‘What else could I do?’ Her voice was raised to match Nero’s.
Grooms turned to stare as Nero demanded harshly, ‘What were you doing on the polo field in the first place? This isn’t a walk in the park, Bella, as you should know. How could you, of all people, be so irresponsible? What kind of example do you think you’re setting for those kids you care so much about?’
She realised Nero couldn’t have seen what had happened. He didn’t know that Ignacio had almost been trampled. From Nero’s angle as he rode up to save her, he would only have seen Bella staggering back as the group of horses collided with the fence, and had formed his own opinion. She was hardly going to mention that she had pushed Ignacio clear. She would just have to take this unfair reprimand on the chin. And smile sweetly. Until Nero turned his back.
‘I’m not interested in excuses,’ he barked, clearing a space around them as he turned his horse to keep the high-spirited animal’s energy in play. ‘You never go near the fence again—and that’s an order. And from a purely common sense point of view,’ he added in a scathing tone, ‘if you see horses galloping towards you, you back away. You don’t rush to meet them!’
The air of battle was on him. She understood that. After a lifetime in polo, Bella knew that what appeared to be a society sport was, as the children from the city had so correctly identified, dangerous and demanding, and the top-class athletes who played the game were as driven and as fiercely competitive as their ponies.
So she’d make allowances. But she wouldn’t be a doormat. ‘I can only apologise,’ she said, wanting to cool things down before Nero galloped off again. ‘I’ll go now and make sure that your next pony is properly warmed up.’ The words were compliant, but there was something in her voice that warned Nero to drop it. Having said her piece, she spun on her heel and strode away.
He had felt stirred up in the middle of a match before, but never like this. But then he had never knowingly risked a horse before. And, of all horses, it had to be his old faithful, Colonel. His anger followed Bella to the pony lines, where he watched her working with her usual efficiency as if nothing untoward had taken place. Even that infuriated him. She was like no woman he had ever known before. He had risked everything for her. Why?
Bella’s reckless behaviour had forced his hand. If she wanted to risk her life that was up to her, but in future he’d keep his horses safe. He galloped grim-faced onto the field. Defeat wasn’t an option. Blaming Bella for her reckless actions wasn’t enough. He blamed the opposing team for riding their loyal ponies as if they owed them nothing, but, most of all, he blamed himself.
Raising his helmet in a salute to the crowd, Nero acknowledged the applause as he led his team on the winners’ gallop round the field. Only loyalty to the fans and to his team-mates was keeping him back. He badly wanted to be in the equine clinic with Colonel. He was desperate to check that everything possible was being done for the horse—and that shock hadn’t set in.
Bella was waiting as he cantered off the field. She looked as cool as ever, while he was in turmoil. Kicking the stirrups away, he threw his leg over his pony and sprang down, thrusting the reins into her hand in the same movement. ‘Ice immediately,’ he ordered.
‘I know,’ she soothed.
The grooms were already waiting, he noticed, with iced bandages to cool the pony’s overheated muscles. It was a pity they couldn’t cool his overheated mind at the same time.
‘Nero, you must take a drink too,’ Bella insisted, holding out a water bottle with the tempting bloom of ice still visible on its surface.
Ignoring her, he moved past her.
She chased after him and thrust it into his hands. ‘Drink,’ she insisted, glaring at him.
‘Can’t you take a hint?’ he demanded roughly, but he drank the water all the same.
He could feel Bella’s concern following him all the way to the clinic. He’d told her from the outset that life here was tough. She knew the game. She knew the risks—
But she had never seen him like this before. Too bad. There was no room on the estancia for passengers. His grandmother had taught him that at a very young age.
‘Nero, wait!’
Bella was running after him?
She not only ran after him, she ran ahead of him and stopped in front of him. ‘What the hell?’ He raked his hair.
‘You won’t do Colonel any good if you blaze into his stable in this state of mind.’ She stood unmoving, glaring at him. ‘I won’t let you go in there.’
‘Oh, won’t you?’ he said roughly, reaching out to move her away.
She slapped his hands down. ‘Don’t you dare touch me,’ she raged at him white-lipped. ‘While I’m here, those ponies are my responsibility as much as yours and I won’t let you visit the clinic while you’re like this!’
‘Are you questioning my judgement?’ he roared.
‘Right now?’ she roared back at him. ‘Yes, I am.’
He walked round her. Had he really expected the Ice Maiden to tremble and quake like a virgin?
‘I know why you’re angry, Nero,’ she said, running to keep up with him.
‘Oh, do you?’ he said.
‘Colonel was reaching the end of his playing days, and you think you hastened that…’ And when he made a sound of contempt it only prompted her to add fiercely, ‘You did no such thing, Nero. You rode into danger to save the situation.’