Page 55 of The Hellion and the Captain
“Is there a problem with the club?” Rhys asked, crossing his arms over his chest. As captain, he was the liaison between the players and the club committee, so it was not unknown for him to be tasked with addressing matters.
Lord Harcourt’s expression was pained as he played with one side of his mustache.
“I hesitate to bring this up,” he said slowly, “but a matter has been brought to my attention. A personal matter.”
“Very well,” Rhys said, waiting, curious about who the man was going to talk about.
“What you do on your own time is your business, of course, but as a club representative, I do feel the need to become involved regarding matters between players on my team.”
“Understood,” Rhys said, wondering to whomhe was referring. Had there been an altercation between two of his teammates? He wouldn’t ignore that.
“I received an anonymous tip that Emmett Williams is not who we believe he is, and that you might have overlooked his duplicity because of your inappropriate relationship with him.”
“Pardon me?” Rhys said, standing so abruptly that his chair fell onto the floor behind him. He righted the chair, using the time to calm himself before he spoke. His words were true, yet he kept them measured.
“You have levelled more than just one accusation in a matter of seconds, Lord Harcourt. I do not want to be disrespectful, but I also cannot stand to hear one of my players talked poorly about, nor my own integrity come into question. While a man’s private life should be his own and I will place no judgment upon it, I do not take kindly to the suggestion that, as captain, I would treat any of my players differently from another.”
“I understand,” Lord Harcourt said, more patiently than Rhys would have guessed. “As it happens, last year I nearly had a falling out with my own daughter because I believed a rumor without authenticating it with her first. Which is why I am asking you here. To tell me the truth of the matter.”
He sat back, waiting, and Rhys looked up at the ceiling, trying to decide what best to say to Lord Harcourt. He finally settled on the truth – or, at least, a version of it.
“When Williams came out for the team, he had a great deal of talent, but not much idea of teamwork or conditioning,” he said. “I offered to do practice with him to help him get up to speed with the rest of the men. So yes, I have been spending additional time with him, but only to better the team. And it’s working – you must have seen how well he performed in the last game.”
“I did,” Lord Harcourt said, inclining his head.
“As for who he is and what he does in his time away from the field… well, I suppose that is his own business. I’m not sure that it truly matters, does it?”
Lord Harcourt heaved a sigh. “No, I don’t suppose it does. There are no strict rules on who is actually eligible to play for a club, as long as he is registered with the team. I appreciate the time you put into this club, Lockwood, and have not forgotten what you did last season in making up the funds for the player expenses.”
Rhys shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He would have preferred no one had ever found out about what he had done, but at least it was all dealt with now.
“Of course, my lord. I take great pride in being captain of this club.”
“Your integrity and dedication have not been overlooked. I will leave the matter of Williams with you and trust that you will bring anything untoward to our attention. While we might not be breaking any rules, we also want this team to be highly esteemed.”
“Of course, my lord,” Rhys said, as guilt began eating away at him, knowing what he was hiding from the man who made sure they had the ability to have a team, as well as the men who stood beside him on the football pitch.
He rubbed his brow as Lord Harcourt dismissed him, and returned to the football pitch. When he entered the bathhouse, he found that only Emmaline remained.
“Oh, Rhys,” she said, placing a hand over her heart as she packed up her belongings. She typically changed at home, so as not to risk anyone walking in on her as Rhys had that first day. “You startled me. What did Lord Harcourt want?”
“Well,” he said, sitting heavily on the bench across from her. “He wanted to speak to me about you.”
“Me?” she said in surprise, forgetting her belongings as she whirled around to face him.
He kept his distance from her to not distract himself as he repeated the conversation as best he could. Her brows knitted together as she listened, sighing when he finished.
“I’m sorry to put you in that position, Rhys,” she said. “I know how much this club means to you, and as much as I hate to say this… perhaps it’s just not all worth it anymore. It was different when it was just my secret, but now, with you and Colin involved and with you and I… well, I just wonder if there is too much at risk.”
“I don’t want to see you give up your dreams of playing football,” he said, shaking his head, although her offer to sacrifice what she truly loved meant more than he would ever let on.
“Maybe there’s another way,” she said with a shrug. “There are women’s teams. My parents forbade me from playing, but perhaps it is time I learn from my mother.”
“Your mother?”
“She fights for women’s rights and has always suggested that I join her. Maybe I do the same but make my fight a bit more… focused.”
“Would be hard to argue that logic.”
