'You saw this?'
'I was standing right there. No, Anana isn't given to tall tales. She has too many good true stories to resort to that.'
Kara sighed. 'Well, I've given her a few more, I'm afraid. I didn't want to, but it was so nice just to be able to talk to someone! Someone my own age, I mean! I mean, someone who is a girl, like me-'
'Am I so hard to talk to?' Roman asked her in a quiet, teasing voice that made her insides go curiously still, expectant.
'Yes, and no,' Kara replied slowly, carefully. 'No, because there are times when I feel that I can talk to you about almost anything, almost as though I'd known you all my life. And yes, there are times when no matter what I say, I can't say what I want, and when I do it comes out all wrong.'
'I see. And what is it that you want to say to me, Kara? Now that there is no one around to watch you become embarrassed.'
Kara tensed at this and bit her lip, a sudden inexplicable fear taking her voice away. Were they not where she would have got lost in the dark, she would have liked to jump out of the wagon and run away from him. She gasped with a jerk as he place a large, warm hand over hers, which were cold and clutched together in her lap.
'Why so jumpy? Are you afraid of me, Kara?'
'Yes, I am afraid of you, Señor.'
'Why is that, Kara?'
'I'm not sure, but you make me feel funny inside, like I can't breathe, and then I can't think so I say stupid, embarrassing things.'
He gave her hands a little squeeze and released them. She was about to relax, when he put his arm around her.
'Here, just lean against me and put your head against my shoulder-'
'Roman-'
'Hush. You're starting to nod. I don't want you falling off the wagon altogether.'
'Oh,' she muttered, unable to tell whether she was relieved or disappointed.
'Warm enough?'
She nodded into his shoulder and within moments had fallen fast asleep.