The Golden Gypsy (12 page)

'Oh yes, the season,' she said dully, and Maria grinned at her.

'The husband-hunting season,' she agreed irreverently. 'We females have our hunting season before the men go off to shoot grouse and all their other wretched birds! Mother has been in a positive whirl for weeks past getting my things ready. I really would not care for such social life except that I suppose a girl has to get married, for what else is there for us?'

Yasmin tried to shake off her depression and enter into Maria's plans.

'You may think differently when you meet someone you love,' she suggested, and Maria laughed.

'Possibly. Well, when I have found my adoring and complacent husband, I shall insist that next season I present you! You would be a sensation, with your hair and your golden skin, and those lovely dark eyes. No wonder Ned calls you the golden gypsy. When you are wearing your lovely gold dress you look like a statue, except you are never still!'

Yasmin had to laugh. 'Maria! You are so kind, but who knows what will happen? But I will come to the Hall tomorrow if you wish it.'

Chapter 7

The Curtis family had departed to London. Yasmin had spent the day with Maria as planned, but apart from a brief glimpse of Sir Edward in the morning she had not seen him, and he had scarcely spoken to her. He seemed preoccupied, and after a few words of greeting made an excuse and went away. The following day they had travelled up to London, and to add to Yasmin's misery she knew Charlotte had gone with them. Maria had mentioned an important ball which they were all attending the day afterwards, saying Charlotte would stay with them until her father went to London a week later.

Yasmin knew there was little likelihood of seeing Sir Edward again before the end of July or the beginning of August, and the weeks stretched emptily before her. Leon watched her broodingly as she moved about the kitchen, but he seemed to know there was nothing he could say to comfort her. Yasmin hoped she had concealed from him how she felt about Sir Edward, and he would assume her despondency was because she was missing Maria, but she could not be certain of this. He did not say anything, being busy with his carving. Sir Edward had been to visit him on the last day and had taken all the figures that were finished with him to London, and Leon was starting more, ready for Sir Edward's next visit. When would that be? He might come down to the Hall once or twice to see how matters went there, and he might call in to see Leon and collect more carvings. To small hopes like these Yasmin clung as the endless days passed in routine dull tasks.

Then, about two weeks after Maria's departure, Yasmin and Leon had a visitor. Richard Curtis appeared on the doorstep, and they both welcomed him warmly. Yasmin for the news he might have, and Leon for the talk he enjoyed with a sympathetic listener.

He tried to answer all their eager questions, laughing as they both spoke to him at once.

'Yes, they are all well, and if they had known I was coming, would of a certainty have sent messages,' he said, smiling.

'Is Maria enjoying herself?' Yasmin asked, not daring to refer directly to Sir Edward.

'She is a tremendous success, quite the rage, and I shall have to look to it that I am not displaced in her affections by some sprig of fashion,' he answered, and as Yasmin looked at him in surprise, he laughed. 'Did you not guess I had hopes with Maria?' he asked lightly.

She shook her head. Maria had not spoken of it, but Yasmin thought that, friendly as she had been, she might not have felt intimate enough with her to confide that sort of secret. Besides, from what she had said of Richard, Yasmin did not think it indicated she viewed him in a particularly affectionate manner.

'Do you not hesitate to leave her then?' she asked, and he laughed again.

'I had to come down to see to some business for my uncle. I shall return in a day or so, and I think it likely that if I am not always hanging about her, she will learn to appreciate me more. I promised Ned that while I was here I would call on you and take any more carvings you had ready back with me. The ones he took up have sold extremely well, he said, and fetched even higher prices than he hoped for. I have brought you fifty pounds on account. Ned will settle the rest when he comes.'

He took a small leather bag from his pocket and put it on the table. Leon was staring at him in amazement.

'Fifty pounds!' he at last ejaculated. 'Did I hear aright? Fifty pounds?'

'Yes indeed. Ned thought you might have need of some cash soon. Have you any more I can take back?'

Leon indicated a group of figures placed on a shelf beside him.

'These are ready,' he said slowly. 'Fifty pounds! I can scarce believe there are people who would pay so much for simple carvings!'

'Why not?' Yasmin asked, rather indignant with him for being so modest. 'They are very special, and there are enough people who recognise that in London.'

'They have become quite the fashion,' Richard said. 'It is possible that, like most fashions, it will not last, so you had best make the most of it while you can! But I sincerely hope you will continue to be as successful. Are there many more talents like that hidden in your tribe? What of your singing and dancing. Yasmin? I have not forgotten how you entranced everyone at the fair. Would you not like to go to London?'

Hastily Yasmin shook her head. 'I would loath to have to earn money in that manner,' she told him, and he did not press the matter, but repeated his question to Leon about other talents in the tribe, and soon they were talking about Romany affairs. Richard seeming very anxious to know where the tribes spent the summer.

'You always travel the same routes?' he asked, and Leon nodded, explaining where they would be for the next few months, until they began the return journey in the autumn on their way back westwards for the worst months of winter.

'By the way, I saw your uncle,' Richard informed Yasmin later. 'Oh, do not be concerned,' he added, as he read her apprehensive look. 'I did not speak with him, for he would scarce know who I was! I saw him when I was calling on a friend of mine at the Admiralty.'

'Has there been any more news of Nelson?' she asked, more to turn the talk away from her uncle than because she expected him to tell her much.

'Only that he has come out of the Mediterranean and set off towards the West Indies. But there is little Villeneuve can do on his own, and Cornwallis still holds the rest of the French captive in Brest harbour.'

* * * *

Soon after that he left, and their placid life was resumed. Leon was improving rapidly and by now could move about with the help of a stick. He began to talk of the future, and sometimes, with a longing he could not entirely conceal from Yasmin, of the tribe. She did not wish to think of the days ahead, apart from those on which she might see Sir Edward again, but she could not tell Leon this and a few days after Richard's visit he broached the subject of what they would do yet again, and would not be put off as before with the excuse that until he was properly fit it was pointless to discuss the matter.

'We can make plans,' he insisted, and caught Yasmin's hand as she passed the stool where he sat.

'I do not think it time,' she replied in a low voice.

'You never will, Yasmin. You seem contented enough with this life, but I am not.'

'You miss the tribe and the wandering life more than I do,' she said gently, trying to withdraw her hand away from his grasp, but he held it more firmly.

'Yes, that is true, for I do miss them,' he said levelly. 'But if I could hope you would marry me after all, that would not matter in the least. What do you say, Yasmin? I have asked you before, you know how I feel, and soon I shall be able to look after you properly. Will you marry me? Where shall we go to start our life? I have proved I can earn good money from my carvings. Shall we find ourselves a cottage where we may live in peace and contentment?'

She looked down at him unhappily. 'I do not know. Why must we leave here? You are not able to go yet, in any event,' she muttered.

'I know it cannot be for some weeks more, until I can walk properly again. But Yasmin, I love you so dearly, and cannot hold back from saying it any more. My dearest, will you not marry me? The other things can be decided at any time if this is settled.'

'Please, Leon, I cannot.'

'Do you not love me?' he asked sombrely.

'Not – not in that way! I do love you as a cousin, more as a brother, and a very dear friend, but I do not love you enough to marry you. I would make you unhappy,' she tried to explain. 'You miss the tribe and you would blame me, especially if I could not love you enough to make up for it!'

'I would cast no blame for you have been honest with me. I would be content to possess you and hope for your love,' was all he replied to this.

Yasmin shook her head. 'At first, perhaps. No. Leon, it would be wrong. Some day you will wish to go back to the tribe, for it is in your blood, but I never can. I must try to obtain the sort of position I was offered before I met you. Believe me, that would be best for both of us. We could still meet, perhaps, twice a year, if I find a post as companion near to your routes.'

He stared at her, unspeaking, for some time. 'You would not take a position dancing and singing in London?' he shot at her suddenly.

She looked at him in surprise. 'As Richard suggested? No, indeed! I know well where that would lead me!'

'Then we must continue as we are for the time being. There is hope for me yet.'

There was none, and she tried to convince him of that, but he did not appear anxious to talk of it any more, and Yasmin was thankful enough to drop the subject herself.

* * * *

Leon began to take short walks, gradually increasing the distance, in the woods nearby. Yasmin knew he was pleased to be in the open again, and often she accompanied him. They both delighted in the summer weather, though Yasmin was always conscious of a loss, a gap in her life while Sir Edward was not there. He had not appeared, though Richard came twice more in the next month, bringing money both times from the sale of Leon's carvings, and news of Maria's success.

On the second occasion when he had arrived, Leon had been out on one of his walks, and after the first greetings Richard had reverted to his suggestion that Yasmin might become a dancer in London.

'You would have a great triumph,' he tried to persuade her.

'I might sing and dance,' she said sharply, 'but what else would be expected of me? Do you think I am that kind of girl?'

He looked astounded. 'Yasmin! I did not suggest or even think that! Not all entertainers are light women! Many are thoroughly respectable!'

'Those who have families or husbands to protect them, perhaps,' she retorted, a little less heatedly. 'But I have neither, and although I do not object to singing or dancing in public, it would be a very different matter to do it to London crowds rather than to the locals at country fairs.'

He was thoughtful. 'Yes, I do see that. But I might be able to help you if you changed your mind.'

No more was said, and soon afterwards Leon came back. Yasmin did not tell him of Richard's suggestion, feeling he might misconstrue it, and she had no desire needlessly to awaken his jealousy.

She was becoming more gloomy as the weeks passed and there was no sign of Sir Edward. When she discovered from Joan at the lodge that he had spent one night at the hall, but had gone away again early the next morning, she was hard put to it to restrain her tears. Yasmin had absolutely no cause to expect he would come and see her, and so she firmly reminded herself, but she was surprised he had not visited Leon to collect more carvings.

Some time towards the end of June Leon again urged Yasmin to consider marrying him, pointing out he was not much hindered by his leg now, for it had mended well and he scarcely limped.

'We could go away if you wished,' he said, but she was adamant in her refusal. He was very much hurt, and although it was almost dark he left the cottage to walk into the woods. Yasmin watched him go, sorry for his despair, but unable to bring herself to say she would marry him.

He had been gone little more than ten minutes before Yasmin heard him calling her name. Fearful he might have somehow hurt himself, she ran to the door and flung it open.

'Here, help me,' he ordered out of the dark, and she moved towards the black shape that loomed up before her. As she drew closer she saw Leon was leading a horse, and there was a figure slumped across the saddle.

'Hold the horse while I lift him down,' he said, and Yasmin took the reins, patting the horse to steady it. She could feel the poor beast trembling under her hands, and she spoke soothingly to try and calm it.

'What happened? Who is it?' she demanded, but Leon did not reply. It was taking all his strength and care to carry the man into the cottage.

She ran to help him lower the form of the unconscious man onto the mattress, and it was only then she realised it was Sir Edward who lay there, bleeding from a scratch on the temple, and with a livid bruise along one side of his face.

'Ned!' she whispered, aghast, but Leon interrupted her.

'Get water and try to bring him round. He is not dead, just stunned.'

Yasmin hastened to do as he directed, and almost at the first touch of cold water on his face Sir Edward opened his eyes.

'Oh, thank God, Ned – Sir Edward! Are you hurt? What happened?' she asked.

He smiled slightly, looking about him. 'I do not know. How do I come to be here?'

'Don't talk for a while. I'll go and see to the mare, she's all a-tremble.' Leon ordered, and went out of the cottage leaving Yasmin staring stupidly at Sir Edward. He smiled again, winced, and put up his hand to explore the damage to his face. The blood trickled onto it, and he attempted to discover the extent of his injuries.

Yasmin grasped his hand. 'Best not to touch it,' she said. 'I will bathe it for you.'

She tried to rise, but found he was holding onto her hand too tightly. She stole a look at his face, but he had closed his eyes. Then Leon came back in and she turned towards him.