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
'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
Similar Books
