It was during the second performance, quite early in the morning, that Yasmin suddenly espied him sitting at the back of the tent. She looked around for his companions, but he seemed to be alone. Immediately her spirits rose, and she was full of verve. Now her dancing was more akin to the wild expression of it she had displayed that night beside the camp fires, and when it came to the time for her to sing, she tired of melancholy songs after the first one, and chose the merriest she knew.
Ned slipped out of the tent immediately the performance finished, and Yasmin followed as quickly as possible, anxious to see where he went. Unexpectedly she came across him standing at the side of the tent talking with Pedro. Quickly she drew back, but Pedro had seen her and beckoned her on. Reluctantly she approached the two men.
'Yasmin, Sir Edward Curtis has been saying how much he has enjoyed your singing and dancing,' he told her condescendingly, and she shot a furious glance at him, angry at his tone.
'Indeed?' she replied haughtily, and looked unsmiling at Ned – Sir Edward, she now realised. 'I am honoured, Sir Edward,' she managed. Her voice was cold, for she was astounded Pedro was apparently acquainted with Sir Edward. Then Yasmin began to fear they might guess her feelings, and she quaked inwardly with terror. Pedro was capable of anything if he discovered them, and she dared not think what Sir Edward would feel if he knew how she regarded him. Nonetheless Yasmin was trembling with the excitement of speaking to him, and of calling him by his name. She dared not smile, for she knew that then he might read her thoughts in her eyes, and so after staring at him gravely for a moment she turned to Pedro.
'I must be off, for I have a message to deliver,' she invented, and without looking again at Sir Edward, for she dared not, she turned and ran as fast as possible towards the woods that edged the fields on one side.
After a while Yasmin grew calmer and returned to the tent, where her unexpected absence from several performances had angered the others, who had been forced to improvise and fill in the gaps for her. She had no excuse apart from feeling faint, but this did not in the least mollify them, or gain her any sympathy.
'Romanies know it is impossible to be ill while there is a task to be performed,' Rosina remarked, and Yasmin heard several of the others murmuring in agreement.
* * * *
That night, as they sat about the camp fire, Yasmin sensed she was again an object of mistrust and suspicion. No one asked her to sing, as they usually did, or took much notice of her. Even Leon was not beside her as usual, for he was talking with his father a few yards away. This proved to be a blessing, for it enabled Yasmin to edge away from the firelight, and when she was hidden in the shadows, to rise and move into the shelter of the trees. She desperately needed to be alone, to indulge herself with thoughts of her love.
Losing all sense of time she wandered on, walking through the trees towards the fairground, but not thinking where she was going. She came to her senses when she saw the debris of the fair in front of her and turned to go back, for it was late and even the moon which had lit her path was now hanging low in the sky.
Yasmin had taken only a couple of steps back when she found her arms pinioned to her sides in a strong grasp. Startled, she opened her mouth to scream, but before she could utter a sound a hand came down to cover her mouth. Instinctively she tried to bite it, but could not. Her captor chuckled and she recognised Pedro. Now her anger was mingled with fear, and she struggled furiously in an attempt to free herself. But he was strong and held her effortlessly.
'Be still, Yasmin. I but wish to talk with you,' he said calmly, and at last realising the futility of her struggles, she obeyed. He released her, for her to turn on him angrily.
'What in the world did you do that for? You terrified me! How dared you!'
'Hush, do not be angry,' he replied gently, in a tone she had not heard him use before. 'Yasmin, it is important I talk with you, and it is impossible in the camp. When I saw you steal away I followed.'
She knew Pedro, like all the Romanies, was expert at moving silently, and did not wonder she had not heard him behind her.
'What is it you have to say?' she asked coldly.
'They are angry with you,' he warned her.
'I do not require you to tell me that,' she retorted bitterly. 'I am a stranger and unwelcome, and so I had best leave the tribe.'
'That is not the answer,' he replied. 'I do not wish you to leave, whatever some of them say. They will accept you when you are married to me.'
Yasmin gaped at him, astonished. She had realised, naturally, that he was attracted to her, but thought it was her strangeness that induced him to offer the attention he did. As he had ceased many of these in the last few days Yasmin had hoped that as he became accustomed to her he would leave her alone. It appeared she had been wrong.
'I did not think you wished for marriage,' she stammered foolishly.
He laughed. 'What did you expect? If you became my mistress you would most certainly be driven out of the tribe, for that would not be condoned. And I would not be content to set you up elsewhere, for I would be jealous of what you were engaged in while my back was turned! I know that if I want you I have to offer marriage. And since I do want you, and what is more mean to have you, that is what I am doing.'
'I do not wish to marry you,' she retorted angrily, furious he should imagine she might ever have contemplated the prospect of becoming his mistress, let alone marrying him.
'No?' Subtly his tone changed, and there was menace in it. 'Do not hope for Leon, my love, for he will be no help to you. Even though his father is our chieftain, I have more influence than either of them. I am the only one that can ensure your acceptance in the tribe. They will permit you to remain only as my wife, not as Leon's. So there will be more than the usual advantages in marrying me.' He laughed and Yasmin shuddered, which only caused him to laugh even more heartily. 'Are you cold?' he asked suddenly, and pulled her towards him before she realised what his intentions were. She struggled, but helplessly, for he was powerful and had her in a firm grip, his arms about her and his mouth seeking for hers.
Yasmin writhed to avoid him, but it was useless. She kicked out at his shins, but they were puny blows and he laughed at them. Inwardly she berated herself for her folly in leaving the camp alone and allowing this to happen, and wondered how best to escape.
At last he released her and she gasped for breath.
'Are you warmer now, my pretty?' he asked, laughing.
Yasmin bit back the retort that sprang to her lips, for she had concluded the only way she might win free from this coil was to appear to comply with him. He had said he proposed marriage – although it had not been phrased felicitously – and Yasmin did not imagine he would harm her so long as she did not anger him, but she decided if she appeared to capitulate too easily he would suspect her. She moderated the anger and revulsion she felt and spoke quietly.
'You would not have dared to treat me so had my grandmother been alive,' she told him, allowing only a little of the anger she felt to show.
'But since she is not, no one can protect you apart from me.'
'I – I am not so certain of that,' she said, appearing to hesitate.
'I am.' He grasped her arm and she flinched. 'Do not be afraid of me, Yasmin. I have no wish to harm you.'
'You frightened me and treated me badly,' she replied.
'I am sorry for the fright I gave you, but I could not allow you to scream. I had to make sure you would be quiet before I let you go. As I said, there were things to be discussed between us.'
'They have been said,' Yasmin answered quietly.
'But you have not answered me.'
'How can I give an answer so suddenly? I had no idea you wished to marry me. You have not paid me so much attention of late.'
'When will you answer me?'
She hesitated. How long dared she suggest? What could she do in the meantime if she gained a respite? Yasmin was well aware it would not serve her simply to promise and then repulse him once she was safely back in the camp. That way all the others would turn against her more than they had already. She would have to leave the tribe, which was what was threatened her in any event, but it might be several days before she found the right opportunity to leave, for now she knew she must escape without Pedro suspecting her movements or being able to follow her.
'Will you give me a week?' she asked hopefully, but he laughed scornfully.
'A week is seven days too long for you to think about it. You really have no choice. But I will ask you again tomorrow night when we have reached the new camp.'
Yasmin protested, but he began to grow angry again and so, with every appearance of reluctance, she agreed. This increased his confidence, and despite her threats that if he touched her she would never agree, he compelled her to submit to his kisses.
Fortunately for Yasmin it was growing late, and the moon had almost gone, so she was not forced to endure them for long, although it seemed an age to her at the time. Eventually he released her and they walked back to the camp, and if any had remarked their absence, nothing was said.
* * * *
The next morning Yasmin contrived to pack her few belongings into a bundle which she hid just inside the rear door of the van, with her guitar lying on top. At some time during the day she would have to take the opportunity of slipping away, but there was little hope of doing this before they left the camp site, for everyone was about, preparing for the move.
The opportunity for hiding the bundle came when they paused to eat the next meal. The van had been drawn into such a position that the door at the back opened onto some thick bushes. It was an easy task for Yasmin to creep out with her bundle, hide it and the guitar, then slip back into the van and out through the front door again. The most difficult part had been accomplished. It would be fairly easy for her to drop behind later and hide in the woods, then make her way back to this spot. Where she would go afterwards she did not stop to think, apart from a vague plan of making for the rectory. There she would be certain of obtaining help to resume the life she had left, and get a post as companion. Displeasing though this prospect was it was preferable to the notion of marrying Pedro.
About half an hour after the gypsies had set off again, Yasmin judged the best time had come. Many of the men had spread out into the woods on either side of the road, hunting for their supper, and most of the women were occupied with driving the vans and the horses. Yasmin had offered to take her turn early, so she was now free. Mentioning she had seen some celandine and needed some for the medicines she made, she dropped behind, slowly gathering the flowers until the vans had drawn well away. Gradually Yasmin moved further into the woods and when she was out of sight she turned and ran swiftly back the way they had come. Soon she was at the spot where she had hidden her belongings and she retrieved them from the bushes, slung her bundle over her shoulder, picked up the guitar, and began to walk towards the south.
The gypsies were themselves travelling towards Yasmin's former home, further to the east, but she did not dare go in the same direction for a while. Now she had escaped, she could look ahead to the next few days, and she began to be afraid. She had no money, for the gypsies kept all they had in common. She reckoned up the distance she had to go as best she could. When they had travelled in the opposite direction the previous autumn, it had taken them three days to journey from her home to the first fair. That village they had left behind that very morning, and were half a day's journey from it already. The vans were huge, ponderous vehicles, and Yasmin thought she might be able to complete the journey on foot by the following day, even with a wide detour to the south to avoid the gypsies. If so she could reach the rectory and safety before the gypsies themselves reached the village. It would mean only one night when she would have to find a bed.
She then remembered, to her intense annoyance, that she had forgotten to bring any food with her. She wondered if she would be able to earn her keep by singing. The idea did not appal her as it would have done a few months earlier now she had had experience of singing before an audience, but she knew that for a girl on her own it would be a very different proposition from being with the rest of the tribe. She determined she would make do without food, and only in desperation approach an innkeeper, offering to share her takings in exchange for food, and in that way hoping to enlist his protection.
She had been walking on, thinking out this plan, and when she had decided it was practicable, she quickened her pace. Then she heard a sound from behind her and swung round, taut with fear. Pedro stood a yard or so off, eyeing her sardonically.
'So you thought to escape me this way, did you? Not very flattering for me. I shall make you pay for this disobedience, my love, for you are mine, and I do not intend to let you go.'
He approached silently and Yasmin backed away, too terrified to speak, for the expression on his face was cruel and gloating. The distance between them narrowed and eventually, as if released from a spell, Yasmin turned to flee. He leapt forward and grasped her arm in a grip so painful that she cried out.
'Let me go!' she pleaded with him. 'It would harm you with the tribe if you married me, and I do not love you! What good would there be for you in that? Pedro, please let me go! I will go away, I will cause no more trouble.'
'I mean to tame you, my wild beauty, so you will be my adoring obedient slave, as well as my complaisant wife,' was all he vouchsafed to this.
He pulled her to him and bent his head towards hers. It was futile to struggle, and Yasmin closed her eyes to shut out the triumphant, exultant look in his, and tensed herself to receive his kiss. It did not come. Instead Yasmin felt him dragged away from her, and she opened her eyes to see Leon, his hand on Pedro's sleeve, his other fist clenched ready to punch Pedro's face as it turned towards him, twisting with hatred into an ugly sight.