My Favorite Major (Heroes Returned Book 1)

by Stone, Ava

  Cordie squeezed Amelia’s hand. “I’m not sure I can fix this one, but I’ll speak to Russell…”

  “No—” Amelia shook her head “—he said he wouldn’t make the captain his second. He named Lieutenant Avery.”

  “Did he indeed?” Cordie scowled. “Tristan was remiss in mentioning that. Do you know who your Mr. Mason would choose as his second?”

  No one in London that Amelia knew. She shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know as much about Mr. Mason as I thought.”

  “Then I suppose it is best you broke your engagement. I know I made the right decision when I broke mine.” Then she slid her arm around Amelia’s shoulders. “Chin up. Get some sleep, and we’ll sort everything out in the morning.”

  Amelia hugged the countess back. “Thank you.”

  “Just make him happy, Amelia. That’s all the thanks I could ever ask for.”

  Guilt swamped Amelia. The countess, the captain, everyone wanted Major Moore to be happy, but she couldn’t give anyone that. “It’s not real,” she blurted out before she could stop herself.

  Cordie pulled out of their embrace to stare at her. “What’s not real?”

  “The betrothal,” Amelia whispered. “He only said he was my betrothed to protect me from Mr. Mason. It’s not real.”

  A sad smile settled on the countess’ face. “A hero to the very last, isn’t he?” She smoothed a hand across Amelia’s hair.

  “He is,” Amelia agreed as she sat up a little straighter. “And I wish I could bring him the happiness that everyone wishes for him, but I can’t. He still loves your friend. He told me so this very evening.”

  “I know he does,” Cordie sighed. “It nearly breaks my heart.”

  “He said we’d find a solution that didn’t involve a marriage between us. But the only option is for me to cry off. So when all of this is over, what am I going to do, Cordie? If Papa finds out I’ve jilted another fiancé, he’ll be furious. I’ll have a terrible reputation. And—”

  “Shh.” The countess placed her finger over Amelia’s lip. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Then she heaved another sigh. “May I ask you a question?”

  “Of course.”

  “You said you wished you could bring him happiness?”

  Amelia nodded. “I truly do.”

  “And why is that? You’ve not known him very long.”

  The question nearly knocked Amelia from the bed. Why, indeed? She wasn’t sure. “He seems a wonderful man, an honorable one.” And there were too few of those in the world, in Amelia’s opinion.

  “Is that all?”

  Amelia blinked at Cordie. “I don’t think I understand what you’re asking me.”

  “You haven’t fallen for him, have you?”

  A nervous laugh escaped Amelia as the memory of their kiss flashed in her mind. “Fallen for him?” What a mistake that would be, since he openly admitted to still loving his former fiancée. “As you said, I haven’t known him all that long.”

  “Sometimes it only takes one meeting.”

  Amelia shook her head. “He is the sort of man I want to fall for – honest and honorable. But more than anything I want what you and Clayworth have, Cordie. I want a husband who is all those things, but one who is capable of loving me.”

  “But if he could…”

  “You know as well as I do that he can’t.”

  Finally, Cordie agreed with a nod of her head. “Try to get some sleep and we’ll reconvene in the morning.” The countess started for the door, then turned back and smiled one last time at Amelia. “I think you’re the sort for him, too, if that makes you feel any better.”

  How could it, when a death sentence had been placed on his head because of her? “I can’t have his death on my conscience, Cordie. We have to do something.”

  Her friend nodded in understanding. “Men and their foolishness. I thought I’d pulled off a miracle the last time, but Philip seems bound and determined to see a blasted duel all the way through.”

  Amelia’s mouth fell open. “A miracle? Did you have something to do with the previous outcome?”

  An instant blush stained Cordie’s cheeks and she shook her head. “I should never have said that. Russell and Lord Haversham would both kill me if word about that got out.”

  “Lord Haversham?” Amelia scrambled off the bed and rushed to the countess’ side. Was he someone who could help?

  “The Duke of Kelfield’s second,” Cordie explained. “Fortunately I happened to be on friendly terms with Haversham, and Russell can be manipulated.”

  The first ray of hope had sprung in Amelia’s heart. “What did you do, Cordie? Please tell me.” If the countess’ previous actions could be duplicated…

  Cordie’s brow furrowed. “It doesn’t matter what I did before. The same thing wouldn’t work again. Philip will ensure any arrangement Tristan makes will be to the death. And we don’t have any idea who your Mr. Mason would choose as his second. The two would have to be in agreement. I don’t see that happening this time.”

  Neither did Amelia. So she’d have to figure something else out, and without the luxury of a lot of time. “Do you employ someone you think could locate Mr. Mason for me?”

  Cordie nodded. “I do have a reliable footman or two.”

  Amelia heaved a sigh. “I think I should get word to him. Maybe I can convince him to give up this foolishness. Major Moore did allow him the day to reconsider.”

  “Do you think that wise?”

  Amelia shrugged. “What other choice do I have?”

  Philip dropped into a seat at the breakfast table and rested his cane against the arm of his chair. A footman poured a bit of black coffee in his cup and placed a slice of toast in front of Philip. Even though his stomach rumbled a bit from hunger, the idea of actually eating was not a welcome one. What the devil had he done the night before?

  Betrothed. Dear God.

  His sudden plan had seemed like such a good idea at the time. But after tossing and turning all night long, replaying Amelia’s kiss in his mind, Philip was seriously judging his own sanity.

  “Scowling so early in the morning?” Russell bounded through the door and dropped into the seat across from Philip. Then he nodded for the footman to pour him a cup of coffee. “I would think—” he turned his attention back to Philip”—that a fellow in your spot should be wearing a grin.”

  Damn Russell and his cheerful morning disposition. “My spot?” Philip grumbled.

  “Newly betrothed,” his friend clarified with a grin of his own.

  Bloody hell. Everyone did already know. “A very sudden thing,” he muttered.

  “I’ll say. No wonder you were so adamant about escorting her home last night.”

  Philip glared at his old friend instead of actually replying, but doing so only made Russell’s smile grow even wider.

  “I’ll have to have a talk with her today. A newly betrothed man shouldn’t be so surly. Girl must be doing something wrong. Perhaps a few pointers…”

  “So help me God, if you mutter the words substandard kisser I’ll remove your head from your shoulders.” Besides, it wasn’t even true. Her kiss was delightful and sensual and… Damn it all to hell. The last thing Philip needed was to think about that kiss again.

  “Ah,” Tristan grumbled from the doorway. “You’re both here, I see.”

  “Good morning, little brother.”

  Tristan ignored Russell’s greeting and nodded at Philip. “We have been summoned to Clayworth House this morning.” He waved a note in the air.

  Philip somehow kept from groaning. What would he say to Clayworth? To Cordie? To Amelia? Oh, Amelia. Her image flashed in his mind, and his heart squeezed a bit. How was she handling all the questions that must be buzzing around her at Clayworth House? Cordie was most likely making a nuisance of herself, begging for details of the non-existent courtship. The faster he got there to rescue Amelia, the better.

  His chair scraped against the floor as he p
ushed back to stand up. His leg throbbed, and he reached for his cane. “I was just headed there.”

  “You haven’t had even a crumb to eat,” Russell complained.

  “Have you given any thought to resigning your commission and becoming a nursemaid?” Philip scowled.

  Russell shook his head. “I can’t imagine I’d meet too many ladies in that line of work. No, I think I’ll hang on to my uniform a bit longer, thank you.”

  “You can tell my sister I’ll be around shortly,” Tristan grumbled as he turned tail and stalked from the room.

  Russell looked after his brother in confusion. “Two of you in rotten moods in the morning. It’s like Toulouse all over again.”

  “Perhaps he’s just tired of you,” Philip remarked as he started for the threshold, leaning heavily on his cane.

  Russell chuckled from his spot at the table. “I hardly think that’s the case.”

  After taking a steadying breath, Philip stepped over the threshold into Cordie Clayworth’s green parlor.

  The countess looked up from a note she was perusing and folded it quickly when she spotted him. She rose from the settee and greeted him with a smile. “So good of you to come so early, Philip.”

  “Tristan made it sound urgent.” He glanced around the room, ensuring they were alone. “Is Ame—I mean, is Miss Pritchard all right?”

  Cordie reclaimed her seat and patted the space beside her. “Sit, we should talk.”

  Which was the very last thing Philip wanted, but he did so to appease her. “You didn’t answer my question. Is Miss Pritchard—”

  “You may drop the act, Philip Moore,” she scolded.

  Philip shook his head. “Act?” he echoed. “I truly am concerned about the girl.”

  “Indeed?” She narrowed her green eyes on him. “Is that why you’re marrying her? Concern, I mean?”

  Philip gulped. “I should have spoken to Clayworth first, I—”

  “Yes, you should have,” she agreed. “You are the last man I would ever think would take marriage so cavalierly.”

  An image of Philip’s mother flashed in his mind. The memory stung his heart. “You know I don’t.”

  “Do I?” she scoffed. “For the last year, I’ve heard of nothing but your lamenting over Olivia. And then—” she snapped her fingers together “—just like that, you ask a girl living under my roof to marry you without a word to Clayworth or her father or to me.”

  He didn’t have an honorable answer. He couldn’t reveal the truth, as it would only lead to questions about Amelia, and those were her secrets to tell, not Philip’s. “I would have thought you, of all people, would have been happy for me,” he hedged. “Haven’t you been telling me all along that Olivia is happy with her lot, that I should get on with my life?”

  “Since when do you listen to me?”

  He couldn’t help but smile at that. “I always listen to you, I just don’t always do what you say.”

  She rolled her eyes. “More fool you then. I often know more than I let on and—”

  “Higgins said you wanted to see me.” Amelia burst into the room, wearing a blue traveling gown and cape, but stopped in her tracks when her eyes landed on Philip. She sucked in a breath and her hand fluttered to her chest. “What are you doing here?”

  The better question was, “Are you headed somewhere?” he asked, stumbling back to his feet. After all, she looked as though she was prepared for quite the journey.

  Amelia’s eyes flashed to Cordie. “Did you call him here?”

  The countess shook her head. “I told you I wouldn’t.”

  What the devil was going on? “Would someone like to tell me…?”

  “But since he is here,” Cordie began, “perhaps the two of you should talk.” She rose from the settee.

  Amelia narrowed her eyes on the countess. “You did have a hand in this, I’m certain.”

  But Cordie shook her head innocently. “I don’t know what you mean, Amelia dear. Major Moore simply wanted to call on his intended. Isn’t that right, Philip?”

  That wasn’t technically true, but Philip found himself nodding anyway. “I didn’t think to find you leaving Clayworth House so early,” he said, still trying to sort out why she looked as though she was headed for travel.

  Cordie strode towards the doorway and once she reached Amelia, she grasped her hand. “I am glad he’s here, however. You should talk to him.” Then the countess escaped into the corridor and shut the door behind her, leaving Amelia and Philip staring at one another.

  “Are you running out on me?” Philip asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

  Amelia shrugged. “We’d have to truly be engaged for that to be the case, wouldn’t it?”

  So she was leaving. A pang of regret twisted Philip’s heart at the thought of not seeing her again. “Where are you planning on going?”

  She sighed and stepped further into the room. “Home. I never should have come here in the first place. If I hadn’t, you wouldn’t find yourself wrapped up in all of this, and I could never live with myself if you were hurt because of me.”

  Leaning on his cane for balance, Philip crossed the room to stand before her. “Don’t say such things, Amelia. If you hadn’t come to London, I would have never met you and…”

  “And you would never have felt honor-bound to help me.” She shook her head. “I hardly think you’re better off for having met me.”

  Despite her words, a smile tugged at Philip’s lips. If she hadn’t come to Town, he’d never have kissed her. And though he wasn’t quite certain what to do about that, the fact that he’d felt compelled to kiss her the previous night and the fact that he’d like to do so again, had to mean something, didn’t it? That perhaps he wasn’t as dead inside as he’d thought for the last year? “I am quite happy for our acquaintance. Truly, I am.”

  Her blue gaze dropped to the floor and she nervously bit her lip. “Thank you, but…”

  She was so adorable to worry about him. How very charming she was. “Don’t go home, Amelia. Stay here. How will I face society if word gets out I’ve been jilted once again?” he teased.

  She choked on a laugh. “You should have thought about that before you announced to all the world that we were betrothed. What will people say when they learn I’ve jilted yet another fiancé? I’ll be thought the ficklest woman in all of Britain.”

  And yet, in this moment, he didn’t want to take it back. He tilted her chin up with his crooked finger so she had to meet his gaze. “Then don’t jilt me, at least not yet.”

  She frowned at him. “And let Mr. Mason shoot you instead? I can’t live with that, Major.”

  Philip couldn’t help but chuckle. “So little faith in my abilities? I am quite the decorated officer, I’ll have you know. Besides, Mason may come to his senses before the day is out.”

  Amelia sighed. “I told him I’d return home and reconsider his offer of marriage if he would let this foolishness go.”

  Philip’s mouth dropped open in surprise, and fury built in his chest. “I beg your pardon?”

  “None of this is your concern, Major Moore. I never meant to drag you into all of this.”

  But he’d jumped in with both feet, and he had no regrets about doing so. In fact, he’d do so all over again. “You told the man you think murdered your brother that you’d consider marrying him if he dropped his challenge to me?” he growled.

  “I had to do something, and it was my only option.”

  Hardly her only option. Philip scoffed. “And you think I would let you marry such a villain? To sacrifice yourself for me in such a way?”

  “You don’t really have a say in it. Besides, I’m nothing to you, not really. Which is why I can’t allow you to throw yourself on your sword for me.”

  “I will throw myself on my sword for whomever I choose and whenever I choose to do so.” He wasn’t certain what he was more angry about – the fact that she might actually marry Mason or the fact that she had thought to put herself in suc
h danger because of Philip, when he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself and always had been.

  “Cordie said you’d react this way, but…”

  “Cordie was right.”

  They simply stared at each other for the longest while. Amelia’s chest lifted with indignation and Philip felt his irritation drain away. How could he stay angry with her when she seemed only to be concerned for his safety, even at the risk of her own? “I like you, Amelia.” It might even be more than that or possibly could be, if given time. He couldn’t let her just leave before they explored this a bit more.

  “I like you, too.”

  Thank God. He smiled at her as he caressed her jaw. “Then don’t leave.” He gazed into her blue eyes, beckoning her to stay.

  “But…”

  “I’ve thought of nothing but you since we parted,” he admitted, not even sure why he was doing so. “I’m not certain what there is between us, but I’d like the opportunity to find out.”

  “And if Mr. Mason…?”

  “Trust me to take are of that situation, my dear. I am less worried about Mason than I am about losing you.”

  Her eyes rounded in surprise. “He’s not to be trusted.”

  “Which is why you cannot consider marriage to the fiend.”

  She simply blinked at him.

  “Give me the day, Amelia. Let us see what today brings before you make any rash decisions.”

  “I don’t know—” she began.

  Philip dipped his head and brushed his lips against hers, hoping to bring her around to his way of thinking. But instead he found himself lost in all of the sensations that were Amelia Pritchard.

  His lips trailed down her neck and warmth encompassed his being. Dear God, she smelled like heaven. And she tasted just as good. He unlatched her traveling cloak, which slid to the floor at their feet, and he nibbled on her shoulder, pulling her closer to him all the while. If he could just get the tiniest bit closer, it might assuage the ache building in his loins.

  Amelia moaned softly by his ear, and her breathy little sounds nearly drove Philip wild with lust. He slid one finger along the base of her décolletage and then swept beneath the material of her gown. The softness of her breast beneath his touch was like a flame to a taper. His hand slid further until he discovered her nipple. Philip lightly squeezed her, eliciting more sounds of pleasure from her lips.