"Which truth exactly?" she said slowly.

"What do you mean, which truth? How many truths are there to choose from?" He narrowed his eyes. "Or should I say, how many lies?"

"One or two." She bit her bottom lip. "Or more."

"I want all of it, Tatiana. Why you are here. What you want. Everything."

"What if you do not like what you hear?"

He clenched his jaw. "Then I shall not be disappointed, as I do not expect to like it."

She met his gaze defiantly. "And if I do not confess all?"

"I shall tell the dowager who you really are. Regardless of your true purpose, I suspect that will hinder your efforts."

"Very well, you leave me no choice. Obviously, now is not the time, but I am willing to explain all tonight when we are alone." She raised a shoulder in a careless shrug. "I had planned on telling you everything soon at any rate."

He straightened and stared down at her. "You are, without a doubt, the most-"

"Matthew, if you would be so good as to accompany me in to dinner." The dowager stepped back into the room.

"I would be honored." He hurried to her side, praying he and Tatiana had kept their voices low enough to keep their discussion private.

"It shall only be the three of us tonight." Her Grace took his arm and smiled up at him. "I quite look forward to a long evening of conversation. It should be most interesting."

Not nearly as interesting as later tonight would be. Matt forced an unconcerned smile and uttered his first real lie of the night. "I do hope so, ma'am."

If indeed there was an underlying topic of conversation at the dinner table that continued even after the meal was finished and the trio had retired to a large drawing room, it was the importance of family.

The dowager spoke at length about the various members of the impressively large, and apparently ever-increasing, Effington family. Tatiana was grateful none of the Effington relations were in residence at the moment. She would never be able to remember the endless number of names and titles.

The older woman went on about Matthew's family as well, obviously making it her mission to reacquaint him with the lives of his brothers. Tatiana realized Matthew's name on the note she had sent was the reason why the dowager had responded so quickly and so graciously. Now the discussion gave Tatiana a fascinating glimpse into the past of the man she loved.

He was the youngest of four sons of the Marquess of Stanwick and had no sisters. His mother had died shortly after his birth and his father within the past few years, while Matthew was still serving at sea. Unfortunately, Her Grace did not specifically bring up whatever had caused the rift between Matthew and the rest of the Weston family, but from what she did say, or perhaps what she did not, Tatiana had the distinct impression whatever had happened was by no means insurmountable. Judging by the expression in Matthew's eye, he may well have come to the same conclusion.

Was it pride, then, that kept this man from returning to those people he had once cared for? Or was it fear? Tatiana certainly understood that kind of fear. It clutched at your heart and kept you from turning to the one you loved because you feared opening your heart might destroy you. Whether she wished to or not, tonight she would face that fear with Matthew. One way or another, the past between them would be resolved. Could she help him resolve his own past?

"I am sorry, my dear." The dowager cast Tatiana an apologetic smile. She and Tatiana sat on a small sofa. Matthew had settled into the chair closest to the older woman. "Matthew and I have quite monopolized the conversation with talk of his family and mine. Now I should like to hear something of your background."

"There is very little to say, Your Grace." Tatiana picked up her glass of sherry and sipped, ignoring the apprehensive glance cast her by Matthew.

"Your note said you were from Avalonia. Do you have family there?"

The essence of a good lie is that it is based in truth. Tatiana smiled pleasantly. "I do indeed. My father and my brothers all reside in Avalonia."

"Is that it, then?" The dowager raised a curious brow. "No aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents?"

"Regretfully, I have very few other relations. A handful of distant cousins, nothing more." Tatiana took another sip of wine and met Matthew's gaze over the rim of the glass. Tonight she would tell him everything. And tonight they would at last- "What a pity." The older woman studied her thoughtfully. "Yet surely you have some blood connection to your country's royal family?"

Tatiana struggled to keep her composure.

"Why do you say that, ma'am?" Matthew asked quickly.

"Why, my dear boy"-the dowager's brows drew together-"she bears a startling likeness to the Princess Sophia. Unless my memory is far worse than I suspected, it's quite remarkable."

"Do I?" Tatiana forced a light laugh.

Tatiana had seen portraits of the princess, of course, but most were painted when Sophia was a child or young girl. Tatiana had never noticed anything more than a vague family likeness and no one else had ever commented on the resemblance. "I suppose, then, I should confess."

Matthew breathed a subtle sigh of relief.

"There is a distant connection between my family and the royal family. Through my father, I believe." She ignored the flash in Matthew's eye. "In truth, that is one reason why I am so eager to tell her story. It seems a terrible disservice to allow this lady-a hereditary princess, no less, who had the courage to take her child and flee her country, with little more than the clothes on her back-to fade into obscurity.

"I want to know everything about her. Did she share confidences? Talk about the past? Her fears and her hopes?" She leaned closer to the older woman. "I want to know where she went and who she spoke to. Did she take long walks or morning rides? I want to see the places she saw and even the very room she stayed in.

"Frankly, I consider it"-she raised her chin a notch and her voice rang in the huge dining room-"a sacred trust."

Matthew snorted.

Tatiana cast him a threatening glare and he hesitated, then coughed and grabbed his glass of cognac. He took a gulp and gasped.

"Forgive me." His voice was convincingly breathless. "I had something caught in my throat."

"We can only be grateful you did not choke to death," Tatiana said in an overly sweet manner.

"I suspect fate is saving me for something far more painful," he muttered and drained the rest of his drink.

Tatiana smiled. "One can only hope."

"Fate has brought you home," the matriarch said firmly. "How long has it been since you were last at Weston Manor, Matthew?"

Matthew had the grace to look chagrined. "Ten years or so."

"And in all that time you have been too busy to write?" Her Grace fixed him with a chastising look. "My dear boy, one is never too busy for family. When all is said and done, the only people one can count on in this life are those people you are related to by bonds of blood or bonds of marriage or, if you are extremely lucky, bonds of friendship."

Matthew blew a long breath and nodded slowly.

"And, as Weston Manor is less than a day's drive from here, especially given your wife's quest, this is indeed the perfect opportunity for you to reestablish those bonds."

"Your family home is that close?" Tatiana stared in surprise. "Her Grace is right. You cannot possibly let this chance slip by."

"I most certainly can." His voice was firm. "There is much about my relationship with my family you are not aware of."

"Nonsense." The dowager snorted in a most unladylike manner. "You would be rather shocked, I think, to learn just how much I do know. Old ladies have little else to do with their time than gossip and meddle. I know a great deal about the lives of those who touch my life, because I make it my business to know.

"I know of your wild youth and I know of the trouble between you and your father that led to your departure. Furthermore, I know, as I am confident you do not, that at the end of his life he very much regretted his actions."

"Did he," Matthew said softly.

"He did indeed. And your brothers would be most happy to welcome you home." Her Grace heaved a heartfelt sigh. "Matthew, you are, what? Six and twenty?"

He nodded.

"You have the luxury of a great portion of your life still ahead of you. Do not waste it." She shook her head. "Do not get to my years with regrets and no time left to make amends. Go home, Matthew."

"I..." he heaved a sigh of surrender. "I will consider it."

"Do you have regrets, Your Grace?" Tatiana said without thinking.

The dowager raised a brow. "My dear young woman, that is a most impertinent question."

Heat flashed up Tatiana's face. "I am sorry. I did not-"

"Do not apologize." Her Grace chuckled. "I rather like impertinence. As for regrets..." She folded her hands on her lap and thought for a moment.

"I have known many women through the years who regret that over which they have no control, primarily that they were born women. They long for the public power and authority denied them by virtue of their gender. But I have discovered that in many ways the power of women is far greater than that of men." She cast Matthew a wry smile. "Do forgive me, my lord, I know how this must shock you."

"Not at all." Matthew laughed. "I confess, I expected as much from you, ma'am."

"As well you should." The dowager nodded primly, then continued. "It is a private power, a private influence, and a wise woman wields it carefully. My own regrets do not concern that which I could not control. As for that which I could..." She fell silent for a long moment. "There are paths I did not take in my life, choices I did not make that I regretted when I was younger. But I realized with the passage of years the paths I chose and the choices I made were indeed the best ones. So no, my dear Lady Matthew, in truth I have no significant regrets.

"And what of you? Although you are far too young to have any regrets of any consequence."

"Oh, but I do." She wasn't sure if it was the kindliness and candid nature of the elderly woman or simply that Tatiana had never spoken of important matters with a woman of experience, but the words tumbled out of their own accord. "I regret I have spent much of my life doing what was expected of me. It led me to a disastrous marriage with a man who could not be trusted and who, in truth, did not care for me."

A startled expression crossed Her Grace's face.

"Oh, not Lord Matthew," Tatiana said quickly. "I was wed once before, a marriage arranged by my family. I regret I had neither the courage nor the strength to control my own fate and I regret that I failed to see how my husband's weakness might be the result of my position in life."

"Oh, my," the dowager said, her blue eyes bright with interest. "Sometimes it's a blessing to talk about all those things one never speaks of aloud." She placed her hand on Tatiana's. "Do go on, my dear."

Matthew's eyes widened and his mouth opened as if he were about to protest, then snapped shut, and he stared with the stunned fascination of one who is watching a house go up in flames or a shipwreck upon a shore. And is helpless to prevent the disaster.

"Very well, I shall." Tatiana squared her shoulders. "I regret that parts of my life have made me suspicious and unable to fully trust now those people I should. I regret some of the decisions I have made with my head, even if they were rational choices, and not trusting my heart. Always. And I regret the fear that still keeps me from doing those things I should have done long ago. And... and..." She sat back in her chair and blew a long breath. "And I believe that may be it."

"That may be enough," Matthew murmured.

"I must say that was quite impressive." Her Grace smiled knowingly. "You do feel better now, don't you, my dear?"

"Yes, actually, I do." Tatiana had been taught from birth, regardless of the circumstances, not to reveal her thoughts and feelings. Now a fresh clean sensation of freedom and relief swept through her. She grinned at the dowager. "In truth, better than I have for a very long time."

"Excellent." The dowager beamed.

Matthew smiled in an absent manner. She had no idea what he might be thinking. He should be pleased. After all, everything she had said was true. Still, there was no reading his mind.

"Your Grace, I wonder if we might now discuss the Princess Sophia?" There was no time like the present to begin, and, with Valentina in the country, no time to waste.

"I do hope you do not think it rude of me, Lady Matthew, but the hour is late and I am beginning to feel somewhat fatigued. I should prefer to put off any discussion of the princess until tomorrow, perhaps, or even later in the week."

"Later in the week?" Tatiana kept her voice level and unconcerned.

"Indeed. Several members of my family were in residence here up until a fortnight ago. Lord Matthew's presence provides me with the perfect opportunity to call them back. I sent out informal invitations the moment I received your note and I expect the guests nearest to Effington Hall to arrive as early as tomorrow. Why, no one would speak to me again if they knew Lord Matthew and his balloon were here and I had allowed them to miss it. In addition, my grandson and several other relations have recently visited Avalonia. I'm certain they would enjoy the opportunity to discuss their activities there with you."

"That would be lovely," Tatiana lied. She would much prefer not to speak with anyone who might recognize her, although she had not been home since shortly after her brother had left Avalonia for England early in the spring.

"I think a ball is in order. Nothing extensive, mind you, a small gathering. No more than fifty guests or so, probably less than a hundred all told, mostly family, could be managed by the end of the week. Oh, say, three days from now. You will stay, of course?"

"Of course," Matthew said, his polite smile belying the reluctance in his eye.

"Of course." Tatiana nodded. As much as she did not want to waste the rest of the week, the time would give her the opportunity to fully explore Effington Hall and its grounds. If the Heavens were here, this was her chance to find them.

"Excellent." The elderly woman beamed. "I do so love impromptu entertainments, and I confess I will use any excuse. I rarely travel to London these days and the country can be frightfully dull. Most of the time, I rather prefer it that way, but at the moment, I am oddly restless." She pulled her brows together in a considering manner. "I have no idea why, but there you have it." She squeezed Tatiana's hand and met her gaze. "It may well be that whole issue of regrets. I shall not live forever and there are any number of things I have yet to do."

She pulled her hand away and turned toward Matthew. "And I fully expect you to help me accomplish one of them."

"Me?" Apprehension flickered in Matthew's eye.

The dowager nodded. "You and your balloon."

"My balloon?" he said slowly.

"Aerostat," Tatiana added.

"In your wife's note I was given to understand you are at a point in your work where it will be necessary to inflate the"-she cast a quick smile at Tatiana-"aerostat. It should be quite exciting. I was hoping you would give me the honor of a ride." She smiled, and a far-off look appeared in her eye. "I do regret that I have never had the opportunity to fly."

"The honor would be mine, Your Grace."

"Excellent. And to seal our bargain, I have something of a treat in store." She picked up a bell and rang. The butler appeared in the doorway immediately. The dowager nodded and the servant disappeared, to return almost at once bearing a tray with a decanter and three filled glasses. "I have been saving this for years, and tonight is indeed the perfect occasion."

The butler offered the tray first to the dowager, who selected a glass, then to Tatiana and Matthew in turn. Tatiana had no idea what the beverage might be, although the deep, dark red-brown color looked familiar.

The dowager raised her glass to Matthew. "To family and friends"-then directed her glass to Tatiana-"and to those who have newly joined our company."

All three brought their glasses to their lips. In that instant before the liquid touched her mouth, Tatiana recognized the sharp, unmistakable scent of Avalonian brandy. At once she realized if she drank it she would soon be asleep and there would be no opportunity for confession to Matthew and no chance of anything much more delightful. But the dowager was offering the brandy in honor of Lord and Lady Matthew, and it would be most impolite not to accept it. Tatiana had little choice.

She squinted her eyes closed, held her breath and drained the glass.

"Avalonian brandy," Matthew said in much the same manner one would say hemlock. As much as Tatiana did not like the drink, it was still not at all pleasant to hear Matthew speak of it as if it were poison.

"Oh, my." The dowager gasped and held her glass out to study its contents. "I did think brandy got better with age."

"It's supposed to," Matthew muttered.

"Do you think it's gone bad? The taste is distinctly..." The lady licked her lips and her nose wrinkled.

"Foul?" Matthew said.

"Odd." Her Grace stared down into her glass. "The princess sent it to me years ago. I understand it's rather rare."