Broderick decided to break the silence. “Now that we are all here, let us allow Miss Emmie to teach us how to play.”
He glanced at his uncle and aunt, who stared blankly at Emiline as if the girl had two heads. Irritation ran through Broderick. Were his relatives appalled to actually be playing games with a lady’s companion? He would talk to them alone about their behavior and give them a piece of his mind. After all, Emiline was a guest here, just as Lady Sarah was.
Henry cleared his throat and nodded. “Broderick is right. We shall let Miss Emmie teach us this new game.” He smiled wide at his wife. “I, for one, am quite bored of trundling hoop and roll, after playing it for so many years.”
“Uh…” Martha’s gaze switched between Emiline and Henry a few times before she shrugged. “I think that is a splendid idea, Mr. Crampton.”
Relief washed over Broderick at the knowledge that his uncle and aunt were not going to cause a scene—although Rebecca just might. Broderick handed a stick and hoop to Emiline and gave her an encouraging nod.
A shaky smile appeared on her lovely face as she took the items. “Actually, the way I have changed this game is that we will need a wooden ball as well. If you do not have one, I’m certain my ball of yarn will work.”
Rebecca snickered and smartly folded her arms across her chest. “A wooden ball? Pray tell, is this achild’sgame?”
“Actually no, Miss Crampton,” Emiline replied quickly. “Although I’m quite certain children could play without difficulty.” Her grin widened, and she suddenly didn’t appear as shaky as before. “So, I’m very certainyouwill have no problem catching on to the game—as well as everyone else, of course.”
Rebecca gasped, her mouth agape. Broderick slapped a hand to his mouth to keep himself from laughing and covered his quick movement with a cough. Remarkably, his aunt and uncle didn’t comment.
“Uh, I do believe we have a small wooden ball,” his aunt finally said, and turned to a nearby servant. “Linus, do you know to which ball I’m referring?”
“Yes. I will fetch it right away.”
During the few minutes the servant was gone, Henry and Martha directed a few questions to Emiline, inquiring about her stay here in Greenwich. The companion’s tone of voice was quite different than when she had first spoken to Rebecca. Rather than showing her as the bold woman Broderick knew Emiline to be, her answers were soft, and she rarely met his aunt and uncle’s gaze.
The more he studied the lady’s companion, the more he wondered why she acted so differently. In front of him—and even Rebecca—she was as brash as any woman he’d ever met. Yet in front of Henry and Martha, she acted extremely shy.
When the servant brought back the small wooden ball, Emiline changed into a different person again. Confident and self-assured, she explained the new game and even demonstrated how to smack the sticks against the ball, making it roll from one end of the lawn to the other until reaching its destination inside the hoop. Indeed, Emiline was brilliant. This game would be much more enjoyable.
Soon the game began. And even though it wasn’t prearranged, the group did eventually divide into partners. Broderick willingly partnered with Emiline, Rebecca with Lady Sarah, and his aunt and uncle were together.
Rebecca stamped her foot and scowled as she faced the ball. Slowly, she turned her back to the group, but it was obvious she kicked the ball instead of hitting it with the stick. When the ball didn’t reach its mark, she grumbled, “This is a very senseless game, and in my opinion, the rules were not thought up correctly.”
“Now, Rebecca,” Henry warned. “The rest of us are enjoying it. I suggest you relax and enjoy it as well.”
She huffed and planted her hands on her hips. “I don’t know why we have to play this. And really, why did we pair off?” She pointed at Broderick. “He is stronger than any of us, so naturallyheis going to win. It’s not fair.” She glared at Emiline. “Andsheis cheating. I just know it!”
Emiline stood beside him, hitched a breath, and squared her shoulders. “Forgive me, Miss Crampton, but I assure you I’m not the one who is cheating. I don’t have to kick the ball in order to make it move.”
“Augh!” Rebecca aimed her fiery blue eyes at the lady’s companion. “How dare you accuse me of kicking the ball?”
“Rebecca, dear.” Martha moved to her daughter and grasped her arm. “Please, just calm yourself and play the game right.”
Rebecca flapped her hands in the air. “What are you saying? Do you think I’m cheating too?”
“I believe it’s my turn,” Henry said quickly, and moved into place.
Broderick didn’t think he had ever seen his cousin so out of sorts, but he loved how Emiline could irritate the redheaded woman. When she turned her attention back to him, he winked at her, silently letting her know he approved.
“Your rules are impossible to follow,” Rebecca snapped as she swiped a reddish curl off her forehead. “I cannot seem to hit the ball. It’s too difficult.”
“May I show you another way?” Emiline asked calmly.
Rebecca shrugged one shoulder and rolled her eyes.
“If you will,” Emiline began, “imagine the ball as a head.” When Rebecca gasped, the lady’s companion held up her hand and continued. “Think of the head as someone you loathe and would love to take out your frustrations on.” She adjusted her stance with her stick close to the ball. “For instance… if someonehas been belittling me on a daily basis, and I want to take my frustrations out on that person but know I can’t”—she arched an accusing eyebrow toward Rebecca—“instead, I just swat this stick against the ball as hard as I can to relieve my anger.”
Focusing on the ball, Emiline nibbled her lower lip as she aimed and swung.Whack!The ball sailed across the lawn perfectly. She stepped back and pointed toward the ball. “Ahh, I feel so much better now.” She grinned haughtily. “See, Miss Crampton? It works perfectly.”
Rebecca grumbled and stormed toward her parents. “Did you see that?” she whined. “She was thinking of me, I just know it!”
