Ironbark by Johanna Nicholls Page A

Keziah was angry when she failed and jubilant when she broke through the barrier to success. She hid her books beneath her mattress to avoid Mrs Wills’s suspicions.
    During their lessons Keziah was amused to see how blatantly Caleb tried to extract personal information. She was always on guard. It will take more than Caleb’s charming ways to trick this Romani lass!
    â€˜Do tell me about your Gem. You Gypsies marry damned young, I take it?’
    â€˜It is Romani tradition,’ she corrected politely, ‘for children to mix freely. We are sometimes promised at eight or nine but we are free to choose. If you don’t want him you say so. My husband is from a fine Romani family – they paid a high bride price for me.’
    â€˜So it’s the reverse of our custom where a bride brings a dowry to the marriage?’
    â€˜Yes, Romani women are valuable,’ she said proudly.
    When he asked if she had chosen Gem, Keziah’s voice grew soft.
    â€˜He was my hero. Strong and handsome. He rode like the wind. No man alive could beat my Gem in a bare-knuckle fight. I grew up knowing one day we would lay together. He is my Rom. My man.’
    She saw Caleb glance away as if irritated by her words.
    â€˜You married him in a church?’ he asked slyly.
    Keziah gave a snort of contempt. ‘Your church means nothing to us. When I turned thirteen my body told me I was a woman.’
    Caleb cocked one eyebrow but Keziah continued.
    â€˜We dressed in our finest clothes, made our vows, then held hands and leapt together over the broomstick to show we were married.’
    â€˜You say you were fated to love Gem,’ Caleb said. ‘You talk about fate as others speak of God.’
    â€˜ The Del – the Creator – exists. But we see things differently to you. We live with baxt – fate, luck, destiny. To take a wrong fork in the road means you were destined to travel that way.’
    â€˜So you were destined to meet me , Keziah.’
    â€˜Of course. And when I leave Morgan Park that will also be my destiny.’
    Keziah withdrew the amulet from her bodice. ‘This will protect me on my voyage to New South Wales and reunite me with Gem.’
    â€˜May it always keep you safe.’ Caleb used the cord to draw her close.
    Keziah saw the message in his eyes and broke away. She began cleaning one of the sporting trophies as if her life depended on it.
    Caleb seemed nervous when he took a heavy tome off the shelf and flipped to a page.
    â€˜Practise reading this passage tonight. Tell me tomorrow what you think of it.’
    As he passed her, Keziah felt his hand brush her hair.
    The book reminded Keziah of her Puri Dai’s warning. She tried to recall the exact words. Beware the gaujo with a silver tongue. I see him with a big book. He will make you read to him!
    She opened the page entitled ‘The Song of Solomon’. Surely there was no harm in the gaujo bible! But as she stumbled over the passage Caleb had marked, her eyes widened in disbelief. Surely these words were not spoken by the gaujo god?
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    When it was time for her lesson she entered the library to find Caleb apparently absorbed in a book.
    â€˜Well? Can you read it for me?’ he asked coolly without looking at her.
    Keziah knew perfectly well what the first Song of Songs was about. She handed the bible back to him.
    â€˜I could do but I think you should read it to me .’
    Caleb looked startled but glanced at her as he read the phrase, ‘Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine …’ He faltered on reaching the line, ‘A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts …’
    Keziah decided to call his bluff. ‘Why did you choose that particular passage, Caleb?’
    â€˜Really, Keziah. Who is master and who servant here, eh?’
    She controlled her anger but responded