My Favorite Major (Heroes Returned Book 1) (18 page)

“
You know who shot you?” Papa asked.

“
I do. Mr. Geoffrey Mason.”

Papa’s face flamed like nothing Amelia had ever seen before. “You are a liar,” he bit out and shook as though standing had become a chore.

“
I am many things, but a liar is not one of them.”

“
You must be mistaken.” Mama hastened to Papa’s side and held him steady to keep him from tumbling to the ground. “Mr. Mason is a friend of the family. He would never do such a thing. Tell him, Amelia.”

The corridor fell silent, with all eyes suddenly focused on Amelia. “I…”

“
Tell them, Amelia,” Philip urged when nothing else came out of her mouth. “They have a right to know.”

Perhaps. But she’d never wanted to be the one who had to tell them. “We don’t know for certain, Papa,” she began. “But—”

“
See!” her father declared. “How dare you impugn an innocent man’s name, Moore? One would think an officer of your standing would be more…upstanding.”

Philip’s dark eyes narrowed in annoyance on Amelia, though he spoke loud enough for her parents to hear him. “The police are, even now, searching out Mason, Mr. Pritchard. I assure you he is the fellow.”

“
But that makes no sense,” Mama chimed in. “I cannot believe Mr. Mason would do such a thing. It isn’t in his character.”

“
I believe, as does your daughter, that Mason was unhappy over our betrothal and thought to eliminate me as his competition for her hand.”

“
I don’t believe it,” Mama declared. “Not the Geoffrey Mason we know. He’s not the sort.”

And years ago, Amelia wouldn’t have believed it either. But her parents were still blind to Geoffrey’s true nature. And with her father’s health, she would have let him believe the best in their neighbor until the very end. The truth might very well kill Papa, and she didn’t want that on her conscience.

“
That man,” Papa’s voice rang out clear and proud, “is like a son to me. Always has been. He was with my son when I couldn’t be. So I think I’ll reserve my judgment until I hear what he has to say, if you don’t mind.” Then he looked at Mama. “I want to retire in our chambers, Helen.”

“
Of course,” Mama replied, shooting Philip and Amelia a look of derision as she offered her arm to Papa to help him walk past the crowd gathered in the hallway.

Amelia smiled wanly at her parents and then glanced up at her still-healing husband. “Was that necessary?” she asked once her mother and father were out of earshot.

“
Why didn’t you tell them the truth?” he countered.

“
Honestly!” Cordie heaved a sigh. “We truly
should
adjourn to my parlor. This is not the sort of conversation people should have in corridors.”

But Amelia paid her new cousin no attention as her eyes were still locked with Philip’s. “What are you doing out of bed?”

“
Stretching my legs, and I think I’ll take a stroll down Hertford Street.” Then he turned on his heel, albeit slower than he once had.

Amelia caught up to him. “I don’t think that’s the best idea, Philip. Doctor Watts…”

He stopped in his tracks, and she nearly stumbled into him. “I’m not a child, Amelia. And neither is your father. He deserves the truth. And I deserve the license to make my own decisions.” Then he started once more for the front door.

“
Philip!” she called after him, wishing she could make him stay, but realizing he was in no mood to listen to her wants. “Please be careful.” If any harm should befall him, she didn’t know what she would do.

Philip stepped outside Clayworth House to find a pair of fellows standing sentry on the stoop. “Pardon me,” he said, still rather annoyed at his wife.

“
Major.” One of the men nodded in greeting. “So good to see you up and about, sir.”

It was then that Philip recognized the pair. “Corporal Byrne? Private Kelly?” What in the world were two men from the 27th doing on Clayworth’s doorstep?

“
Just Byrne and Kelly these days, sir.” Byrne gestured to his slightly ratty jacket.

“
O’Leary sent us,” Kelly added, as though that was supposed to make sense to Philip.

“
Sergeant O’Leary?”

“
He’s just O’Leary these days too,” Byrne replied. “But when he told us what happened ta ya, we volunteered ta keep an eye on ya.”

They were guards of some sort? “I haven’t seen O’Leary since Belgium.” The two of them had been in the same surgical tent after the battle. O’Leary had lost arm and been nearly despondent. “How is he?”

Kelly grinned. “Like a new man since he heard about ya, Major Moore. He’s gathered a slew of us from the 27th, and fellas from other regiments ta help Lieutenant Avery find your villain.”

“
Not ta worry, sir,” Byrne added. “We’ll find that bastard and make sure he pays for his cowardice. On that ya can depend.”

The men from the 27th were a noble group. Philip nodded at the pair. “I am in your debt.”

“
But there are so many of us in yours, sir. It’s the least we can do,” Byrne said. “Are ya headed somewhere?”

“
Just for a stroll.” He tapped his bad leg with his cane. “It’s best if I walk a bit everyday to stay strong.”

“
You’re leavin’ your wife in there?” Kelly gestured to Clayworth House with his head.

“
Probably best for right now.” After all, he was too irritated to be good company for Amelia at the moment. And he wasn’t sure how long it would be before he was in a better mood.

Kelly chuckled. “Problems with your wife, huh? I’ll stay here then and keep an eye on the house. Byrne knows more about wives than I do.”

Philip shook his head. “Really, it’s not necessary. I won’t be gone very long.”

But Byrne scoffed. “Lieutenant Avery told us that if we let the bastard near ya, he’d have our arses. Better safe than sorry, Major.”

Tristan was behind this? And O’Leary? “Does Lady Clayworth know you’re camped out on her front stoop?” After all, the pair did look a bit like ruffians, and they were Irish, and though Philip didn’t question their honor, the same couldn’t be said for most living in London. They might have all of Mayfair in an uproar if they remained at their post much longer.

Kelly shrugged. “Lieutenant Avery said we were ta stand right here.”

“
Why don’t we have you stand right inside instead? We’ll get you some fresh coffee and—”

“
I don’t know if the lieutenant would like that.”

Philip smiled at the pair. “He sent you to guard my wife and me?”

The Irishmen nodded.

“
Well, I’d feel better if you were inside, rather than out.” He opened the door and gestured the pair over the threshold. “Come on. We’d best get you introduced to Higgins anyway, so he doesn’t call the watch on you.”

Byrne and Kelly exchanged an uncertain look.

“
Do I need to make it an order?”

Kelly chuckled once more. “We’re not in the army anymore, Major. But if ya want us inside, we’ll go inside.”

Philip opened the front door and stepped back into Clayworth House. He’d only been gone a moment, but now Higgins stood in the entryway as though he’d been conjured up. The butler must have been hiding behind a potted palm during the unfortunate encounter with Amelia’s parents. Philip nodded at Clayworth’s trusted servant. “Higgins, Mr. Kelly here has been sent by Lieutenant Avery to keep an eye on things today. Get him settled in the parlor with some coffee, will you?”

“
Of course, Major,” the butler replied as though nothing surprised him anymore.

Then Philip met Byrne’s eyes. “I won’t be long, just enough to stretch my legs.” And to ease his temper. Who knew how long that would take?

Byrne grinned as though he somehow heard Philip’s unsaid thoughts. “Ya can take as long as ya need, sir. I won’t leave your side.”

They started off amiably down Hertford Street, and Byrne cocked his head towards Philip. “A word of advice for a newly married man, Major.” When Philip turned his attention to the Irishman, Byrne grinned. “No matter what you’ve done, no matter that you’re most likely right about whatever it is, ya have ta fall on your knees before your wife and tell her you’re sorry.”

Philip snorted, which only made Byrne laugh.

“
I’m tellin’ ya the truth, sir. If ya want her warmin’ your bed, ya need ta apologize for things ya have done, things you’re doin’, and things ya haven’t even thought of doin’ yet. Mark me words.”

Amelia warming his bed. Damn, he did want that. But he was not about to apologize for speaking the truth.

Amelia massaged her temples with her fingers, hoping to stave off a headache. What an unfortunate turn of events had occurred this morning. If only she’d been able to warn Philip about her parents. If only he hadn’t mentioned the word ‘murder’ in front of her father. If only Papa was capable of hearing the truth.

“
Try not to fret,” Cordie said as she slid beside Amelia on the settee. “There’s always a bit of adjustment with the merging of two families.”

A mirthless laugh escaped Amelia. “I don’t think that was an adjustment.” Her father would never approve of Philip now.

Cordie squeezed her hand. “You should have seen the spectaclethat occurred when Brendan and I arrived at Bayhurst Court after we said our vows.”

“
You eloped,” Amelia muttered. She’d heard the rumors even in Wales.

Cordie nodded. “Something no one who knows Brendan would ever imagine him doing, but he was saving me from my own foolishness.”

“
Was your family very angry?” That would certainly explain the sideshow comment.

“
My mother is always angry.” Then a bemused smile settled on Cordie’s face. “But my brothers were relieved I’d eloped with Brendan and
not
Lord Haversham. When we arrived at Bayhurst, all three of my brothers were in residence as well as my mother, who had already alienated poor Thomas and insulted Rosamund beyond measure.”

Clayworth’s less than legitimate nephew and his rather unusual sister. “What an interesting mix of personalities.”

“
Indeed. And added to the mix was Mr. Lester, who had recently returned to the area and was angling for Rose’s hand. Brendan and my brother Gregory took an immediate dislike to each other. And my mother was in the middle of one of her legendary temper tantrums.” Cordie shook her head at the memory. “I thought it quite likely Brendan might wash his hands of me and be done with it all right then and there.”