The Sheikh's Baby: One Night With The Sheikh / The Sheikh's Blackmailed Mistress. PENNY JORDAN

financially independent.’ As she saw his expression Mariella turned on her heel.

      Hurrying away from him, she tensed as she suddenly felt a touch on her arm, but when she looked round it was only the prince’s assistant.

      ‘The prince would like you to join his table for breakfast, Miss Sutton,’ he told her. ‘If I may escort you first to the crèche,’ he added tactfully.

      Angrily Xavier watched as the crowd swallowed her up. How dared she lie to him and claim to be financially independent, especially when she knew he knew the truth about her?

      She was the most scheming and deceitful woman he had ever met, a woman he was a total fool to spare the smallest thought for!

      * * *

      THE CONVERSATION AROUND the breakfast table was certainly very cosmopolitan, Mariella decided as she listened to two other women discussing the world’s best spa resorts, whilst the men debated the various merits of differing bloodstock.

      After the breakfast was over and people were beginning to drift away, the prince came over to Mariella.

      ‘My assistant will telephone you to make formal arrangements for us to discuss my commission,’ he told her.

      ‘I was wondering if it would be possible for me to visit your new enclosure?’ Mariella asked him. ‘Or, failing that, perhaps see some plans?’

      She had the beginnings of a vague idea which, if the prince approved, would be innovative, but first she needed to see the enclosure to see if it would work.

      ‘Certainly. I shall see that it is arranged.’

      As he escorted her outside Mariella saw Xavier standing several yards away, her face beginning to burn as he looked at the prince and then allowed his glance to drift with slow and deliberate insolence over her, assessing her as though…as though she were a piece of…of flesh he was contemplating buying, Mariella recognised.

      ‘Highness!’

      ‘Xavier.’ As the two men exchanged greetings Mariella turned to leave, but somehow Xavier had moved and was blocking her way.

      ‘I see that you do not have Fleur with you!’

      ‘No,’ Mariella agreed coldly. ‘She is in the crèche. I am just on my way to collect her.’

      ‘You know Miss Sutton, Xavier? I hadn’t realised. I am about to avail myself of her exceptional services, and she has promised me something extremely innovative.’

      Mariella winced as she recognised from his expression just what interpretation Xavier had put on the prince’s remarks. Excusing herself, she managed to push her way past Xavier, but to her consternation he only allowed her to take a few steps into the shadows cast by one of the pavilions before catching up with her and taking hold of her arm.

      ‘My word, but you are a witch! The prince is renowned for his devotion to his wife and yet he speaks openly of entering a relationship with you!’

      Mariella did not dignify that with an answer. Instead she bared her teeth at him in a savage little smile as she told him sweetly, ‘There, you see, you need not have gone to all that trouble to protect your cousin. There is no need for you to go running to him now to tell him all about your sordid and appalling behaviour towards me. After all, once he gets to hear about the fact that the prince is paying for my…expertise…’

      ‘You dare to boast openly about it?’ Xavier was gripping her with both hands now, his fingers digging into the vulnerable flesh of her upper arms.

      To her own surprise Mariella discovered that winding Xavier up was great fun and she was actually enjoying herself.

      ‘Why shouldn’t I?’ she taunted him. ‘I am proud of the fact that my skills are so recognised and highly thought of, and that I am able to earn a very respectable living for myself by employing them!’

      As his fingers bit even harder into her arms she viewed the ominous white line around his mouth with a dangerous sense of reckless euphoria.

      ‘In fact, in some circles I have already made quite a name for myself.’

      She had gone too far, Mariella realised as her euphoria was suddenly replaced with apprehension.

      ‘You are proud of being known as a high-class whore? Personally I would have classed you merely as an expensive one!’

      Mariella was just about to slap him when he said, ‘If you strike me here you could well end up in prison, whereas if I do this…’

      She gasped as he bent his head and subjected her to a savagely demanding kiss, arching her whole body back as she fought not to come into contact with his, and lost that fight. In the shadows of the pavilion he used his physical strength to show her what she already knew—that despite his rage and contempt he was physically aroused by her! Just as she was by him?

      He released her so abruptly that she almost stumbled. As he turned away from her he reached into his robe and removed a wallet, opening it to throw down some money.

      White-faced, Mariella stared at him. Deep down inside herself she knew that she had deliberately incited and goaded him, but not for this.

      ‘Pick it up!’ he told her savagely.

      Mariella took a deep breath and gathered what was left of her dignity around her. ‘Very well,’ she agreed calmly. ‘I am sure the charity will be grateful for it, Xavier. I understand it helps to support abandoned children.’

      She prayed that he would think the glitter in her eyes was caused by her contempt and not by her tears.

      Silently Xavier watched her go. His own behaviour had shocked him but he was too stubbornly proud to admit it—and even more stubbornly determined not to acknowledge what had actually caused it.

      How could he admit to jealousy over the favours of such a woman? How could he acknowledge that his own desire to possess her went far, far beyond the physical desire for just her body? He could not and he did not intend to do so!

       CHAPTER SEVEN

      ‘A FRIEZE?’

      The prince frowned as he looked at Mariella.

      It was three days since the charity breakfast, and two since she had visited the new enclosure.

      After what had happened with Xavier, the temptation to simply pack her bags and return home had been very strong, but stubbornly she had refused to give in to it.

      It wasn’t her fault that he had totally misinterpreted things. Well, at least not entirely! And besides…Besides, the commission the prince was offering her had far too much appeal for her as an artist to want to turn it down, never mind what her agent was likely to say!

      So instead of worrying about Xavier she had spent the last two days working furiously on the idea she had had for the prince’s new enclosure.

      ‘The semicircular walkway that leads to the enclosure would be perfect for such a project,’ she told him. ‘I could paint your horses there in a variety of different ways, either in their boxes, or in a string. I have spoken to your trainers and grooms and they have told me that they all have their individual personalities and little quirks, so if I painted them in a string I could include some of these. Solomon in particular, they tell me, does not like anyone else to lead the string, and then Saladin will not leave his box until his groom has removed the cat who is his stable companion. Shazare can’t tolerate other horses with white socks, and—’

      The prince laughed. ‘I can see how well you have done your research, and, yes, I like what you are suggesting. It will be an extremely large project, though.’

      Mariella gave a small shrug.

      ‘It will allow me to paint the animals lifesize, certainly.’

      ‘It will need to be done in time for the official