Page 69 of The Girl Out of Time
The game progressed, strikes and runs falling on either end. They circled through positions, and eventually, Louisa came to be a striker on the opposite team. Daniel, the bowler, came over to Emmeline’s side of the field.
“You’re not going to try to sabotage me, are you?” he said, mouth quirking in a smile.
“You get no concessions from me.” She lifted her chin.
Daniel threw the ball; it arced over the field as Louisa clenched the bat, shifting her feet. The ball approached, her arms twitched—and she smacked the ball, sending it over their heads.
For a moment, Daniel stood frozen as if he couldn’t believe it. “Louisa, you hit it!” he yelled. “Run, run!”
Louisa blinked, stunned, but then picked up her skirts and sprinted toward Emmeline. Emmeline wasn’t sure what kind of counter-play existed in cricket, but even if she was allowed to go retrieve the ball, she had no intentions of doing so.
“Miss Grey, I believe we should try to hit the opposite wicket.” Mr. Wexley lazily inspected his fingernails.
“Right. Yes.” She strolled over just as Louisa reached them, practically throwing herself over the crease line.
“Did I—” Louisa fixed her dress as she scrambled to her feet. “Ha! I won! I won!” Her eyes stopped on Mr. Wexley. “You didn’tletme win, did you?”
“My dear Lady Louisa, I’d never dare to.”
She put her hands on her hips. “You did, didn’t you? I knew it …”
Daniel came to stand next to Emmeline as Louisa and Mr. Wexley continued to bicker. “If I’d known house parties were this entertaining, I would’ve hosted more.”
“You still can.”
“Yes.” Daniel whirled his bat and dropped it at his feet. “I suppose we can.”
We.The familiar feeling wormed its way into her belly—the one that always lingered somewhere between excitement and nervousness. Who was “we”—a duke’s son and a fraud? An impostor? “Daniel …”
She almost said it. The words itched on the tip of her tongue.I’m not Maria. And as much as I wish to belong here, I don’t know if I do.
“Miss Grey.” He took her hands in his. “You’re worried. About Saturday?”
Their wedding day. “A—a little, I suppose.”
He gave her a comforting smile. “Don’t be. All will be well, I promise.”
There was no heedless passion behind his eyes—or perhaps, she didn’t know how to discern it. But there was kindness and sincerity, and they were just enough to tip the scale. Emmeline repeated the reasonings again in her mind.
Daniel only knew her, not Maria.
Maria ran away from her engagement.
And Emmeline had a point to prove. She’d make her own choice in this life.
“Thank you,” she said to Daniel.
He patted her hand, and for the moment, all was, indeed, well.
The guests left after dinner; it was only as Emmeline collapsed on her bed, still in her evening dress, her feet aching from hours of activities, that she realized it was nearly midnight.
Theo would be back already.
Fatigue forgotten, she jumped to her feet and ran downstairs. She found Theo in the servants’ quarters, alone at the table, an empty cup next to him.
“I’m sorry I’m late!” She whirlwinded onto a chair. “How was it? What did you find out? Did you meet Lady Scarlet? What did she say?”
“Emmeline,” he said, in a calm-down voice. “I found a ship, but Lady Scarlet wasn’t there. She did, however, leave a message with the captain for us.” He slid over a single sheet of paper. “It’s another riddle.”
