Page 76 of The Lady and the Footballer
“Then allow her to make that decision,” Diane said with a shrug. “Wouldn’t you want the same choice?”
He did. He truly did.
He had to figure this out.
And found the first answer to his questions waiting for him in the form of a note.
It had been two days, and Lily had yet to hear from Colin.
Perhaps that was why she allowed her mother to talk her into attending a social gathering. That, and the fact that Emmaline promised she would also be in attendance.
“This was a very poor decision,” Lily said to Emmaline once she joined her at the side of the room, tapping her foot faster than the beat of the music. “I feel as though I am wasting time. That the last place I should be is in the lion’s den, while Colin is out there, unaware of how I feel about him and uncertain about what he should do next.”
“No,” Emmaline said, her breath coming in short, quick pants, and it was only then that Lily realized how pink her cheeks were, how excited she was. “You are exactly where you are supposed to be.”
“I am in Lord Montgomery’s home!”
“Precisely,” Emmaline said, tugging on her arm. “Come with me.”
“Where?” Lily asked as she moved quickly to try to keep up. They received a fair share of curious glances as they hurried by, not at all ladylike in their rush out of the room.
Emmaline didn’t answer her question or say anything else until they were nearly out of the doorway, stopped by Lily’s mother, who stood there like a gatekeeper.
“Lily Evans, just where do you think you are going?”
She and Emmaline exchanged a glance.
“We were going for some air,” she said at the exact same time Emmaline said, “to the lady’s necessary.”
Her mother looked back and forth from one of them to the next before crossing her arms.
“Return to the ballroom.”
“But Mother—” Lily protested.
“There are a few gentlemen I would like you to meet.”
Lily had to suppress her groan but knew that the best way to escape her mother was to humor her.
“Very well, Mother,” she said. “I will meet them – after I have a short conversation with Emmaline.”
“Ten minutes,” her mother warned, and Lily nodded her agreement before her mother was, thankfully, distracted by an acquaintance, and Lily returned to Emmaline.
“Tell me what’s happening,” she demanded, no longer patient enough to add politeness to her concern.
Emmaline drew her over to the side of the room, away from anyone who could hear them.
“I was speaking to Tommy,” Emmaline began, and as desperate as Lily was to hear the story, she put up a hand to stop her friend.
‘Tommy as in Tommy Ward from Manchester Central?”
“Do you know any other Tommys?”
“No, but?—”
“Yes. That Tommy. I?—
“Why were you speaking to Tommy?” Lily couldn’t help but interject, but Emmaline just waved her concerns away.
