“How unfair you are. And here I’ve just told you I want to keep you in perfect shape, not shattered or shaken or broken like those other girls in that tent.”

“Yet you threatened to treat me like Jeanne.”

“Only if you didn’t perform properly. Then you would be of no use to me.” He released her hair and took a step back. “Do you know how bored I’m getting sitting here in this jungle when I could be back in the mountains watching the wonders you can do with my horses?”

“I don’t care about your horses. What about the horses you stole from me? How are they? You don’t seem to have any faith in your own trainers. Are you sure my horses are being treated well?”

“Quite sure. My trainer and stable help are good enough, and they know the penalty for mistreating the horses.” He smiled. “And you sound very possessive about those horses I stole from St. Eldon’s. You were just an assistant trainer at the school. None of those horses belonged to you, did they?”

“No, of course not.” She met his eyes. “But I worked with them every day and they felt like mine.”

“How touching. But now they’re my horses and you should be glad I’m going to let you keep on working with them. You’ll be happy to know they all made the trip in good shape and seem to be doing well.” He frowned. “With the exception of the black stallion. He tried to kick the stall down and then savage my trainer, Davidow. They had to put him out in the field and are having to keep their eyes on him to prevent him from jumping the fence. What do you know about him?”

She should have known there would be a problem with the stallion. The horse had been trouble from the moment he was born. She kept her face completely without expression. “Not much. Boujois just persuaded the school to buy him from a breeder as an investment last month, but he hadn’t been able to do anything toward breaking him yet. He was going to start that same week you raided the school.”

“And he didn’t ask you to do it for him?”

Think quickly. “I was a student. The horse had already tried to savage one stable boy. The school wouldn’t permit it.”

“That’s reasonable.” He tilted his head. “But I’m wondering how you managed to catch that horse and put him in the trailer. Baldwin didn’t mention you having trouble catching any of the horses that day of the raid.”

“I was wondering that myself. He was probably worn out.”

“Well, he seemed to have regained his strength by the time he reached my stables. Bought as an investment? Very valuable?”