Free Eternal by Gillian Shields Page B

year?”
    “Oh . . . no . . . that’s great, Josh.”
    His smile shone out again. “Yeah. I’m stil going to keep up my riding, though, but I think a career looking after horses properly would be better than mucking out stables for the likes of Celeste, don’t you?”
    I laughed feebly. “Oh, definitely.” I just wanted to get away. This was even more painful than I had expected. I felt plain and dumpy and total y uninteresting to anyone.
    Despite my good intentions, my raw longings for attention and sympathy came flooding back. But I was just kidding myself. My dream of love had been exactly that—a dream, a total fantasy.
    “I was tel ing Evie about it yesterday,” Josh went on.
    “She’s been encouraging me to apply to col ege. We’ve been in touch al through the holidays, but it’s so good to see her again.”
    So they’d been writing and phoning each other. Another thing that Evie hadn’t told me.
    “I wish she’d been able to meet me tonight. I real y wanted to show her some stuff before I left. I think she’s going to be amazed by it.” Josh hesitated, looking at me as if he was making up his mind about something. “I wanted to give it to her myself, but it’s more important that she sees it. Hang on.” He dived into the tack room and came out a few moments later holding what looked like a smal bundle of papers stuffed in an envelope, and a tightly folded note.
    “Can you give her this? Don’t let anyone else see it, except Helen, of course. It’s some incredible news. Wel , I’l let Evie tel you about it.” He handed me the bundle and the note. “And tel her I’l see her tomorrow, okay? You won’t forget? Thanks, Sarah, you’re so good.”
    Good old Sarah. Always reliable, always there. Josh swung away with his graceful, confident stride. I waited until he had gone, fighting temptation. As soon as he was out of sight I gave in weakly and unfolded the note. Dear Evie, I’ve been thinking about you all day. Meet me by the gates before breakfast tomorrow. I can’t wait to hear what you think of this. . . .
    Bang, boom, bang . . . My heart thudded, wounded by jealousy and despair. Why was I bothering? I had tried to be strong and good, but no one wanted anything that I had to offer. I looked up, and the evening sun dazzled my eyes.
    Bang, boom . . . Hope drained away. The hil s seemed ful of watchers. The drums were coming closer, but I stil didn’t know what they meant.
    I turned away from where Josh had been standing and leaned my head against Starlight’s neck. No one could help me. Nobody wanted me.
    My heart ached for everything that I might have had if Cal had not moved on. I wished with al my soul that I could ride away from Wyldcliffe and fol ow Cal and his Gypsy brothers over the horizon, into a different life.

Chapter Ten
    MARIA MELVILLE’S WYLDCLIFFE JOURNAL
    APRIL 6, 1919
    It was when we walked to the village church one Sunday that I first saw the Gypsy Brothers. We were walking as usual in a “crocodile”—a long row of neat girls dressed in Sunday-best coats and hats. I was walking next to Violet Deane from the lower form. No one ever walks with her, as she stutters. Poor Violet, I don’t mind her slow speech. As we walked together I told her the names of all the plants and trees that I could see. Some I already knew from home, others Miss Scarsdale had shown me.
    “Maria Melville, we do not need you to make a commentary on the local wildlife,” Miss Featherstone scolded. She told me to walk in silence like the others, but just then a murmur ran along the line of girls like a flame running through dry grass.
    “Look! Look over there in the field! They’ve come back. We saw them last year, don’t you remember?”
    “Oh, look at their little carts! Aren’t they sweet?”
    But there were other whispers too.

    “That man is staring at us.”
    “How black his eyes are!”
    “What a ruffian he looks—it shouldn’t be allowed.”
    Now Miss Featherstone was really