“What are you up to?” Paolo asked.
“Mike told me to clean all the geldings’ penises.”
“They didn’t need doing.”
“I told him—”
“What?” Mike stalked into the stables.
“Why did you ask Ru to do the geldings’ cocks?”
“I didn’t.”
Ru glared at him.
“They only need to be done every six months,” Mike said. “Otherwise, they lose the good bacteria.”
“I told you that,” Ru said. “But you told me to do the job so I did it.”
“I didn’t. You’re lying.”
Ru gave a short laugh. “Why would anyone voluntarily do this particular job? It’s probably the worst job that has to be done apart from putting a horse down.”
“He’s trying to make me look bad,” Mike said. “He has right from the day he started because I went to the supermarket without getting his order. I looked for him, but I had to leave to make sure I was back to let Diego have the car.”
Paolo sighed. “Stop this, both of you.”
“But I haven’t—” Ru began.
“No more,” Paolo snapped. “We have the most important match of the year in a few days’ time and I want no more unnecessary tension in the yard.”
“Clean the bridles, please Ru.” Mike smiled at him.
Ru headed for the tack room, fairly certain Mike was going to make more trouble for him.
He was right. But it took until two that afternoon. Ru hadn’t felt like lunch so he’d carried on cleaning bridles and now Mike was in the tack room too. Mike closed the door and leaned back against it.
“Why did he let you score that goal?”
Ru’s heart thumped. He stood up and moved to the far side of the table. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“There is no way you’d beat Jasim in a ride off. He’s a seven-goal player and you’re not even on the scale.”
“Nor are you,” Ru snapped back.
“He favours you. He bought your two nags. He gave you a job when you know nothing about polo. He taught you to swim. He let you stay in his house. He had you up there for a meal last night. I mean, what the fuck?”
He advanced on Ru who curled his toes in his boots.
“I got it wrong, didn’t I, when I asked that question, if he’d fucked you? I meant your uncle, but I saw that look on your face. You thought I meant Jasim.”
“Jasim hasn’t fucked me.” Ru immediately wished he’d not even said that.
Mike’s eyes lit up.“But you want him to.”
“You’re crazy. Leave me alone.” Ru went the other way around the table, but as he reached for the door handle, something hit the back of his head and he went down.
