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Chapter Twenty-Nine

“ F ather? I must speak with you.”

Lily took a step into her father’s study, holding Lord Montgomery’s damaging book in tight-knuckled hands. She had promised Colin that she would make this right, and she had seen the love and trust in his eyes, staring right back at her.

She had to prove to him that his trust was not misplaced, and that she could do this for him – take care of him and stand up for him.

But the truth that she didn’t want to face was that all she could do was try. Her father still had the opportunity to say no, and then she would be left with nothing.

No plan. No way forward. No way to defend Colin and restore to him all that had been taken away from him.

“Are you going to tell me the truth about why you left Lord Montgomery’s last night or what all that commotion in the garden was about?” he asked, not looking up from his ledger – thankfully, for Lily was sure her mouth had dropped open.

“What commotion?”

“Even with the musicians, we could hear shouting from the garden. While no one could be certain who was involved, it occurred shortly after you departed.”

“Hmm,” she said with a shrug. “We must have missed it. I hope you had an enjoyable time.”

“I did,” he said, folding his hands in front of him. “Now, what did you wish to speak to me about?”

Straight to the point. Very well.

“When you removed Mr. Thornton from the club and the mill, you did so because of evidence against him, correct?”

“Yes,” he said, his jaw tightening. “And it appears I was right to do so. I am not certain if you have heard, but Colin Thornton is now wanted for theft.”

“Accused by Lord Montgomery.”

“So it seems.”

“The same man who is your rival in business as well as on the football field. Who would have the most to gain by your downfall, who I told you was plotting against you.”

“What are you trying to say, Lily?”

“I am trying to say that he is the one who has been plotting against you, the club, and the mill. He has been bribing players, causing mishaps, trying to bring about your downfall. And I can prove it.”

“How?”

“Because there was a theft last night. Only I was the one who stole something.”

“What?” he said, his mouth dropping open. “Lily, tell me you are jesting.”

“I am not,” she said, lifting the ledger from her lap and dropping it open in front of him.

“Look through this yourself. It is very obvious that Lord Montgomery is attempting to bribe players, and you can see that he successfully did with one of ours – Mickey Davies. But not Colin. He was framed, although not by Lord Montgomery.”

“Then by whom?”

“Lord Nathaniel. He was jealous.”

“Of Colin Thornton?”

“Yes.” She took a breath. Here it was. The moment of truth. “After I turned down Lord Nathaniel, and he knew that Colin was the man I was falling for.”

Her father’s head snapped up from the book to look at her.

“Say that again?”

“I am falling for Colin Thornton. Actually, I am not just falling for him. I am in love with him.”

“Lily, this is nothing more than an infatuation. You are young. You?—”

“Not so young that you were ready to marry me off to the first gentleman who accepted me,” she countered, and his lips pressed together as he had no argument to that.

She straightened her spine. “I know what you are going to say. That I am foolish and that this is nothing more than an infatuation. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

I have been falling for him since the moment I met him, but we have stayed apart because I did not want him to lose all that he has worked for, all that he relies upon.

But now that all of that has been taken away from him, orchestrated by Lord Montgomery and Lord Nathaniel and followed through by you, it doesn’t matter anymore. ”

Her father’s mouth opened and closed a few times, until he finally found the words. “Lily, the man is a millworker. Do you know what your life would be like if you married him?”

“I do,” she said resolutely. “And I choose him anyway.”

Her father’s face tightened, as he moved into anger. “You are my only daughter. I forbid it. If you leave this house for him, you… you…”

“I am what? Dead to you? Do not receive an inheritance? That is fine. I’m not asking for one.

Nor does Colin expect anything. While I would love nothing more than for you to accept him – to accept us, together – I know that might not be possible.

But I wanted to give you the chance. In the meantime, what I do ask is that you look at this evidence.

That you realize what Lord Montgomery has been doing to you, and that you help me in preventing him from having any further effect on the club, or on Colin’s life. ”

“Do you not think that I would rejoice in the downfall of a man who is trying to take you from me?”

“First, Colin is doing nothing of the sort. He wants us to be together, but he also does not want me to lose my family. He is willing to sacrifice anything to make sure that I do not come to any harm, physically or emotionally. Secondly, would you rejoice in such a downfall if you know there is no truth to the matter? You believed evidence before. Believe it now, from your own daughter, and please, speak to the constable. Make sure Colin is exonerated. They will not listen to me, but they most certainly will to you.”

He looked down at his hands, refolded in front of him. Lily allowed him silence before he finally spoke.

“I make you no promises,” he said after one long sigh. “I need the night to think and hope that the morning brings clarity on the correct path ahead.”

She nodded, sliding back from her chair. She had crossed the study and was just pulling open the door when he called her to return.

“Lily?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you for trying to help the club. It means a lot that you would go to such lengths, although I do not want to even think what you went through in order to get those pages.”

“No harm done,” she said. “Whatever your decision is, will you make it before the Athletics game?”

His eyes lit, and she realized that perhaps the greatest deciding factor would be the game itself. If Colin could play, it would mean much for the team. She would have hoped it was her pleading that did it, but she was no fool. She would take whatever convinced her father.

If only he could find it in his heart to understand hers.

Colin couldn’t remember the last time he had stayed in a stationary position for so long.

Likely never.

But between needing to heal his ribs and having nowhere to go – no job and no football practice – he had worn a dent the size of his body into Tommy’s sofa.

He had just allowed his eyes to close when a knock sounded at the door, and he pushed himself to his feet, wondering if he should answer the door or hide.

“Tommy?” he heard a soft voice through the door, lifting his heart. “Colin?”

He crossed the room, much quicker than he should have, looking through a small crack in the door. When he saw with his own eyes who waited on the other side, he flung the door open and gathered Lily into his arms.

He whirled her around, bringing her into the small set of rooms with him.

He wasn’t sure whether the news she would impart would be good or bad, but before she could say anything or he could tell her that she had taken too great of a risk in coming here, he lifted her up and turned her around in a circle before landing her back on her feet and placing a kiss on her lips.

It was supposed to be a chaste welcome, but one taste of her was enough to make him lose all sense of reason.

His fingers curled into her hair as he kissed her deeply, his other hand splaying across her lower back to pull her flush against him. She responded in kind, her lips parting and her tongue dancing with his as she melted into his embrace.

All the worry and fear that had plagued him over the past days dissipated, replaced by an all-consuming need to be close to her, to feel her soft curves pressed against his hard planes.

The throbbing of his injured ribs faded into the background, eclipsed by the pounding of his heart as it beat in time with hers.

When they finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, he rested his forehead against hers. "God, I've missed you," he murmured, his voice rough with emotion.

She reached up to cup his face, her thumb brushing tenderly across his cheekbone. "I was so worried about you. Are you alright? How are you healing?"

He captured her hand and brought it to his lips, placing a kiss on her palm. "Better, now that you're here. But you shouldn't have come, love. It's too dangerous."

Her brows drew together in a frown. "I had to see you, to make sure you were well. And I have news."

Colin tensed, preparing himself for the worst. "What is it?"

She took a deep breath. "I spoke with my father. He believes us that you are innocent, Colin. I’m not sure what he’ll do with that information, but he’s on our side. I also told him that I’m in love with you.”

Colin’s breath caught — not at his concern for what her father might think, but that she cared enough about him to risk the life she knew.

“Wh-what did he say?”

“He said he needed to consider everything I told him, but as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing to consider. I want to be with you. If you will have me.”

“If I will have you?” he quirked an eyebrow. “I would have you one hundred times over, but we don’t even know if I have a future outside of a jail cell.”

“You will,” she insisted. “I will make sure of it. My father might be uncertain of the two of us, but he will not allow an innocent man to take the fall for this when he has proof otherwise. This, I know.”

“Very well,” Colin said, uncertain about trusting Lord Harcourt, but if Lily believed in him, then he would believe in Lily.

“This is not the most romantic place or time to do this, Lily, but I love you, more than I ever thought was possible. If we are able to clear my name, and if you are willing to change your life to be with me, then I would love nothing more but for you to be my wife.”

He dropped to a knee before her, a place he never thought he would be. “Will you marry me?”

“Of course,” she said, her eyes shining with happy tears. “No matter what comes our way, Colin, I want to face it together. The two of us. By your side, for the rest of our lives — whether you are accused or not."

He rose to his feet and pulled her into another searing kiss, sealing their promise.

When they parted, he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"We should probably figure out where we go from here,” he said with a wry smile.

"I can't exactly walk you down the aisle from Tommy's blacksmith shop. "

Lily nodded, her expression growing serious. "Of course not. I have a plan, but it requires a fair amount of risk.”

“Do tell.”

“How are your ribs — truly?”

What did it mean that he had nearly forgotten about them since she had arrived?

“They are… fine.”

“Fine enough to play a football match?”

Her gaze was bright, expectant, and he peered at her with uncertainty.

“Just what are you suggesting?”

“Well, it starts with you playing in the game against the Athletics tomorrow.”

As she outlined her plan, he questioned it, yes. But at the same time, he realized this could work.

It was a chance he was going to have to take.

"And after that," Colin said, lacing his fingers with hers, "we start planning our future, Lily. A future where I'm a free man, able to give you the best life possible."

She squeezed his hand. "I already have everything I could ever want or need, right here in front of me. We'll win this match. We’ll clear your name. We’ll see that Montgomery gets what is coming to him. And our life together will be all the sweeter for having gone through it all."

With renewed hope burning in his heart, Colin drew Lily close, ready to face the challenges ahead.

He wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as she was, but what he did know was that they could face it all much better together.