Page 47 of The Lady and the Footballer
“The note is from a young lady I am helping with something,” he said, hoping to appease her curiosity.
It did not.
“Ooooh, helping,” she said, fluttering her eyelashes. “And justhoware you helping her?”
“Sally, that is enough!” their mother said as she walked into the room, shooing Sally away with a towel. The reprieve was only slight, however, as Colin’s mother now eyed him expectantly. “Well? Are you going to answer?”
He ran a hand through his hair.
“There are some issues with the football club,” he answered as honestly as he could. “Money is being lost, and Rhys is making up for it himself, but he’s bitter because he knows that I am being paid to play. The least I can do is figure out what’s happening.”
“I see,” his mother said, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back against the counter as a delicious-smellingconcoction simmered in the pot behind her. “And just how does a young woman fit into this?”
“She’s a bookkeeper with the team. She is helping me determine what is going on.”
His mother nodded, although she eyed him with that same knowing expression she always had when he was a child trying to get away with something.
Not much ever got by Peggy Thornton. He only hoped he could prevent her from discovering Lily’s true identity, for he was sure that she would have much to say about that.
“I’m supposed to meet her tonight,” he said. “But I don’t suppose I could have some dinner first?”
“Could never allow you to leave on an empty stomach,” his mother said with a grin. “Best hurry up and eat. Wouldn’t want to leave a lady waiting.”
Little did she know how true her words were.
Chapter Seventeen
If Lily had given Colin more notice, he would have accompanied her from home to The King’s Head, but he had no idea when she would have left, for she never gave a time in her note. He assumed she would sneak out as soon as she had the opportunity.
He could only hope that she would do so safely.
He was about to open the back door of The King’s Head when it swung out toward him, nearly knocking him over as he quickly sidestepped into the alley.
“Colin!” Lily pushed the hair back away from her face. “I was beginning to worry you were not going to come.”
“Here I am,” he said, stepping toward her and stopping only inches from her face as he looked her up and down to ensure all was well.
Why it wouldn’t be, he wasn’t sure.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, noting her flushed cheeks.
“Nothing is wrong,” she said, excitement in her voice. “Not at all. I know what we need to do now.”
“Oh?”
“The answers aren’t here. They are at Lord Montgomery’s mill.”
She set off so quickly away from the club that Colin had to break into a slow run to catch up with her.
“What does Lord Montgomery have to do with anything?” he asked once they were in step once more.
“I was unsure if you received my note in time, so instead of waiting, I went into the club’s office alone.”
“Lily, what if you had been caught?”
“It would have been easier to explain my presence alone than had we been together. I would have said I was finding something I needed for my work. Only Pritchard would have known that was a lie. Anyway, I found money in the top drawer of his desk. It was in an envelope marked with an address that I recognize as Lord Montgomery’s mill.”
“Did it say what it was for?”
