“No.” Jasim shook his head.
“I could ride her,” Ahsan said with a petulant tone Jasim recognised. The boy sounded like his father and grandfather.
“Maybe you could, but she’s too valuable to risk before a critical match.”
Jasim watched carefully as the boys followed Paolo down to the field. His brother and his wife came after. The boys seemed okay on their mounts. If they were already playing polo at school, then they should be fine.
As they reached the field, Jasim’s gaze locked onto Ru who was stick and balling with Poppy. He was so good, with a huge amount of potential.Jasim looked away before his brother noticed where his attention was focused, and once all the ponies were in the field, he closed the gate.
“Goes without saying, I’m sure,” Jasim said, though he was going to say it anyway. “But please watch Thana around the horses. She’s little and they’re not used to children. Benning Park is not child-safe. Don’t let her crawl under the fence.”
“I won’t,” Samira said.
Jasim headed off into the field, his mind not entirely where it should have been, though being ridden off by Nicolás soon sorted that. Nicolás whooped and Jasim gritted his teeth.
They’d been on the field for around fifteen minutes when Jasim heard Ru shout, “Don’t pull at her mouth.”
Jasim spun round and saw Ahsan strike Ru first with his crop, then with the mallet, knocking him off Shade. Jasim turned Dream in their direction, galloped over and leapt down at Ru’s side.
“I’m okay,” Ru said, pushing Jasim away as he got to his feet. “Look at Joni’s mouth. I kept telling him not to pull, there was no need to yank at her.”
Jasim moved over to Joni and swore under his breath. “Get off,” he told Ahsan.
“Why?”
“Because Joni now has a damaged mouth. And you deliberately hit another rider. Get off. Now.” Jasim took hold of the reins.
Ahsan climbed off and glared at Ru, then Jasim.
“Look at her mouth,” Jasim said quietly.
“The bit obviously didn’t fit properly.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the bit,” Ru snapped.
“Ru, take Joni back.” Jasim stared at him and Ru nodded. “Leave Shade here.”
Ru gasped. “You’re going to let him ride another pony when—”
“Back to the stables,” Jasim repeated.
Ru lifted the bridle over Joni’s ears and dropped it down her face. She opened her mouth and the bit fell free.
“Come, Joni,” Ru said and holding his mallet, walked her from the field.
“This is your last chance, Ahsan. There will not be another,” Jasim said quietly. “Mount up. I’ll sort your stirrups.”
Ahsan climbed onto Shade and Jasim set the stirrups at the right length.
“You can play with me.” Jasim climbed onto Dream and tossed a ball ahead of them.
In any other situation, Ahsan would be the one going back to the stables. Jasim hoped Ru forgave him, but if he let his nephew lose face in front of his father and the other players, if there was any chance of a reconciliation, that humiliation would have ended it.
Ahsan managed a few decent shots, but Jasim had to tell him twice about yanking on the reins. Makin might be two years younger, but he was a more instinctive rider. Jasim played with both of them for a while knowing his brother would want to know what they were like. There was no way Jasim wanted to be asked to take either boy under his wing. Was that even likely?No.It was a relief when play stopped and they were able to ride off the field. Waqas was still watching, but Samira and Thana had gone.
Makin leapt off his horse when he reached his father and started chattering excitedly about what fun it had been, how playing with people so much better than he was had taught him a lot.
“Thank you, Aam Jasim,” Makin said. “I really loved that.”
