Page 15 of The Hellion and the Captain
Despite being married to a baron, her mother had been raised in a family that valued hard work, and she had taken to her efforts of feminine reform with dogged determination.
It worked well for Emmaline, for it meant that her mother’s attention was usually elsewhere.
“Will you be home for dinner?”
“I will take dinner with her.”
“Very well. We will be out at a fundraiser at The Free Trade Hall. You do not have to attend if you would rather not.”
“Thank you, Mother,” Emmaline said with relief.
As happy as Emmaline was for Lily, she also missed her companion. Together, they would attend all of the dreary events and balls and social engagements that they had to endure. At least together, it was possible to see them through. Since Lily had married, Emmaline spent the entire night dancing, and yet, was completely alone.
She enjoyed dancing well enough, but with the football practices, she was utterly exhausted and had been finding herself opting out of them more often than not.
She was forever grateful that her mother was not overly concerned about chaperoning her every move and supported the decisions she made – unlike Lily’s mother, although she had slightly come around now that Lily was married and she had no other children to be concerned about.
Even so, there were a few things that even Emmaline’s mother would not quite understand.
Like wearing a disguise to play football.
Emmaline took off at a quick pace through the manicured grounds, which, in the late summer season, were a sea of emerald green, flowers of every color still dotting the landscape. Her destination of the gardener shed was a small, weatheredstructure at the far end, barely visible behind a thick row of tall bushes.
Her footsteps pounded against the ground, the grass rustling beneath her feet, until she came to a stop in front of the far shed.
It was not used often, but it was also not completely abandoned, so she had to be careful.
Usually if one of the gardening staff were within, the door was open, but in an overabundance of caution, Emmaline placed her ear against the door. Hearing nothing, she pulled it open a crack, enough to peer inside, before opening it farther and slipping in.
It was dark, a few slivers of light coming in through slits between the boards that made up the shed.
In two steps, Emmaline was on the other side, crouched down on the floor to find the bundle of clothing she had hidden. She changed quickly, sighing in relief when the corset bindings loosened around her middle and the breeches fit loosely around her waist. Mrs. O’Connor had done a fine job of sewing the side of them so they didn’t fall down, and her shirt hid the rest of it.
With a few deft strokes of charcoal, she darkened and thickened her eyebrows, giving her face a more masculine appearance. She used a bit of soot from a container she had gathered it in to create the illusion of the faintest stubble along her jawline and upper lip. She tucked her long, dark braided hair under a cap, completing her transformation.
Underneath the clothing was a small oval mirror, which she pulled out to check her face.
She carefully studied her reflection, taking in the transformation from Miss Emmaline Whitmore to Mr. Emmett Williams. She reached up to tuck a few stray pieces of hair under the cap, ensuring no errant locks escaped to betray her true identity. With practiced movements, she smudged a bitof dirt across her cheeks and nose, adding to the illusion of a young man who spent his days toiling in the shipping offices.
Satisfied with her appearance, Emmaline gathered up her discarded dress and undergarments, bundling them tightly and stowing them in the corner of the shed. She couldn’t risk anyone discovering them and questioning why a lady’s garments were hidden away in such a place.
Taking a deep breath, Emmaline squared her shoulders and stepped out of the shed, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight. She strode purposefully across the grounds, her gait changing to match the confident swagger of a young man. It had taken time to perfect the mannerisms and movements that would allow her to blend in seamlessly with the other footballers, but they now came much more naturally.
As she hired a hack and made her way towards the football pitch, Emmaline’s mind raced with anticipation. She had worked tirelessly to prove herself worthy of a spot on the team, enduring grueling practices and pushing her body to its limits. Today was the day she would find out if it had all been worth it.
But even as nervous excitement coursed through her veins, Emmaline knew she couldn’t let her guard down. The slightest misstep could expose her secret and shatter everything she had worked so hard for. She would have to be vigilant, always on alert for any sign that someone might suspect the truth behind Emmett Williams.
As the football pitch came into view, Emmaline took a moment to steady herself. She knew the challenges that lay ahead, but she was determined to face them head-on. With a final adjustment of her cap, she strode forward, ready to take her place among the men and prove that she belonged there, just as much as any of them.
The pitch had only just come into view when it was blocked by a tall, strong, broad chest.
“Williams.”
“Yes?” Emmaline said, looking up. She was a tall woman, but she had nothing on a man like Rhys Lockwood.
“We need to talk.”
Here it was. The time when he told her that she hadn’t done enough, that he was going to choose someone else to join the team instead of her.
