A Hero for Lady Abigail by Dallen, Maggie (i can read book club txt) 📕

function so early in the day after a ball.

Abigail wasn’t exactly delighted about it either but if Charlotte would be here then so would the major, and she’d spent the better part of last night coming up with all the many reasons as to why this was the perfect plan.

Well, perhaps not perfect. But it was a plan, and right now any plan was better than nothing. But truly, she had no intention of spending this season as the predator on the hunt. No. This season, she’d be the prey. She’d set the bait and have the eligible lords of the ton seeking her out before the week was through.

Her plan? Remind them that she was eligible. Not just eligible, but in demand. Wanted. After the humiliating rejection by Merrick’s brother, Lord Tilling, and then several seasons with no successful match, she was forced to admit she’d lost some of her lustre.

She wasn’t desperate, by any means. And she was certainly not on the shelf.

But she did have some work ahead of her to make her reputation shine. To do so, she needed to visibly remind those preening peacocks that she was not to be taken for granted. Men were driven by competition just as much as women, she’d found, and there was nothing like seeing something one wants stolen away to remind one of its worth.

She straightened her gloves and glanced over at her mother. “Are you ready?”

Her mother sighed with weary resignation. “After you, dear.”

They walked in silence until she spotted him. An honest-to-goodness grin tugged at her lips at the sight of Major Mayfield looking so strikingly male in the midst of so much frippery. Even wearing a frown of concentration, he looked absurdly kind as he leaned down to listen to old Sir Geoffrey talk. No doubt regaling him with tales of his days in the military.

Everyone knew it was best not to get trapped speaking to Sir Geoffrey or one might be stuck listening to him for eternity.

She’d just picked up her pace to head over to him when her mother sighed. “I should have known.”

Ignore her. Ignore her. Ignore— “What should you have known?”

Her mother sighed again. “Please don’t tell me you dragged me to a picnic just to flirt with an earl’s nephew.” Her mother tsked. “You can do better, dear.”

Abigail’s hands fisted at her sides. “One minute you’re telling me I am too pathetic to be choosy. The next you’re telling me I can do better. Which is it, Mother? It cannot be both.”

Her mother pressed her lips together in disapproval. “Impertinent girl.”

“Impertinent lady, Mother. I'm not a young girl anymore, as you like to remind me.”

Her mother looked toward the major, who was quite possibly the first and only member of good society to humor Sir Geoffrey with such marked attention. Her lips quirked up again. It was sweet, really. The major certainly was charitable.

“He's only taking pity on you, dear,” her mother said. “The way you threw yourself at him, why...he likely only danced with you as an act of charity.”

The words were so close to what she’d been thinking that she stumbled a bit over her own feet.

To be pitied...to be seen as an act of charity…

The very thought made her chest tighten and that knot form anew.

I am most fortunate to be in your company. 

His words from the night before came back to her and the burgeoning sense of dread disappeared just as quickly as it had started. The major might be kind but he was also genuine. She suspected he could not be false to save his life.

He had not danced with her out of pity. Out of a sense of chivalry, perhaps. Good manners, definitely. But not out of pity.

She straightened her shoulders. “I’ll go on ahead a bit, shall I?” She started to quicken her pace. “And if you want to be useful, you can take Sir Geoffrey back to the other old men by the lake over there.”

Her mother’s grumbling was lost in the wind behind her as she sidled up alongside the two men. “Major Mayfield, what a pleasure to see you here today.”

The major’s eyes widened at the sight of her. She told herself it was in shock, but she feared she saw a flicker of horror. “Lady Abigail?”

Yes. Definitely shock.

“Sir Geoffrey.” She turned her attention to the older man to give the major time to regain his composure. “My mother was so looking forward to seeing you today.”

“She was?” He looked just as shocked as Major Mayfield.

“Of course, she was. Why, here she is right now. Mother, here he is!”

Her mother shot her a glare, but she was far too well bred to do anything other than that which was expected. “Good afternoon, Sir Geoffrey. Tell me, how is your charming niece these days?”

Abigail turned back to Major Mayfield with a smile.

He returned it with a scowl. “What are you about, Lady Abigail?”

Her smile grew. “Well, that isn’t a very gracious welcome.”

He gave his head a shake and rubbed a hand over his eyes. “I apologize, it’s just…I hadn’t expected to see you today.”

It took everything she had not to laugh at his adorably perplexed expression. “No, I didn’t suppose you came here with the intention of seeing me.”

His brows drew down. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just that I knew to find you here because I knew that Miss Charlotte Ainsworth would be attending.”

“You knew—” He stopped himself with a huff and studied her for a long moment. A long, slightly terrifying moment, if she were being honest. She most definitely was not used to anyone looking at her like...like that. As though he could see straight through her. Whatever he saw, it caused him to frown and cross his arms. “To be clear, are you saying you came here today to see me?”

“Precisely.”

“Well, I am…” He cleared his throat and glanced around as if searching for salvation. “I am honored by your attentions, of course. However—”

“Oh no, no, no,”