She urged him along the track that led directly from the stables to the desert. Even before she arrived at the starting line she could hear the roar of the crowd.
‘Is this going to freak you out?’
But for once Batal was behaving himself, his ears flicking back wards and forwards like radar, listening to the cheers.
‘Attention seeker.’ Bella adjusted the scarf across her face, hoping that it didn’t fall. If it did, she was sunk.
Riding up towards the starting line, Connor took the bridle. ‘The Sheikh was starting to think you weren’t coming. I told him we didn’t want Batal to be in a public place any longer than necessary. Oh, no—’ His face paled. ‘Bella, he’s coming across to wish you luck! If he gets too close he’s going to know you’re not Hassan.’
‘Stop him,’ Bella said urgently, turning Batal towards the starting line. ‘Tell him I’ve got my hands full, tell him I don’t want to tempt fate—tell him anything, but don’t let him get close to me. How long have I got before the start?’
‘One minute.’
It felt like the longest minute of her life.
As Connor hurried away to head off Zafiq, Bella urged the stallion towards the rope, her hands shaking on the reins.
Batal threw up his head and squealed, as if to say, Who put this idiot on my back? and Bella gave a weak laugh because she was starting to agree.
And then she caught the vicious glare from one of the jockeys and her mouth dried. Trouble, she thought, but she didn’t dare speak, or do anything to reveal herself as a woman, so she had no choice but to keep her mouth closed.
Batal shivered with anticipation, and Bella stared straight ahead of her, determined to do this right. The horse could win; she had no doubt about that. Whether she’d still be on his back as he crossed the finishing line was another matter.
The roar of the crowd intensified and then the flag dropped and the horses sprang forward.
Batal flew into the lead and Bella allowed him to take the front position, knowing that she couldn’t risk being bunched by the others in case one of them tried to unseat her.
As the sand flew into her face, all she was aware of was the pounding of hooves and the pounding of her heart. She could hear horses behind her, but Batal’s long, effortless stride immediately lengthened the distance between her and the others.
She smiled, feeling a rush of confidence.
‘You are fantastic,’ she yelled as the wind and the sand flew past her face and the marker appeared in the distance. ‘If you win I’ll never say anything bad to you again. I’ll even let you kick me and bite me. Go on, Batal, go on!’
As she turned Batal around the flag and showed him the finishing line, she felt something yank her leg hard.
Taken by surprise Bella clutched at the stallion’s mane, but at full gallop there was no chance of recovery and the next moment she was on the ground, the sudden fall jarring her shoulder, her foot still jammed in the stirrup as her body was dragged bumping and twisting behind the horse.
Shards of agony shot through her body and Bella closed her eyes and prepared to die.
And then suddenly she stopped moving.
Squealing with impatience, Batal was looking down at her as if to say, All you had to do was sit there and you even messed that up.
Bella registered that she was still alive but the relief was only fleeting because the rest of the horses were thundering down on her.
Throwing his head in the air Batal reared up and Bella squeezed her eyes shut and prepared to die for a second time. It was obvious that the stallion was going to trample her.
When nothing happened, Bella opened one eye and found herself looking up at the belly of the horse.