[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.She is…” Zolande paused and looked up at Fatima, her eyes narrowing.“I will put it delicately.She is a lusty woman.She wants no part of Mateo and his plans for their celibate union.”“And who can blame her? A woman has needs!”“I feel something in the air tonight, Fatima, Perhaps it is the full moon coming on.It has always been a dreadful time for my people.Whatever it is, there is evil abroad.You and I must act quickly, if there is to be any hope of saving my Mateo and your Charlotte.”“What can we do, Zolande?”“I have summoned Mateo.He will be here any moment.He must tell me the truth of this situation! And you must speak with Charlotte.I know she loves my son, but he has rejected her.That is not easy for a woman to accept, especially when there is another woman involved.And, too, something is brewing in Charlotte’s head.I sensed it earlier when I spoke with her.You must convince her not to do anything rash until I can bring Mateo back to his senses.”“I am on my way to her already, Zolande.May Sara-la-Kali give us both the strength and wisdom to bring these lovers together again.”“As a token of my confidence in our combined abilities, Fatima, take the brideprice.It is meant for your Charlotte’s purchase.”Fatima quickly scooped the coins into her own bag, leaving Mateo’s pouch empty.“You are very wise, Zolande.The holy Handmaiden will look kindly on your gesture and give us her fullest blessing now.”“Let us pray so!”Fatima paused at the tent flap and flashed her friend a wily smile.“It has been some time since I saw a real Gypsy wedding.I do not intend to fail in this mission!”“Nor do I,” the queen assured her.Once alone, Zolande sat staring at the table for a long time, her mind working over what she would say to Mateo.He would arrive soon, she was sure.Suddenly she noticed the empty pouch.She could not let her son see it; he would question her about the gold.She started to put it away, then stopped.What if he asked to see if the gold was safe? She could not show him an empty sack.Stooping to the dark earth beneath her feet, she gathered up enough stones to fill the bag.Then, smiling at her cleverness, she tucked it away behind her chest where the gold had been hidden for safekeeping.She was just taking her seat again when Mateo entered.“You wished to see me, my queen?”“No, Mateo.Not your queen.Your mother would have a word with you.”He stood before her—tall, strong, and handsome.How could such a perfect man act such a perfect fool? She wondered.“If this is about Charlotte, I don’t want to hear it.”She rose from her chair, glaring at him.“You will hear it.Sit!”Mateo did as she ordered but slumped in the chair, sprawling his long legs out before him with a weary sigh.His mother was not about to be discouraged by his reluctance to discuss the matter.“Mateo, you are a fool!”“I know.Mother.You’ve told me that before.”She went to the tent flap and threw it open.“Look out there and tell me what you see.”He leaned slightly forward and gave the campsite a cursory glance.“I see Gypsies dancing, children playing, the forest beyond.What is it you want me to see?”“The full moon, Mateo! It is high in the trees, shining brightly, and look at you! You are the same as you were today, yesterday, or the day before that.The curse is gone!”“I know that.Do you think I’m not happy about it? All these years of misery.I can hardly believe my good fortune.”“But you refuse to believe that Charlotte Buckland is the golden Gypsy… the one who has saved you with her love?”Mateo sat up straight in the chair and stared down at his hands, clenched in his lap.When at last he looked up, there was much pain in his face.He reached out and took his mother’s hands in his.“I do believe it.I do love her,” he said quietly.“I ache with wanting her every time I see her.”“Then why are you telling me? Why are you not on your way to her this minute to tell her?”He smiled in spite of his anguish, thinking how Solange had once spoken almost the same words to him.Then the smile faded.“Mother, I made a promise that now keeps me from her.”Zolande huffed angrily.“Your promise to marry Phaedra means nothing, Mateo!”“Not to Phaedra, to someone else.”“Who on earth?”“No one on earth, Mother.In ravnos.When Charlotte was so ill, I promised Sara-la-Kali that if she would spare the woman I loved, I would give her up.It came to me after much prayer and soul-searching that I must give up what was most precious to me.Charlotte is almost well now.But my promise, which saved her, now keeps me from her.”Queen Zolande slumped back in her chair.Mateo’s confession left her breathless; her head was spinning.Of all the things she’d imagined might have happened, this had never entered her mind.But there had to be a way around it.She leaned forward and smiled at her son.“Well, it seems we do have a problem, Mateo,” she said gently.“Whatever are we going to do? You see, I made a promise to the good saint, also.When we thought the Golden One might die, I promised Sara-la-Kali that if she were saved, I would see that the two of you were wed.And since I have known the Handmaiden a good many more years than you have, I think my promise means more to her than yours.We can’t both abide by what we told her.So, I feel sure that she will forgive you for breaking your vow.”A slow smile kindled in Mateo’s eyes; soon, the spark turned to flame.He leaped out of his chair and caught his mother in a bearlike hug.“Then we’re free to wed! I can go to her and tell her?”“You had better go soon.She’s probably getting a little tired of waiting!”As Mateo dashed away, Queen Zolande turned toward the picture hanging over her bed.“Forgive me, dear Sara.I meant to give you my promise.It must have slipped my mind.”She smiled—and Sara-la-Kali seemed to be smiling back.Chapter 23“Oh, Granny Fate, I’m so glad you’ve come!”Charlotte snapped the lid of her trunk shut and ran to her grandmother the moment she entered the brides’ tent.The old woman’s eyes missed nothing—a packed trunk, Charlotte’s hair tied back instead of hanging loose as it had been earlier, her colorful skirts exchanged for riding britches.“Are you going somewhere, Charlotte?”She hung her head, not wanting to meet Granny Fate’s piercing gaze.“Yes.But I wouldn’t have left before seeing you again.”“And did you plan to tell your prince good-bye?”“He told me good-bye some time ago.” Charlotte searched her grandmother’s eyes.“Didn’t Queen Zolande tell you that Mateo plans to marry Phaedra?”“Not the woman’s name, but she told me.We both agreed that should not happen.You are the golden Gypsy, Charlotte! You have an obligation here.Mateo needs you.”Charlotte went to Granny Fate and led her to a chair.The woman looked old, frail, and suddenly very weary.“I need him, too,” Charlotte told her gently.“But what can I do, Granny Fate? I tried again tonight to let him know how much I care, but he turned away [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

zanotowane.pl

doc.pisz.pl

pdf.pisz.pl

listy-do-eda.opx.pl