Page 4 of The Lady and the Footballer
“Tommy, you know you must keep your mouth shut about that,” Colin muttered.
“Of course I will,” Tommy said indignantly. “You and I are two of the very few on this team that might actually get paid to be here, even though none of us are supposed to be.”
“I know it is illegal, but it is worth it. I cannot get on the bad side of Lord Harcourt. If I don’t have this money, I must spend more time working another job.”
“You already work all day in Harcourt’s mill.”
“I do. And still, it’s not enough to take care of everyone who relies on me.”
“I think it’s about time people in your life start making their own way forward.”
“It’s not that easy,” Colin mumbled.
“Maybe. Maybe not,” Tommy said with a shrug, but their conversation was cut short when the captain, Rhys Lockwood, caught them still on the sidelines and called out to them.
“Ladies! You are not here to gossip! Get your asses back onto the field.”
“Rude,” Colin said, only loud enough for Tommy to hear.
“Very much so,” Tommy agreed. “I know many ladies who work far harder than men. You should see my sister. In fact, youcouldsee my sister if you ever agreed to go out with her.”
“I’m not going out with your sister, Tommy!” Colin said before launching off to retake the field.
“Why not?”
“Because she looks just like you!”
As Tommy’s cry of indignation followed him onto the field, Colin couldn’t help his laughter.
It wasn’t just the sport that he loved.
It was the men. The camaraderie. The fact that he could provide for those who needed him because of it.
He would never do anything to risk him having to give it up.
Not even a beautiful young lady with eyes the colour of the sky.
“Thornton!”
They had just finished practicing and were filing off the field, most of them headed home for the evening not far from the mill. Salford was home to factories, workshops, and textile mills like the one Lord Harcourt owned and Colin worked at. Those who worked in the factories lived in terraced housing, small back-to-back cottages, or the lucky ones, in modest homes with a few bedrooms.
Colin whirled around to find the tall, imposing figure of Lord Harcourt standing against the iron fence that separated these lands from those of other owners. Colin groaned inwardly. He knew he had an impending conversation with the viscount; he had just hoped that it wouldn’t be today after he had injured the man’s daughter.
Rhys nodded at Colin, the most support the surly captain would give, and as he headed over to see Lord Harcourt at the fence. Colin could only hope that the viscount would consider his performance for more than the one incident. Lord Harcourt was only one committee member, but from what Colin knew, hewas now the team’s main sponsor, so his opinions held a lot of weight.
“A word,” Lord Harcourt said, pushing away from the fence. “Follow me.”
Colin bristled at the summons. He hated that this man could command him without a hint of manners, yet he knew he didn’t have much choice. Not if he wanted this position, as he desperately did.
Wiping his face on his shirt, he followed Lord Harcourt around a few mud puddles toward the mill buildings.
They circled the weaving shed and boiler house, past the main mill building where Colin spent most of his time, and onto the small office building on the part of the property closest to the river.
He then followed Lord Harcourt up the stairs to the top floor of the brick building, waiting as the viscount unlocked a door and led him into an office that Colin recognized as the factory manager’s. Turning on the gas, he lit the room as the grey skies darkened outside the small windows, which showed the yard beyond.
On the other side, large windows looked out over the factory floor, where the machinery still operated even at the lateness of the hour. The hum reverberated through the office while the scent of textiles filtered in. Lord Harcourt gestured to a wooden chair before his large mahogany desk, sitting in the slightly more comfortable chair on the other side, in front of shelves filled with ledgers and papers, while a large map of the property was draped behind Colin.
“Lord Harcourt, I must apologize again?—”
