Master of Bella Terra by Christina Hollis Page A

quitter. If something can be imagined, it can be achieved.’
    â€˜Like a holiday home on Mars, maybe?’
    Kira ignored him. Rummaging in her bag for a notebook and pencil, she began scribbling instead.
    â€˜I’ll tell you what I like—’ Stefano began, but she shook her head.
    â€˜This will only work if I tell you what is feasible first. Then you can choose which plants from my list you prefer.’
    Stefano lodged his hands on his hips. ‘What happened to “the client is always right”?’
    Kira snapped her notebook shut, looked up and stared at him. He stared back. Despite her flinty expression, her mind was moving like quicksilver. This was one argument she could not afford to lose. Stefano could be infuriating, but he was offering her a series of lucrative contracts. He was also close to irresistible, and very easy on the eye. As long as she could harden her heart to stay out of his clutches, this would be a dream appointment. This site presented huge problems, but Kira would enjoy overcoming them. It gave her an unbeatable feeling to see a satisfied client, especially when it was a job other firms might consider too difficult. And she would be working for Stefano. The idea remained deliciously dangerous. She decided on a trial run.
    â€˜Fine. You’re right—I’m not going to argue with you,’ she announced. ‘As long as you settle my bills, I’ll do whatever you want. I can’t guarantee you will be perfectly happy first time, though. The only plants that have a chance of surviving here are the sorts chosenspecifically for these conditions. Unless you do as I say, you may end up with plants that have to be replaced every few weeks, because they die.’
    â€˜That’s not a problem.’ He shrugged.
    â€˜It is for me. I’m no tree hugger, but I can’t stand the thought of all that waste. I’d rather we worked together as a team from the start and got this right straight away. Wouldn’t you?’
    â€˜When you put it like that…’ he reasoned.
    Kira smiled. ‘Great. My own website has a facility for choosing the right plant for the right place. I’ll take you through the process, and then you’ll be able to download the selection and spend as long as you like choosing what you want. The final decision will always be yours.’
    His eyes narrowed. ‘I know. That’s why I’m looking forward to co-operating with you. Why don’t we go inside? I can check out your suggestions, and try to soften a few of your rough edges at the same time.’ He showed her towards the main door of his house.
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    Stefano ordered coffee and invited Kira into a stark, brightly lit office on the ground floor. It was full of the best and most expensive computing equipment, and the school-room stink of exam papers, solvents and printing ink. She recoiled. It was too sharp a reminder of the days when every exam success meant she was subject to more sneering at home.
    With a computer logged in, Stefano stood to let her take his place at the keyboard. Kira called up her website. The moment he saw it, he looked impressed. That gave her confidence a big boost.
    â€˜I want to feel the same affection you have for yourown home,’ he said, leaning over the back of her chair. ‘I enjoy property, yet somehow it never turns out to be the pleasure I expect it to be. Whenever I buy anything, it is a rock-solid investment,’ he said, but with an unusual lack of enthusiasm.
    Kira was so surprised by the note in his voice, she swivelled her chair around to face him.
    â€˜You don’t sound convinced, and I can’t say I’m surprised. I don’t care what my cottage on the Bella Terra estate is worth, but I suppose it will be a lot less than I paid for it.’
    â€˜You’re right. For once, I don’t seem to care about the money. It’s something far more important that concerns me, Kira. I