“So protective.” He gave another tug at her hair. “Always running around trying to help and comfort all your friends. How grateful they must be to you.”

“No. If anything, they resent me because you give me special treatment. They don’t understand.”

“Say the word and I’ll punish them for you,” he said softly.

“No.” He would love doing that, she knew. The guilt she’d feel would be a new way to hurt her. “I don’t care.”

“I can see how the fact I let you have the run of the camp might make them consider you a traitor.” He smiled down at her. “And since I do let you have that much freedom, that would mean if anyone saw Baldwin, it would probably be you. You have keen eyes and you’re very sharp. When was the last time you saw Baldwin, Sasha?”

“Before I went to my tent last night, I caught a glimpse of him going into his own tent clutching a whiskey bottle. I remember thinking that I hoped he’d pass out before he sent for one of those poor girls to come and entertain him.” Her lips twisted. “You haven’t sent for him lately, so they’ve been taking a lot of punishment from Baldwin.” She suddenly lashed out, “If you don’t want him any longer, why don’t you feed him to a python? Everyone would be much better off.”

“You think he’s jealous?” He shrugged. “It’s possible, but he has to learn his place.” His eyes narrowed. “But I’m wondering if he might have been upset enough to go after you against my orders. Did he?”

She shook her head. “He’s too scared of you. He wouldn’t do that unless he was very drunk, and even then he’d think twice.” She paused and added, “Though I’m sure he’s wondering why you made me out of bounds. Sometimes I do.”

“Because you have to be perfect,” he said. “Perfect in body and mind and able to think and concentrate totally on the horses. I’ve heard about the power of horse whisperers all my life and never run across one. I was beginning to think the concept was only a myth until that day I sent you up in the hills to bring those twelve horses back to me. I couldn’t believe it when you managed to get them in those horse trailers in less than forty minutes. Even Baldwin said you were amazing—and he was furious with you at the time.” His smile was mocking. “Though I did give you an excellent impetus to make it happen, didn’t I? I wish I could have been up there in the hills to see you scrambling desperately to save your friends from the same fate I’d dealt Boujois. I would have found it wonderfully amusing.”

She shuddered. “You’re a horrible man.”