For Love of a Gypsy Lass

By Juliet Chastain

Lord Harry Beresford is used to having everything his way, that is, until he falls in love with the passionate Gypsy singer Talaitha Grey.

Proud Talaitha is as unimpressed by Harry's title as she is by his money, but can she fight her powerful attraction to the man behind those things?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evernight Publishing
• Release date: Mar 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781772337686

Juliet Chastain

Fashion writer and photographer, Juliet Chastain says that, in a way, writing fiction is like fashion photography. You have a few elements—the models and the clothes in photography, maybe a character and a couple ideas in fiction—and you make them into an interesting story. Juliet loves to tell stories and if she isn't doing it with the camera she's doing it with her keyboard.

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Published by Evernight Publishing ® at Smashwords

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2016 Juliet Chastain

ISBN: 978-1-77233-768-6

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Editor: Carlene Flores

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

For Tom. I'm so glad you came to Baltimore.

FOR LOVE OF A GYPSY LASS

Gypsy Lovers, 2

Juliet Chastain

Copyright © 2016

Glossary of Gypsy terms

The Gypsies (Roma, Rom, Romani) came to Europe from India a thousand years ago and kept to their own wandering ways for generations. They were always considered outsiders and often mistreated as a result. Some eventually found their way to England, where they referred to themselves as Romanichal.

Baba—Grandmother

Dadro—Dad, daddy

Gadje—Non-Gypsies or adjective describing non-Gypsies

Gadji—Non-Gypsy woman

Gadjo—Non-Gypsy man

Kori—Penis

Prikaza—Bad luck, especially as a result of coming in contact with something impure (such as non-Gypsies)

Puri Dai—Wise woman (usually older), who also takes care of the finances for her clan and whose advice is considered in any major decision

Puro dad—Grandfather

Rawni—A great (non-Gypsy) lady. An upper class Englishwoman

Romanichal—The name the English Gypsies use for themselves

Romani—An adjective used to describe Gypsy-related people or objects

Rom baro—The chieftain; the leader of a band of Gypsies

Vardo—Horse-drawn Gypsy home. Often resembles a small trailer

Ves'tacha—beloved, darling

Chapter One

Bored with cards, bored with social rounds, bored with simpering, proper young ladies—bored even with the less proper ones—Lord Harry Beresford put his booted feet up on the balustrade of the enormous veranda behind Beresford Hall and leaned back. Should he stay here and watch the sun go down? Or should he call on the widowed Lady Jameson who had simpered only a little? The last time he’d seen her at a perfectly dreadful little concert at her house, she'd intimated that she was quite ready to give him her all. Or should he simply drink himself into oblivion?

John Long's lanky frame came around the corner and the front legs of Harry's chair came down with a plunk as he got to his feet to greet his friend.

An unexpected pleasure. He shook John's hand enthusiastically. I've been having the devil of a time with boredom. He leaned back on his heels, crossing his arms across his chest as he looked up at his aptly named friend who was a good half foot taller than his own six feet.

Your problem, my friend, stems from the fact that you can so easily satisfy every whim or wish.

Except the wish to not be bored.

A band of Gypsies is camping on Grinell Green and they are, I hear, exceedingly entertaining, John said.

Shall we have our fortunes told?

That is always amusing. The fortune tellers always say that some great and beautiful lady will wish to marry me.

Odd, they invariably tell me the same.

In your case, no doubt it will come true, John said. As for me, I paid court to some ladies, but none came to care one whit for me.

Except Jane.

Yes, Jane. But Jane, alas, although she is of excellent family, is no great lady. And my family will settle for nothing less than a woman with a title.

My family wishes the same as yours, and perhaps one day I will oblige them—produce a suitable heir and all that. Harry sighed.

"Ah, but in your case, you are exactly what the ladies of the ton wish to marry—the Beresford name and a fortune to go with it.