Page 73 of The Lady and the Footballer
Because of Lily.
No matter the circumstances, this man was still her father. And she deserved to remain close to him, to not allow Colin’s experiences with the man to sully her relationship with him.
Every time Colin had been with Lily, he had known that it was a stolen moment in time, that there was no way for them to truly be together – even though he had hoped, with that part of him that knew the truth of his feelings for her – that somehow, someway, they would find a way forward, that there would be a hidden pathway they could sneak down to seek out their happily ever after.
This was his grim reminder that he was nothing more than a mill worker and football player. She was the daughter of a viscount.
He would be best to do as Lord Harcourt said and leave without a look behind. Forgetting about her and their forbidden future.
“Lily, there you are. What are you doing down here?”
Lily looked up at her father expectantly as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen, looking sorely out of place. It was telling that he had no idea this was a place of familiarity for her. She and Emmaline were seated in front of the counter, Emmaline telling her what her predictions were for the rest of the football season. After a few years of listening to such descriptions, Lily had finally found the same interest – although for different reasons.
“I was hungry.”
He looked confused but didn’t comment on that.
“I have to speak with you urgently about something.”
“Go ahead.”
“It’s best we talk alone. It is a discreet matter.”
“What do you mean?”
“With the club. We have found the traitor.”
“Who? How? When?”
She and Emmaline shared a glance as her father motioned them out of the room. They said goodbye to Mrs. O’Conner, thanked her for the treats she had shared, and eventually settled in the parlor.
The stare he fixed her told her that this would not be good news, and she braced herself. Who was involved? Was it one of the club sponsors? It couldn’t be Rhys or Tommy, could it? She had been so sure that they were loyal to the club.
“A note about bribery to sway the game and a roll of money were found among the possessions of one of the players during practice.”
“Oh, no,” she said, her heart dropping. Colin would be so upset to hear that someone had betrayed them like that. “Who?”
“Colin Thornton.”
“What?” she said, her head snapping up to meet her father’s stare, noting how closely he watched her, likely trying to gauge her reaction.
Let him.
She no longer cared if he knew her feelings.
“He was the one who was working against the team. I released him immediately from both the club and the mill.”
“But Father, he didn’t do it!” Lily exclaimed, her heart falling.
He arched an eyebrow. “You cannot be certain of that.”
“But I am!” she insisted, desperate to protect Colin and the life he had worked so hard for. “I know him. I—I worked with him, closely.”
“Sometimes we do not truly know the people we seem closest to,” her father said, reaching out and patting her hand. “You will understand one day.”
“There is nothing to understand,” she said stubbornly. “For you have this wrong.”
Emmaline leaned in slightly closer. “My apologies for interrupting, Lord Harcourt, but from what I know, Colin Thornton is an upstanding, loyal man.”
