My Favorite Major (Heroes Returned Book 1) (7 page)

Coldness washed over Amelia. Geoffrey was here! “Where?” she squeaked out.

“
I bumped into him out there.” Major Moore gestured towards the corridor with a tilt of his head. “Said he’d heard a rumor you’d be here tonight.”

Blast it all. Why was Geoffrey so intent on finding her in public?

If he was so set on seeing her, why wouldn’t he just call on her like a regular gentleman would do? Of course he wasn’t a regular gentleman. He was a duplicitous blackguard who hid behind the label of gentleman. But still, why seek her out in public? Why the ball last night? Why the theatre tonight? Did he mean to embarrass her before all the world? “I can’t stay here,” she muttered to herself.

But Major Moore must have heard her because he lowered his head and said quietly, “I left my horse in the mews.”

Amelia’s eyes flashed to the major’s. Was he serious? “You’ll help me escape?”

He nodded once. “For a price.”

A price? How much did he want? She hadn’t come to London with much. Amelia blinked up at him. “I only have my pin money, sir, but you’re welcome to it.” Especially if he helped her escape from Geoffrey, he could have every farthing she would ever possess.

His frown darkened. “I don’t want your money, Miss Pritchard. I want the truth. I want to know what Mason’s done that so terrifies you.”

Heavens! She hadn’t even told Papa why she’d jilted Geoffrey. She’d never breathed a word to anyone. No one would believe her, anyway. So Amelia smiled sadly and told him the exact same thing she’d told her parents. “We don’t suit,” she said. “I didn’t realize it until he’d returned from the continent. Unfortunately, he didn’t take the news well.”

A look of disbelief settled on his face. Major Moore retrieved her hand and placed it on his sleeve. “
You
are a terrible liar,” he whispered. Then he cleared his throat and glanced at her cousin. “It appears Miss Pritchard isn’t feeling her best this evening, Clayworth.”

Cordie stepped forward. “I’m so sorry, Amelia. Is there something I can do?”

How exactly was she to feign illness? And what illness should she feign? Amelia covered a cough with her hand. “I-I’m sure I’ll feel better in the morning,” said quietly, hoping she sounded the tiniest bit ill.

“
How strange,” Captain Avery remarked. “She seemed perfectly fine just moments ago.”

“
Then perhaps it was her exposure to
you
.” Cordie stared pointedly at her brother.

“
In any event,” Major Moore began, before the siblings could snipe at each other, “I promised to escort her back to Clayworth House.”

“
Take our carriage,” Cordie offered.

But the major shook his head. “I have my horse.”

Cordie blanched. “Horse? I can’t imagine that would help her condition, whatever it is.”

“
Perhaps we should all just abandon the play,” Clayworth remarked, “and return another time. I’ll go retrieve the coach.”

Major Moore stopped the earl with a hand on his arm. “I’m certain Miss Pritchard would hate to ruin your evening. I’m happy to see her home.”

Cordie sucked in a breath of air. “Oh!” she said most delightedly. “I think that’s a wonderful suggestion, Philip. Just take Clayworth’s coach and send it back for us, will you?”

“
Cordie.” Her husband frowned. “That’s hardly an appropriate suggestion.”

“
Posh.” She waved him off with a sweep of her hand. “Philip is the most upstanding gentleman of my acquaintance—”

“
Is that so?” the earl asked.

The countess rolled her eyes. “With the exception of you, my love. You know Philip as well as I do. Can you see him making improper advances towards Amelia?”

Amelia flushed at the suggestion at the same moment Major Moore poked his head back out into the corridor, ostensibly to check for Geoffrey. Thank heavens he seemed preoccupied with securing a safe escape and wasn’t paying particular attention to the countess’ words.

“
That’s hardly the point,” the earl continued.

Heavens! All Amelia wanted was to flee the theatre before Geoffrey could find her and devise a plan to avoid him in the future. Right now, escaping with Major Moore made the most sense. Two of them leaving was less conspicuous than five of them departing before the curtain was even pulled. “It’s just a short distance, my lord. I don’t want to interfere with your evening.” And truly, she didn’t.

“
You are my cousin,” Clayworth objected. “You couldn’t possibly interfere—”

“
Brendan!” his wife snapped. “It’s
Philip
!”

“
Very well,” the earl conceded with a sigh. “But
only
because it’s Moore.”

“
Thank you, my lord,” Amelia muttered. Then she turned her attention to the major. “I do appreciate your willingness to assist me, sir. Truly.”

“
It’s my honor, Miss Pritchard.” Then he tucked her hand in the crook of his arm once again, wished their companions a wonderful evening, and directed Amelia back into the corridor.

“
I don’t know how to thank you,” she said quietly.

“
With the truth,” he grumbled, limping slightly with his cane, “just as soon as we’re in Clayworth’s conveyance.”

Amelia allowed him to tow her down the crowded corridor, wishing Clayworth’s box was closer to the exit. She was just about to insist that she
had
told him the truth when Geoffrey Mason appeared before them.

Amelia’s heart sank and her stomach roiled.

“
My dear Miss Pritchard, I feared I might never see you again,” her one-time fiancé said smoothly. Then he nodded towards the major. “Thank you for finding her for me, Moore. I do appreciate your assistance.”

Assistance? Amelia’s heart sank as she looked up at her very own Judas Iscariot.

Philip hated the look of betrayal that flashed on Miss Pritchard’s face, especially as he hadn’t betrayed her. Not on purpose, anyway. He’d been just as surprised as she was when Mason appeared out of nowhere.

When he sensed she might bolt, Philip relinquished the hold he had on his cane, which clattered to the floor, in order to secure her hand to his arm. “Do excuse us, Mason. The lady isn’t feeling well.”

The Welshman nodded towards Miss Pritchard, his eyes boring into hers, it seemed. “My poor Amelia, let me see you home.”

“
Thank you for your concern, but I have everything well under control,” Philip replied.

Finally Mason raised his gaze from Miss Pritchard to settle on Philip. “As she is my fiancée, I would be remiss in not seeing to her comfort.”

Fiancée
? The lady had certainly been remiss in not revealing that important tidbit. She’d said they didn’t suit, but she hadn’t mentioned an engagement. An image of Olivia flashed in Philip’s mind, but he pushed it away. Whether or not Olivia had abandoned
him
because they didn’t suit any longer or for some other reason mattered very little at this point.

“
We’re no longer betrothed,” Miss Pritchard bit out. “Perhaps you’ll recall.” And though there was a steeliness to her voice, her small frame shook slightly, which belied her bravado. Whatever reason she’d had for ending her association with Mason went well beyond whether or not they suited. Philip would have wagered she was terrified of the man.

“
I don’t recall any such thing,” the Welshman insisted.

“
She’s my fiancée now.” The words flew from Philip’s lips before he could stop them. He wasn’t even sure where they’d come from, but there was nothing for it now. Once they had dealt with Mason, Miss Pritchard could break off her
betrothal
to Philip and they could both go their separate ways. “So I’ll see to her comfort from here on out,” he continued.

Miss Pritchard’s blue eyes rounded in surprise, and Mr. Mason’s mouth dropped open as his face took on a purplish tint. “I beg your pardon?” the Welshman stuttered.

Miss Pritchard inhaled deeply as though she was steadying herself. “Yes, I – um – I’ve accepted Major Moore’s offer of marriage.” She tightened her grip on Philip’s arm.

“
You wouldn’t dare,” Mason growled.

“
Please, Geoffrey,” she whispered, “if you ever held any affection for Alan or for me, you’ll head home and leave me be.”

Philip’s mind replayed the scene once again when he’d learned Olivia had married while he was away. That heartache and devastation washed over him anew as he heard Miss Pritchard’s words. It was a miracle he remained standing, since his cane still lay on the floor at his feet.

Mason stepped closer to the pair, his face a mask of rage, and he jabbed Philip’s shoulder. “I’ll meet
you
at dawn.”

Miss Pritchard gasped, clutching Philip even tighter. “No!” Panic sounded in her voice.

Women never did understand these things. Olivia hadn’t, and the fact that Miss Pritchard didn’t either wasn’t a surprise. Philip glanced down at her briefly, hoping he offered a bit of comfort, then he turned his attention back again to her one-time fiancé. “I understand your distress, Mason. So I’ll allow you to reconsider your threat. There’s no need for us to meet on a field of honor. I’ve done you no wrong.”

The Welshman snorted. “Afraid of me? You should be.”

Philip simply shook his head. “On the contrary, I have no desire to harm you. Leave the lady alone and we’ll go our separate ways.”

“
Harm me?” Mason chortled without mirth. “I’m hardly concerned about my chances against a cripple.”

A hush went through the crowd that Philip just now noticed had begun to circle around them. He lowered his voice as he said, “Only my second’s ineptitude in making the arrangements saved the last blackguard I met on a field of honor from certain death. I won’t make the same mistake in my choice of representative a second time, Mason. This is your last chance to reconsider.”

“
Major, please,” Miss Pritchard begged. “Not on my behalf.”

But there was no other way. Whatever had gone on between the pair, Miss Pritchard had asked Mason to leave her be and the man had in turn refused. If she truly was Philip’s fiancée, he would stand his ground just as he was doing now. “You may have the day to think about it,” he said to the Welshman. “Should you choose to continue down this path, you may send your second in search of mine. Lieutenant Tristan Avery.” Then with his good leg, he kicked his cane into the air and caught it, hoping the pain shooting through his bad leg didn’t register on his face. “Come along, Amelia. We’ll get you that fresh air now.”