The Untamable Rogue Read Online Free PDF Page A

black hair and a matching moustache emerged from the crowd and walked up to Sergio.
    “Is he alive?” asked the man in a booming voice.
    “Yes, father. The pulse is normal. He fell onto his head, I think.” answered Sergio.
    He took the stranger’s hat off to look for a possible injury, and he froze – long, blond hair sprang from the hat.
    “A woman!” he cried in amazement, and the people came closer, curious.
    People pushed to get a good look and conjectures were made: a woman in men’s clothing riding a valuable horse – this presented them with a riddle and the Sinti loved riddles.
    “Make way! Back with you all!” barkedSantino, and the people moved back a little, reluctantly, and straight away they began to push one another about and force their way forwards once more. The leader examined the young woman and rolled her onto her back.
    An old woman climbed with amazing speed from one of the waggons and the crowd respectfully made way for her. Her eyes were blind but she moved unerringly to the person lying on the ground.
    “She is destiny. We must take her with us,” murmured the old woman decisively.
    Excited murmuring arose. They did not like to have strangers in the camp but this woman was respected by all and what she said was of great significance. She was the wise woman – a seer.
    “Whose destiny?” asked Santino indignantly, not at all happy with the situation.  
    The old woman was his mother-in-law and he did have respect for her but that did not mean that he wanted to take this strange young woman with them. It would definitely cause them trouble. Who knew what this girl had been up to? It was possible that she was being hunted down.
    “I don’t know yet, but it would be bad for the clan to leave her here. The forefathers are whispering this to me: she is destiny!” answered the old woman decisively.
    Santino scratched his chin and looked sceptically at the strange young woman in the men’s clothing. He did not feel wholly comfortable with the situation but he did not dare contradict the old woman. More than once he had discovered that it was better to listen to what she said. In the end he sighed submissively.
    “OK then. Put her onto a waggon, then let’s move on. We want to go a bit further before midday,” he finally ordered in a surly fashion.



Chapter 3

    S omething damp and cold was touching my cheek. I threw my eyes open and looked into the face of a hairy monster.
    “Help! ” I screamed in horror. The beast’s teeth were long and pointed and just a few inches away from my face.
    “She’s awake!” sounded a pleasant male voice. “Off with you, Atoll! You can see that you’re frightening her.”
    My eyes fell on the man who had appeared in the doorway. He looked foreign, and very attractive. He seemed to be my age. His raven black hair was short apart from the long, thin ponytail on the right-hand side. The hazel eyes, framed by thick black lashes, looked at me amiably and a smile appeared on his lips as he looked at me with interest. Instinctively I returned his smile, even if a little timidly.
    I looked around, somewhat uncertainly. The hairy monster turned out to be an enormous dog with shaggy grey fur. I had already seen such dogs. It was an Irish Wolfhound.
    “Don’t be afraid. Atoll won’t hurt you. He just wanted to look at you. – We’ve all been worried. You’ve been unconscious for two days. ”
    Two days? I sat up in shock, but lay down straight away, groaning. My head ached horribly and the sudden movement had made me dizzy. There was a throbbing behind my temples and stars were dancing before my eyes.
    “Two days?” I asked in confusion.                                                     
    What could have happened? The last thing that I could remember was that I had fled from my uncle on my father’s stallion. So how in God’s name had I come here? What had happened?
    “Yes. Two days. – How