Page 21 of The Hellion and the Captain (Scandals and Scores #2)

Chapter Eighteen

“ L ockwood!”

Rhys looked up to see Lord Harcourt standing on the edge of the practice field, arms crossed over his chest as he stared him down.

He looked stern, but even the worry was hard to bring down Rhys’s euphoria after the best night of his life had taken place the night before. Emmaline was everything he had ever wanted and more, and her appetite for him was more than he could ever have dreamed about.

As the club’s primary sponsor, Lord Harcourt – Lily’s father – had taken a greater interest in the team as of late, but to be summoned by him near the end of practice was not usually a good sign.

Colin knew that better than anyone, having had a few interactions with him the past season, and he shot Rhys a glance of concern as Emmaline stared openly at them.

Colin booted the ball toward her, allowing it to softly hit her calves, as though to remind her of where and who she was, and that she shouldn’t be drawing any attention toward herself from Lord Harcourt, a man who had known her since she was a child, although he had never been particularly present or observant.

Fortunately, she dropped her gaze, and Rhys slowly ran over to the side of the field, stopping before the viscount.

“My lord,” he said with a nod of deference. “What can I help you with today?”

“A word,” he said, crooking a finger at him.

Rhys called out to Colin and Felix to finish up the end of practice, telling them that he would see them all for the game on Saturday before he took off, following Lord Harcourt, who had just expected him to follow along as he led him across the field and up to the administration offices of the mill just beyond the practice field.

It wasn’t until they had walked up the stairs to the mill manager’s office that Lord Harcourt took a seat and motioned for Rhys to do the same in the chair before the desk.

The hum of the factory machines filtered through the office while the factory floor, where a couple of his teammates spent their days, was visible through the large windows on the wall of the office. Rhys focused on Lord Harcourt.

“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 whom he 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.”

“So it would,” Emmaline said with a grin.

“If you need anything, I am here.”

“I appreciate that, Rhys.”

“I have been thinking.”

“Why do I not like the sound of that?” She lifted her brows as she waited for his explanation.

“We need to be careful. If Lord Harcourt was told that we were involved, that there are suspicions about you, it means that someone is watching.”

“Who could it possibly be?”

“I’m not sure,” he said, tapping his fingers against his arms. “Who gains from your downfall?”

“If it was last year, I would say Lord Montgomery, but he has nothing to do with the Athletics anymore. And while there is still a rivalry between the clubs, remember how the players came to your aid last year when you were attacked in the game against them?”

“They did,” Rhys considered. “Most of them.”

“I didn’t see anyone who didn’t join in.”

“They all joined in,” he said. “But one or two players didn’t seem to know which side they were fighting for.”

“I can guess who,” she said, her nose crinkling in that way of hers that he loved so much. “Victor Reeves?”

“Yes,” Rhys answered grimly. “I’ll find out more about him and his activities as of late. If he is after you…”

“Then I just might be in trouble.”

“Yes. Emmaline, we cannot be seen alone together.”

“I still need to practice,” she argued, even though he could see in her face that she felt the same as he did – it wasn’t just practice that she would miss.

“We’ll find a way,” he said. “Even now, we should go from here. You leave first. How are you returning home?”

“Colin will be waiting at The King’s Head.”

“Good,” he said, walking over to her, taking a risk he decided was worth it as he cupped his hands around her head and drew her in for a quick, firm kiss.

Making love to her, kissing her, even being in her presence, was intoxicating, and he could only laugh at his previous thought that a kiss with her would be enough to sate his appetite.

It had only fired it.

“Take care of yourself when I am not there to do so, you hear me?” he said, more concerned for her than he would like to admit.

“Of course,” she said, her beautiful violet eyes staring back into his. “And the same to you.”

She reached out and tapped her finger on his nose, and he could only laugh as she walked away with a seductive look over her shoulder.

He had been searching for companionship, for a woman to fit him perfectly for years, and no one had ever captivated him enough for him to consider spending more than a few days with her.

She had spoken of men who wanted to tame her spirit, but all he wanted was to be swept up within it, to be allowed to be part of her.

This woman had snuck into his life with so much vigor, so perfect for him in every way.

Except for who she was, where she came from, and the circumstances they found themselves in.

Nothing about this was easy.

But then, anything worthwhile never was.