. ”
    He shrugged.  “ To you, yes.  To us, they are man and woman. ”
    “ Do all gypsies get married so young? ”
    Nicolae stared at her, her face i lluminated in the glow from the fire.  Her hair, shimmering in t he light from the fires, draped down her back, almost brushing th e ground they sat on.  When she turned her face back up to his, her dark black eyes pierced his heart and met his own dark eyes with a hidden passion.  He released her hand as he reached out for the clear bottle before him.  Raising it to his lips, he finished what was in it.  “ Yes, S'hara.  All gypsies get married so young. ”
    Her head began to spin in ti me to the music.  Suppressing a smile, Sahara reached for her own bottle.  She held it by her lips, staring at Nicolae with such b urning intensity that even she could not understand what she felt.  He was truly beautiful in the glow from the fire.  His skin glistened with small beads of sweat, just enough to make his white shirt cling ever so slightly to his chest.  Feeling brazen from the liquor, she asked quietly, “ And you, Nicolae ?  Did you marry so young? ”
    He watched her drink the gypsy liquor from her bottle.  Unconsciously, her lips ling ered on the end of the bottle.  Their eyes locked, and for just one moment, neither could speak.  The silence said enough.  Swallowing, he signaled for more rakiya.  An old woman came over and handed both Nicolae a new bottle, which Nicolae promptly uncorked with his teeth, spitting the cork out.  “ Did I marry so young? ”   He waited for Sahara to loo k at him.  “ I did, yes. ”
    “ And where is your wife? ”
    Appearing indifferent, Nicolae sh rugged his shoulders and pushed the faded image of Miquela out of his head.  “ My family arranged for me to marry her in order to strengthen two kum panias .  I was fif teen and she was t hirteen .  Whe n I was six teen , she died. ”
    “That’s so young!” Sahara gasped.
    He simply nodded. “Yes, so young.”
    “ Did you love her? ”
    “ Love? ”   He shook his head.  “ What is love at that age ? ”
    “ Why didn't you remarry? ”
    Nicolae looked back at the dan