Chapter Six
The next morning, at first light, the Gypsy camp was a hive of activity. The men were preparing the horses for the long journey. The women were packing the vardos and cooking a meal for them to have before they left. It might be late in the day before they ate again.
Luca glimpsed Charity a few times but there was no time to talk.
By mid-morning the Gypsies were ready to leave.
The horses that would pull the vardos were harnessed and attached.
The horses that would be sold at the fair were tethered behind.
Luca’s and Charity’s fathers said their goodbyes.
And then the long line of vardos left to embark on the journey.
As Charity’s vardo passed Luca they exchanged no more than a glance.
Charity’s mother was sitting beside her and they didn’t want to raise suspicion.
Luca felt as if his heart was being torn from his chest. It would be only a matter of weeks until he saw the girl he loved again.
And yet it felt like a lifetime. Finally, the last vardo was gone and the place felt strangely quiet.
Luca found it hard to concentrate on anything, especially as Scarlet seemed to be behind him every time he turned around.
Later that day, Luca had been training the new horses in a field.Scarlet hung over the fence beaming at him.
‘Would you like to go for a walk this evening?’ she called. ‘I mean after the fair is finished.’
Luca frowned and shook his head. ‘No, I think I might have an early night.’
Just for a moment, Scarlet scowled. He hadn’t been too tired to go walking with Charity the night before. ‘Then perhaps you’d like to come to our vardo for supper?’ She smiled prettily at him. ‘I’m making a rabbit stew. It’s one of your favourites.’
Again, Luca shook his head. ‘Thanks, but like I said, I’m a bit tired.’
Scarlet didn’t believe a word of it. Luca was one of the most hard-working young men in the circus.
More like pining for Charity, she thought spitefully.
Even so, she kept her smile fixed firmly in place.
That morning Charity had confided to her the plan she and Luca had made to be together.
Now Scarlet had only a few weeks to get him to focus on her rather than Charity.
She was used to young men flocking around her for attention.
And whatever she had to do, she was determined that Luca would be one of them.
It was customary for the circus men to bathe in the river after the fair had closed, and so late that night Luca made his way there.
He had waited until all was quiet. He wasn’t in the mood for company.
Luckily, the riverbank was deserted when he arrived and so he quickly stripped his clothes off and dived in.
The cold water closed around him and after swimming a few yards he turned on his back to float.
High above the sky was studded with stars but he barely noticed.
He was thinking of Charity and wondering what she was doing.
He was so immersed in his thoughts that it was some time before he saw a shape on the riverbank.
It was a person and whoever it was, they were stripping their clothes off.
Assuming it was one of the circus lads Luca looked away.
As he turned back and the moon sailed from behind the clouds, he was horrified to see Scarlet swimming towards him.
She was quite naked and smiling at him. With an oath he struck out for the riverbank.
‘What do you think you’re doing?’ He was so angry it was hard not to shout. ‘If your father found us here naked together he’d go mad.’
She laughed as she swam towards him. ‘So he would. He’d probably order you to marry me now you’ve seen me like this. But would that be such a bad thing?’
Luca climbed out of the river and snatched up his shirt to cover himself.
As Scarlet climbed out beside him, he couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was.
Her breasts were full and high and her waist was tiny, her legs long and shapely.
Even so his heart belonged to another and he turned his back on her.
He began to yank his clothes on as she reached out to him.
‘Don’t you like what you see?’ Her voice was seductive but he wasn’t tempted.
‘You’re a beautiful girl, Scarlet, but you know I love Charity. She told me she’d confided in you.’
She scowled. ‘Yes, she did. But you and I both know nothing can ever come of that. Her people and ours would never allow it.’
He shrugged as he hastily buttoned his trousers, averting his eyes.
‘We’ll find a way,’ he told her. And without another word, he hurried away leaving Scarlet with just her anger for company.