Gypsy in Black: The Romance of Gypsy Travelers Read Online Free PDF Page B

yes? But you already know that you cannot return to the Irish gadjo so what is the harm in being happy with our kumpania.”
    “Kumpania?” she repeated, not understanding what he meant.
    “Our family, yes?”  He walked closer to her, his eyes never moving from her face.  For a moment, she felt hypnotized.  He was searching her soul, she could feel it.  The feeling was so intense that s he hardly felt the strong hands on her shoulders .  It was a comforting touch and, for the first time, she felt relaxed in his presence, especially when s he heard the gen tleness in his voice as he spoke.  “ S'hara, you will stay with our kumpania, yes?  You will be happy, I promise. ”  
    “I have nowhere to go,” she whispered.
    “You have no reason to leave,” he countered.
    “I just don’t understand, Nicolae.” She could not speak further, the words burned in her throat.  She wanted to say more but she fought back the tears instead.  She was lonely and she afraid.  She needed a friend and this man, this wildly handsome gypsy man, was all that she had.  For a moment, she tried to avoid his gaze but, when she felt him wipe the tears from her cheeks, she raised her eyes to look at him. “I don’t belong here,” she managed to force out of her lips. His face was dark but she sensed that there was nothing to fear from this man.  She wondered why all of the other men would be gone with the exception of this one man.  Had he been assigned to watch over her?  To make certain that she would not run away?  Sahara wanted to look away but she recognized something else in his face.  There was something soft and gentle in his gaze.  And, once again, she sensed something familiar.
    “ Your father may have gambled you away, S’hara.  But that does not mean that you cannot be happy.  The traveling life is a happy life. We are a family, a tribe of people that love and care for one another.  We make each other very happy. ”   He smiled at her and whispered, almost so quietly that she couldn’t make out his words, “ I will make you happy, S'hara. ”   He wiped another tear that trickled do wn her cheek. 
    “ But I am not part of that family, ” she whispered.
    “ Ah, but you will become part of our tribe and we will take care of you, too, yes? ”  
    “ Part of your tribe… ” she repeated softly.  She felt dazed and bewildered, nothing was clear to her.
    “ You like gifts, yes? ” Nicolae didn't wait for her answer as he took h er hand, leading her slowly toward one of the wag ons.  “ A welcome gift that will help you become part of our tribe, yes? ”   She felt like a rag doll, being led about by this strange man but her resolve was gone.  She couldn’t understand her surroundings or her destination.  She only knew that she couldn’t return to where she had been.  T he life that she had known had died. Now, here she was with a strange man in a strange world, being led toward a wagon, his hand gently holding her arm. 
    His boots slammed against the wood as he bounded up the thre e steps, throwing the door open and waiting for Sahara to enter. He reached out his hand to help her through the small doorway.  Once they were both inside, he e ag erly gestured toward the rickety chair beside a feather mattress. Numbly, she sat down, still feeling dazed.  A s he rummaged through some crates, Sahara looked arou nd .  The wagon was small and cramped.  She could see rays of light through the boards.  They cast shadows on the floor.  Overhead, clusters of sweet smelling dried herbs h ung next to a single unlit lantern .  Her eyes trailed down the wall to the colorful scarves, skirts, blouses, and dark pants draped over pegs sticking out of the wooden walls.  Besides the clothing, there were cast - iron po ts and several lanterns hanging randomly from any free pegs.  Whe re Nicolae was leaning over, Sahara noticed several crates fu ll of bowls, bottles, and other utensils.   
    “ Ah! ”