‘And I have thought of you,’ she admitted breathlessly.
As one, they moved towards each other and Luca’s lips came down on hers. She didn’t try to stop him or push him away. Suddenly it was as if they were the only two people left in the whole world. Their arms tightened about each other and it was a long time before they pulled apart. When they finally did, they stared at each other, breathless. Something had been awakened in them as they realised that they loved each other.
Luca was beaming. He knew what the strange feelings he had been suffering were now. No other girl had ever made him feel as Charity did. And he suspected no other ever would. She was the girl for him.
‘So, problem solved.’ He was beaming now. ‘If your father wants you to marry you can marry me!’
His smile died as he saw the stricken look on her face.
‘But you know the Gypsy traditions.’ Her eyes filled with tears as she shook her head sadly. ‘My papa likes you, Luca, but he would never allow such a union. I must wed one of our own kind. He must have Gypsy blood flowing through his veins. You live with the circus. You have your own traditions.’
‘Does he have someone in mind for you?’ Luca was seething with jealousy now. Why hadn’t he realised before that Charity was the one for him?
‘I think so,’ she admitted miserably. ‘I have a distant cousin. We will be seeing him and his family at Appleby Fair in June. I think the marriage will be arranged between our families then.’
‘And do you like him?’
Charity shook her head. ‘No, I don’t.’
‘But you can’t be expected to marry someone you don’t even like!’ Luca was appalled.
She rose and dusted down her colourful skirts. Time was moving on and she was afraid of being missed.
‘We must go back. We will talk of this again.’
‘When?’ He rose to stand beside her and took her hand.
She gently pulled away. ‘I don’t know. But please, we must go back. I will go ahead of you in case my parents see us coming back.’
He stood and watched her helplessly as she left.
Chapter Four
It was the following evening before they were able to steal another moment together. The men had gone into town for a drink at the inn. Charity’s mother was still unwell and fast asleep in the vardo, so Charity lifted her shawl and crept quietly away into the darkness. Luca spotted her almost instantly. He had barely taken his eyes off her vardo, hoping for a sight of her. The fair was deserted now and the last of the visitors had long gone, but he had stayed up, picking litter.
‘I can’t be long. Papa might return soon,’ she told him in a hushed voice. He nodded. Every single stolen moment with her was precious.
‘Has any more been said about finding you a husband?’ he asked. He had hardly slept the night before for worrying about it.
‘When I was outside preparing our meal this evening, I heard my parents talking.’ She sighed as she hugged her shawl to her. ‘It is as I thought. They have my cousin in mind for me. They will speak to his parents at Appleby Fair.’
‘But it’s so unfair,’ Luca growled. ‘Surely they would understand if we told them how we feel about each other. We are not so very different. We both live on the road, travelling from place to place.’
‘I think you would find your parents would be against it too if they knew.’ Charity shook her head. ‘I am sure they will have someone in mind for you as well. It’s only because you are a man that they haven’t suggested you settling down yet.’
They had reached the hedge bordering the field now. Luca gathered her into his arms.
‘So how long will you be staying here?’
‘Your father has gone with mine to decide on a payment for the two horses. The palomino and the white one. Then we will probably move on.’
At that moment they heard the sound of laughter floating across the field. It was the men returning and Charity panicked. Gypsy girls knew better than to disobey their parents.
‘I must go.’
She was off like the wind, her long hair flying behind her. Luca stayed in the shelter of the hedge. He didn’t move again until he saw that Charity was safely back inside the vardo. Only then did he stuff his hands into his pockets and make his way back to his own trailer.
The next morning, Luca and his father collected the two horses. As Jethro had said, they were magnificent. Luca knew that he would enjoy training them to perform in the ring.
