“Yes, I…suppose so.Do you mind?”
Foranswer, Sasha pulled him back down by his lapels.
* **
The busfrom East Hill to Birchwood took half an hour.Laurie watched—Sashakindly having conceded him the window seat, promising he’d seen theroute often enough—while the last far-flung suburbs of his citybegan to thin out into fields and trees.The driver put them downat an unmarked stop halfway along a stretch of tree-lined road, andSasha caught Laurie’s hand, pointing to a stile over a fence into asunlit lane.“It’s this way.Not far.”
Lauriedidn’t care.He would have walked with Sasha forever like this.They were in the wings of London still—a road purred in thedistance, and Heathrow-bound planes glimmered in the sky—but otherthan that, the world felt empty and serene.The lane, half grassingover in some places, reverting to track, stretched out before andbehind them.Dark hollies and gleaming birches where a fewgold-coin leaves still clung gradually transformed into beechcover, tall graceful shapes receding into churchlike distance,bronze carpet beginning to crunch underfoot.Laurie said softly,because it felt like a place between worlds, “Will they mind mecoming here?Your friends?”
“Not if I vouch for you.That’s the arrangement.We all takecomplete responsibility for anyone we bring in from outside.So”—Sasha reached out and drew Laurie to him, encircling arm acomfort as well as excitement to him now—“so you’ll have to try notto disgrace me, okay?”
* **
TheBirchwood Heath camp was both everything and nothing Laurie mighthave expected such a place to be.The cluster of caravans andtrucks was buried deep in the trees, invisible until you camewithin a few yards of it, the first signs of its presence adrifting scent of wood smoke in the air.Dark-eyed faces appearedat windows as they approached, and a burly, brindled dog shot tothe end of its chain, barking frantically.Sasha went forward to itfearlessly and knelt down, intercepting its rush.“Quiet, Zaga.This is a friend.Come here a second, Laurie.”
Apprehensively Laurie obeyed him.He wasn’t sure now what hewould not do at Sasha’s command, even though the bulldog’s rollingeyes and continued growls were far from inviting.“Here.That’s it.Let her sniff you.So she’ll know you next time and not make such afuss.”
“Hoi, Sasha,mora!Who the hell’sthat?”
Laurielooked up.A chill touched him.He didn’t think the introductionswere going to be so simple from now on.The clearing around whichthe caravans were grouped was suddenly full of silent men andwomen, watching, fronted by a huge, shaven-headed blond who wouldhave looked more at home at a right-wing British National Partyrally than here.“Sash,” Laurie whispered.“I don’t want to maketrouble.Is this a good idea?”
“It will be.”Sasha got to his feet, leaving Laurie to dealwith the dog, who to her credit now seemed more interested inslobbering on him than pursuing her attack.“What’s the matter,Gunari?Didn’t I agree to your contract?Aren’t I allowed to havefriends?”
Thecrew-cut Gunari surveyed Laurie, who instinctively stood up too.Hewasn’t afraid, and he didn’t like to see Sasha’s impulse to protecthim.
“Friends like this?”Gunari growled.“I’m not sure.Where’d youpick him up—the back lane outside Harrods?”
“Fuck you, Gunari,” Sasha returned good-naturedly enough.Aripple of laughter had run through the crowd, making Lauriefervently wish he’d taken time to put on an older coat beforeletting Sasha whisk him off here.“He’s the one I told Mama Lunaabout, the one who helped me, so back down, okay?Where isshe?”
“Where she always is,” a hoarse female voice responded.It waslittle more than a rasp but carried clearly through the cold air,and the group in front of Sasha parted slightly, revealing an oldwoman sitting by the fire.If the modern silver vans and TV aerialshad jolted Laurie’s expectations, the sight of her conformedexactly to his gajo vision of the Romani world, the stories he hadread in childhood of painted horse-drawn carts and black-eyedfortune-tellers crouched in the firelight.He could not judge herage; her bright, analytical stare contradicted her tiny, hunched-upframe.She was wrapped from head to foot in scarves and shawlswhose brilliant shades seemed to change as Laurie looked ather.
She madea gesture at Gunari so tiny that Laurie barely saw it, but the bigman fell back as if she’d poked him in the chest.“More courtesy tovisitors, my boy, when they come peacefully.Sasha, bring yourfriend over here.The rest of you…” Another movement of her skinnyhand, and the small crowd scattered like chickens.“Yes.Mind yourbusiness.”
Sashaled Laurie to the fireside.“Gunari is Mama Luna’s son, Laurie,” hesaid, pitched just loud enough so that Gunari, who was stilllingering, would hear.“It’s useful he looks like a big thickneo-Nazi.Puts people off the scent.”
Gunari glowered, but the old woman didn’t seem to mind herunlikely offspring being called names.She rocked herself on herlittle stool by the fire, chuckling quietly.“Ah, this Sasha.Insolent.But works hard, pays his way.Don’t you?You better notmake pain for Sasha,balame.”
“I won’t.”The words startled Laurie, falling from himhalf-involuntarily.He felt as if a priest had demanded theassurance from him at some unimaginable altar.He didn’t mind; itwas what was in his heart.“I promise.”
Thewizened old face became surprised and then approving, though Lauriecould see an ironic glitter there too.
“What’s a balame?”
“Just gajo in Mama’s dialect, I’m afraid,” Sasha said.“She’sGreek Romani.Sorry, Laurie.There’s so few of us, almosteveryone’s a stranger.Mama Luna, will you let this balame visit?I’ll answer for his good conduct.”
Shenodded.“Yes, you will.Give me your hand, boy.”
Oncemore Laurie responded unquestioningly, reaching down to accept hergrasp.She was extraordinarily warm.Her fingers tangled with his.The feel of it was pleasant and oddly soothing—the sounds of theencampment around him seemed to fade out, and the anxieties hecarted helplessly with him—about Sasha, Clara, his father—allseemed suddenly to lift themselves out from his chest.He took adeep breath, filling the new space inside himself.
“Ah, yes,” she said at length and turned to Sasha with apeaceful smile.“This one, Sasha.Mulo.Dadro shee mulo.”
Sashawent white.Laurie turned to him curiously.The old woman’s grip onhim was firm, but he could have pulled away if he had wanted.Hefelt too serene, as if nothing could hurt him or anyone he lovedanymore.And it was all right here, in this place, to follow up animpulse.He need not hide here.
Hestretched out his free hand to take Sasha’s gently in his own.“What is it?”he asked him, then looked back down at Mama Luna.“Ipromise,” he repeated.“I won’t hurt him.I love him.”
Sasha’sgrip convulsed around his.A shocked, disbelieving pleasure blendedwith the fear in his eyes.“Oh, God.Laurie…”
“What did she say, Sash?”
