Page 70 of The Hellion and the Captain
She smiled warmly at her before she looked around at the rest of them. Freddie still eyed her with concern, but that only made her smile more at him.
They didn’t speak of it again through the rest of breakfast, which had Emmaline slightly on edge. She knew her scheme was rather untoward, but weren’t most things her family did? As much as she appreciated that they were accepting of her choice, it would have been nice if they had been interested.
But that could come.
She had the support of her friends, even if she knew that Lily’s days of participating as a team member were ending as she looked increasingly uncomfortable with each practice. Ada had taken to the sport enthusiastically, while Minnie had some interest, if only because she was bored with the rest of her life.
And then there was Rhys. Rhys, who provided his unwavering support. Rhys, who had looked out for her as a member of Manchester Central even though he had initially felt it was a terrible idea. Rhys, who stood there beside her and helped her grow her dream.
Hewas who she wanted to tell her family about.
For he was her today and her tomorrow.
But she also knew that they had both worked so hard on building Manchester Central to where it was now, that for her to leave and give up that dream would disappoint not only the rest of their club and the club supporters, but also Rhys and her dreams.
Her plans were set. Beat Eton without anyone realizing who she was. Win the Cup.
Then, they could begin a new life. Together.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rhys waited impatiently in front of the train.
All of his players were accounted for, boarded, and ready to leave for Berkshire to take on Eton College.
All except one.
“Lockwood!” called out Lord Harcourt from the train platform a few cars ahead. “What is the hold up? We need everyone boarded.”
“Just waiting on Williams, my lord,” he called back.
So many things could have gone wrong. Emmaline could have been caught leaving the house. Her parents could have insisted that she accompany them as Emmaline, for they were planning to make the trip to watch Freddie play.
If she didn’t show up—as Emmett—then Manchester Central would have to play a player short. And those were only concerns about the immediate repercussions for the team, saying nothing of what else might have been discovered about Emmaline.
Just as the train whistle sounded, leaving Rhys no choice but to board, a small figure dressed in the team’sknickerbockers, a linen shirt, a jacket, and cap turned the corner and started running toward him down the platform, and Rhys breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that run – he had watched her at it for months now, both on the field and during their practice sessions.
“Emma—ett,” he said when she finally reached him, her breath coming fast. She climbed up the stairs he had pointed out to her. “Where were you?” he asked, keeping his distance, even though he would have liked nothing more than to wrap his arms around her, pull her close, and press his lips against hers so she would know how pleased he was to see her.
She glanced back at him and lowered her voice. “I had to feign illness and then wait until my parents left. By that time, I had no way to get here besides running for a hack, and I couldn’t find one.”
“Did you run all the way here?” he asked, noticing the bead of sweat that began to slide out from beneath her cap. She lifted her hand to wipe it, but then stopped before touching her cap, as she likely realized that to lift it could send all of that glorious dark hair sliding down over her shoulders.
“I did,” she said as they walked down the tight corridor toward their car and the train began to move. “Any water around here?”
He found a footman and asked before they made their way to join the rest of the team. Emmaline looked around her at the upholstered seats, two together on each side of the aisle, facing another pair. Rhys realized with a quick smile that she likely hadn’t ever travelled in this class before but was usually in the front with Lord Harcourt and Lily.
He had to appreciate that Lily, even though she likely had been offered a place to sit with her parents, was here in second class with the rest of the men as well as Felix’s wife.
“Williams! Didn’t think you’d made it,” Tommy said. “Good thing you’ve got that speed now.”
“Good thing,” Emmaline said dryly as she sank into the seat across from him, Rhys taking the place next to her. Thankfully, it was one of the few seats remaining, so it shouldn’t arouse any suspicion.
The train ride wasn’t long, but it was rather torturous, sitting so close to Emmaline, yet maintaining a respectable distance between them. He watched her interactions with their teammates. She wasn’t standoffish, but she wasn’t the Emmaline he had come to know. She was reserved, subdued, not wanting to give any of them reason to closely scrutinize her.
An hour in, when most of the men had begun to play cards or nap, as Tommy was across from them, Rhys leaned in toward her, passing her a small case.
“These are for you.”
