Chapter Six

“ B loody hell,” Colin muttered as he reached out to catch the woman he had knocked over.

He had still been thinking about the game and hadn’t noticed the women walking by the bathhouse as he emerged from the doors.

When she turned around to face him, his hands still gently cupping her shoulders to make sure she didn’t fall over on him again, he blinked in disbelief.

It was her.

Again.

He hadn’t forgotten the bright blue of her eyes, as much as he had tried to. She was the woman he had told himself not to look for, though he had secretly hoped that she had watched his game today.

He wondered if she had seen his goal.

She looked down at where he still touched the dark blue wool mantle she wore over her shoulders.

The quality of the fabric alone was enough of a reminder for him to drop his arms, telling him that he had no business putting a hand on her, even if it had been in an attempt to rescue her.

“Miss Evans,” he murmured. “We meet again.”

“If one could call this meeting,” she said, running her eyes over him, and he was grateful that he had taken a few moments to clean himself in one of the wash basins before changing into fresh clothing.

He would have preferred to have bathed, but he didn’t have time to wait as the more established men on the team had been first in line.

Leaving him to wait until he returned home.

“Did you watch the game?” he asked, cursing himself as he did, for it was a stupid question. She would have no reason to be here at the field if she hadn’t watched the game.

“I did,” she said, her lips turning up in a slight smile, and he suddenly desperately wished to see her expression filled with laughter, a genuine grin on her face.

Did people in her class ever give in to such emotions?

“You are Colin Thornton,” said the young woman standing next to her, the one to whom he hadn’t given much of a glance. He gave her his attention now, noting that she was also beautiful, although her looks were perhaps more subdued than those of Miss Lily Evans.

“I am,” he said, surprised she knew his name. “Have we met?”

“We have not, but I have been a Manchester Central fan for some time, and you are one of the few players I have never seen before,” she said. “I am Miss Emmaline Whitmore. You had a fine goal today.”

“Thank you,” he said, inclining his head.

It had been thrilling, yes, but even more so, it had ensured their win and meant another pound in his pocket.

“We’ll need more than one goal to find success in the FA Cup this year,” Miss Whitmore said, and he lifted a brow. “The team needs to work on finding their rhythm together. You all played like individuals.” The woman had a great deal of football knowledge, apparently.

“That we will,” he agreed. “I shall do my best to make sure we score more.”

“See that you do,” she said, turning back toward the pavilion but stopping abruptly, likely when she realized that the pavilion was empty.

Even more so, most of the men who had exited the bathhouse after Colin were walking away, and his stomach was growling, reminding him that the plan had been to all have lunch at the local tavern.

“Lily?”

Miss Evans turned around to her father’s voice, and Colin swallowed hard, relieved, at least, that he was no longer touching her. He wouldn’t have wanted to face Lord Harcourt’s reaction if he had seen that scene before him.

“Mr. Thornton.” Lord Harcourt inclined his head to him. “Good showing today.”

“Thank you, my lord,” Colin said, turning to leave, but Lord Harcourt called him back.

“Since you are here, as is my daughter, I must speak to you about something.”

“Of course,” he said, his gaze flicking back and forth between Lord Harcourt and his daughter, wondering what he had done now.

“My daughter, Miss Evans, is going to be working for the club in a bookkeeping capacity,” he said, surprising Colin. He risked a glance at her, and her face had turned a beautiful shade of pink.

“Good for you,” he said politely, even though he wondered what a noblewoman like Miss Evans could add to the club. Chances were that she was bored and wanted to play her hand at business.

He could only hope she wouldn’t cause irrevocable damage to Manchester Central. He needed this club, not only for his sanity in having the opportunity to play football but also for the money.

What did this have to do with him besides possibly ruining the one thing he enjoyed?

“I am told that you have two sisters,” Lord Harcourt said, further surprising Colin.

“I do,” he said cautiously, uncertain what Lord Harcourt was driving at. He hoped the man didn’t mean to offer his sisters employment or any position with the club or the mill. He would deny it, even if it meant jeopardizing his standing.

“Which means that you understand the importance of looking after young women and protecting them from all the harm waiting for them out there in the world?” Lord Harcourt continued, to which Colin gave a nod, though he was still confused.

“I do.”

“Good. While I will usually accompany my daughter if she is around the club or the mill, I would appreciate it if you would keep an extra eye on her. Ensure that no one who could be a threat approaches her, and see to her well-being. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” he said, even though he inwardly groaned.

Not only was he trying and failing to deny his attraction to her, but he had enough responsibility on his plate, whether at the mill, with the club, or at home.

The last thing he needed was to look after a na?ve young woman who had no place being there.

“She will be at the mill?” he clarified.

“Yes. That is where much of my business with the club is located, so she will visit weekly to collect information and complete her tasks. Is that a problem?”

“Of course not, my lord,” he said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

Lord Harcourt nodded before one of the other club committee members walked by and captured his attention.

Miss Evans looked up at him through narrowed eyes.

“You might have fooled my father, but I can see that you are not pleased.”

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to. The way you are holding yourself says it all. Please know, however, that I do not need anyone looking after me. I am perfectly capable of looking after myself.”

“Against whom?” he couldn’t help but snort. “Children?”

“Pardon me?” she said, placing her hands on her hips, but the way that she had to crane her neck to look up at him said it all.

“Your father is right to keep you looked after. However, I doubt that I am the one who should do so,” he said, though he didn’t tell her the true reason why – because he couldn’t see how another man could want her more than he did.

“Why not?”

“I have things of far greater importance to attend to.”

“Such as?”

“Overseeing the working of the mill while I am on shift, taking care of my mother and two sisters, and contributing to this football club. But,” he glanced over at her father as he realized he had said too much, been too proud and contrary to the daughter of the man who held his entire fate in his hands, “I would be happy to take on the task of overseeing your safety.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, raised a brow in challenge, and lifted his lips into what he hoped resembled a smile.

“You do what is best for you, and I will do what is best for me,” she said, raising her head high.

“Very well.”

“Very well,” she responded, and then, linking her arm with her friend who wore a very amused expression, stalked off and away from him.

This woman was trouble for so many reasons.

And Colin had a feeling that she was going to cause the biggest trouble for him.

“Can you believe him?” Lily huffed to Emmaline as they retraced their steps to the carriage. “ I am too much for him? He doesn’t even know me!”

“Of course he doesn’t,” Emmaline said.

“He is proud and insubordinate, and I do not know why he thought that looking out for me was some kind of devil’s errand,” she ranted, even though she knew she was being dramatic.

The truth was, she had felt rejected by him, and she inwardly cringed as she sounded more like her mother than she would have liked.

She stole a glance at Emmaline, whose lips pursed together, and Lily guessed that she was holding something back.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“Emmaline…”

“Fine. I love you and would do anything for you, but you have to admit that he just might have a point.”

“In regards to what?”

“For a man like him, every hour of his day holds meaning. If he is not spending time with his family, he is likely spending time working to provide for his family – or playing football. He has now been given yet another task, with no compensation but remaining in your father’s good graces.”

Lily was silent, for she could see the truth in that.

“Added to that, not that you are actually in any danger, but if you were ever threatened in some way, it would now become his fault, which is the last thing he needs.”

“Thus far in my dealings with the club, he is the only one I might have needed protection from,” Lily said with a laugh.

“Very true,” Emmaline agreed as they reached the carriage.

“Well?” her mother said, hands on her hips as she looked down at them. “What did your father have to say?”

“Ummm…” Lily looked at Emmaline for help. After their conversation with Colin Thornton, she had completely forgotten what they were supposed to be doing.

“He will be on his way momentarily,” Emmaline said smoothly. “He had to speak with some of the other club committee members.”

“Next time, we will each have to take a carriage of our own,” Lady Harcourt said with a sniff as Lily and Emmaline exchanged a look and stifled a laugh.

If nothing else, Lady Harcourt was consistent.

After her father finally joined them, Lily mused over the entire exchange with Colin Thornton as they drove home.

As much as their interaction had been charged with an unspoken tension, it was more than a difference between stations or a disrespect for one another.

She hadn’t been able to dismiss the dampness of his hair, the muscles rippling beneath his shirt, the strength of those forearms that peeked out from under his rolled-up sleeves.

He was a fine specimen of a man, and her heart had never picked up speed from just conversing with a man as it had with him – especially with the type of men her mother typically selected for her.

While Mr. Thornton wasn’t thrilled about spending time close to her, she was interested in seeing him again.

Even if it might only be to her detriment.