Page 59 of The Hellion and the Captain
Rhys furrowed his brows at her. It wasn’t like Lily to be so evasive. He looked her up and down. She was dressed differently than usual. The hemline of her dress, made of heavy cotton, was short, with no bustle in the back, and she wore boots as though she was about to go walking, while an unusual cap held most of her hair back away from her face. What was she up to? If something was amiss, he had a feeling he knew who was at the thick of it. “Is Emmaline here?”
“She is not,” Lily said, but then he heard feminine voices inside, and his urgency to see Emmaline and ensure she was well overcame reason as he pushed past Lily through the door.
“Rhys!” Lily said, hurrying after him. “Would you wait just a moment?”
He stopped before the drawing room, seeing two other women standing in front of him, only neither had a dark head of silky hair nor violet eyes.
He recognized Minnie and he thought the other woman was familiar, but he couldn’t be sure.
“Apologies,” he murmured, looking around.
“Emmaline is not here,” Lily said with a sigh, her arms crossed over her chest. “However, Minnie, Ada, and I will meet her soon.”
“Where is she?” he demanded, and Lily only crooked an eyebrow at him.
“I’m sorry, but I have not seen her in a week, and I am worried,” he said, trying to tamp down his impatience. “She did not attend our last—” he wasn’t sure how much the third woman knew “—appointment, and she has not responded to any of my notes.”
“She has been rather busy,” Lily said before sighing. “Very well, Rhys, you may come with us, but please do not tell Emmaline that I invited you.”
“You didn’t.”
“No, I did not,” she agreed before they started out the door, the three women all dressed in a similar fashion.
“Where are we going?” he asked as they followed the drive, turning toward a property that was becoming more familiar than it should have been. “To Emmaline’s clearing?”
Lily ignored him. “How is the bank these days, Rhys?”
“Same as ever.”
“Meaning?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s a job, Lily. One that I am fortunate to hold.”
“You know, one of these days, you are going to have to realize that you are worthy of whatever you set your mind to, Rhys.Youare not lucky to have your job at the bank, but the bank is lucky to have you.”
He stopped so suddenly that Lily and her friends had to look back to see if he was still there.
“Are you not joining us anymore?”
“Of course I am,” he said, hurrying to catch up, but Lily’s words were churning in his mind. He had come from nearlynothing, but his parents had always ensured he received an education. Still, all along the way, those who had given him opportunities had never let him forget that he could be returned to the streets he came from within a moment’s notice. Even Mr. Chestermere, the man who had given him his job in the bank and the role of captain with the club, had made that clear right up until the day he died.
Lily stopped and waited for him, allowing Minnie and Ada to walk ahead.
“I can see how good you and Emmaline could be together, Rhys, but I’m also worried,” she said in a low voice.
“How so?”
“Emmaline cares for you. More than she has likely admitted. She doesn’t allow anyone too close, for she had been rejected too many times in the past, and the closer she lets someone, the more it hurts when they choose another.”
“Who has rejected her?” he demanded.
Lily eyed him thoughtfully, but didn’t comment, instead simply answered his question.
“As you have clearly noticed, she’s beautiful. Captivating. Can engage people simply by being herself. Men love spending time with her, and in the past, she was under the impression that more than one was interested in a future with her. But they were only interested in having some fun before they found a woman to settle down with. One who was demure, quiet, did as she was told and was educated enough to participate in conversations but not to lead them.”
“Those men are idiots.”
“I only ask that you don’t become one of them. I say that from a place of love.”
