Bella and the Merciless Sheikh

How to be exactly like his stepmother?

‘She has shown great responsibility. No one looks after Amira and Batal but her. Do you know she even sleeps in Amira’s stall now because she’s so afraid someone is going to try and steal the mare? Yousif tried to persuade her to go back to her room, but she refuses.’

Zafiq ruthlessly dismissed an unwanted image of Bella curled up asleep in a mound of straw. ‘Yousif should have told me he was having problems with her.’

‘Yousif adores her. Bella has become a favourite with everyone, especially the stable lads. They all love her.’

Zafiq ground his teeth, perfectly able to visualise what skills had led to such a sudden burst of approval from the palace staff. He knew better than anyone how far she’d go to get her own way. ‘Clearly Bella Balfour is more talented then even I gave her credit for.’

‘Oh, she is,’ Rachid said earnestly, missing the irony. ‘She has made some training suggestions that have made a great deal of difference. And she is the only person Batal doesn’t kick.’

Zafiq made a mental note to pay an early visit to the stable in order to watch Bella work her charm offensive. ‘So where does Sahra fit into this?’ His fingers closed on one of the sheets of paper and he scrunched it into a tight ball. ‘Why has no one mentioned her friend ship with Bella before now?’

‘Because of the way you’re reacting now! Mentioning Bella’s name in front of you is a sure way of putting you in a filthy mood. It isn’t like you. I’ve never seen you lose your cool before—’ Rachid flushed slightly. ‘I suppose it’s because you spent time with her in the desert. That must have been a difficult situation for you.’

Zafiq, who considered himself inscrutable, was stunned to discover that he’d revealed so much. ‘What do you mean, “difficult”?’

‘It’s obvious that the two of you didn’t get on, but you’re much too responsible a person to let her make her own way back through the desert so you were stuck with her. And I know she isn’t your type,’ his brother went on hastily. ‘She’s not exactly conventional, is she?’

Zafiq ground his teeth. ‘Conventional? No. She certainly isn’t conventional.’

‘And rescuing Bella meant you lost your few days of solitude. We all know you would have rather been on your own—’

Absorbing his brother’s interpretation of events in incredulous silence, Zafiq decided that it was better not to explore that particular topic in too much depth.

Rachid was still talking. ‘Honestly, Zafiq, she has added a great deal to Batal’s training. Before he threw Kamal she taught them something called a volte—it improves the horse’s balance apparently. Bella thinks if we can calm him down, it will help him win the cup.’

‘If we can find a rider who can stay in the saddle, then Batal will win the cup.’ Striding towards the door, Zafiq felt the tension spread across his shoulders.

‘Bella says it encourages engagement and power.’

‘Bella says, Bella says…’ Exasperated, Zafiq turned on his brother. ‘What qualifies Bella Balfour to change the training regime of my horses?’

‘She knows a lot about horses! Did you know she was selected for the British eventing team when she was six teen?’

No, she hadn’t mentioned that. ‘Did she win a medal?’

‘No, because there was a scandal and she ended up being deselected—’

‘Now that,’ Zafiq drawled, ‘sounds like Bella.’

‘You’re so hard on her!’ Rachid flew to her defence. ‘She’s had a difficult life—’ He clamped his mouth shut as if he’d said something he shouldn’t and Zafiq’s mouth tightened.