The meeting with Valentina realized her worst fears. Until now, she could fool herself into believing that her cousin's presence in England was a coincidence. It was imperative that Tatiana find the Heavens, if they could be found at all. Valentina could well claim the throne if she recovered the jewels. Indeed, simply by making their absence public in Avalonia she could undermine the rule of Tatiana's father and her brother's succession to the throne.

She reached Matthew's side and took his arm. "Matthew-"

"Tatiana." His voice was firm. "Allow me to introduce my brother, Lord Stephen." The man beside him stepped forward, and Tatiana tried not to gape. One would never confuse him for Matthew at this distance, but the similarity in appearance between the men was startling.

"My lady." Lord Stephen caught her hand and raised it to his lips. "I cannot tell you what a pleasure it is to meet you. My family has been consumed by curiosity over what kind of temptress had managed to snare him." Stephen smiled Matthew's smile. "Now I can see she is exquisite."

"Your manner is as polished as your brother's, my lord." She cast him a genuine smile and reclaimed her hand. "I can see the resemblance between you is not limited to appearance."

Stephen laughed, then sobered and glanced at his brother. "Are you... ?"

"Indeed I am." Matthew cleared his throat in that way he had when he was reluctant to tell her something. "Her Grace would like to speak to us in the parlor. It seems we are the subject of gossip."

"Gossip?" Tatiana held her breath. "What kind of gossip?"

Matthew's gaze met hers, his smile wry. "Apparently there is a rumor spreading through the room that you and I are not... married."

"That you and Matthew are simply posing as man and wife," Stephen added.

Relief washed through her and she laughed.

Stephen's brows pulled together. "My dear, this charge is not at all humorous."

"Oh, I don't know, Stephen," Matt said mildly. "There is a certain element of ironic amusement to it."

"I am sorry, my lord. You are right; this is nothing to laugh about." She shook her head and tried to adopt a more serious tone. "It is simply not what I expected. Shall we go see Her Grace, then?" She smiled up at Matthew.

"Indeed we shall." He held out his arm. She took it and he leaned close, his voice low. "You aren't the least bit worried, are you?"

"Not about this. I have a great deal to tell you. Besides, we have already survived your balloon." She couldn't stifle a grin. "Scandal is the very least of my concerns."

It was as close as Matt ever wanted to get to a tribunal or court of inquiry.

The dowager sat regally on a sofa, flanked by her daughter-in-law, the duchess, on one side and Lady Helmsley on the other. The duke himself leaned against the mantel with an expression of amused curiosity. His son, the Marquess of Helmsley, Thomas, stood nearby.

Matt and Tatiana stood before the ladies, Stephen a step behind in a silent, but appreciated, position of support. He braced himself for what was ahead, even as an odd sense of relief filled him that, at last, the pretense would be over.

"My dear Lady Matthew," the duchess began. "An unpleasant rumor has come to our attention. It is being said that you and Lord Matthew are, well-"

"Now is not the time for subtleties, Katherine." The dowager waved her silent. She pinned Tatiana with a firm gaze. "While we consider ourselves broad-minded about the relations between adults, we do not appreciate deception in our own home."

Tatiana didn't so much as flinch. She was serene and composed and every inch a princess. Matthew marveled that no one could see it but him.

The dowager studied her for a long moment, then smiled. "You are this man's wife, are you not?"

"Indeed I am, Your Grace." A slight smile tilted Tatiana's lips. Matt's stomach clenched. She had promised to confess everything, and this was not exactly what he'd had in mind.

The dowager nodded. "I assume the facts of this marriage are not generally known, am I correct?"

"You are." Tatiana's tone was as composed as if she were discussing something as undisputed as the rising of the sun. "We were wed in Paris last year. I have the documents to prove it, if that is required."

Matt stared at her in shock. "Tatiana," he said, without thinking. "She didn't ask if we wed but if you were my wife."

"My hearing is excellent, my lord." Tatiana cast him an innocent gaze.

"You swore there would be no more misstatements." His voice rose and he forgot they were not alone.

"Isn't there something else you wish to say?"

Tatiana thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Not on this particular matter."

He gritted his teeth and bent closer to her, aware every gaze in the room was intent upon them, but no longer caring. "What about the annulment? The dissolution of the marriage?"

She sighed. "Matthew, I told you I was your wife and would always be your wife."

He stared at her in confusion. "What?"

The dowager cleared her throat. "And I suspect, Matthew, she has the papers to prove it."

Tatiana cast the dowager a brilliant smile and the elderly woman grinned back.

Matt shook his head. "I don't understand any of this."

"Understanding will come, my boy," Her Grace said coolly. "Now, then, there are a few other matters I

should like to discuss. Ladies," she addressed the women sitting beside her, "I shall trust you to lay this nasty rumor to rest."

The women exchanged glances, then stood with obvious reluctance.

"I assure you, you will miss nothing of significance by leaving." The dowager chuckled. "And should anything of great interest transpire, I will inform you both."

"Thomas, Lord Stephen, ladies." The duke stepped to the door and waited.

"I always knew they were married," the duchess said sotto voce to her daughter-in-law as they passed from the room. "You could tell by looking at them."

"Yes, but wouldn't it have been delightful"-Lady Helmsley cast a wicked grin at Matt from the

doorway-"if they weren't?"

"I'm still not sure why we needed to be here," the marquess muttered to his father. "We haven't said a word."

"Only our presence was required, my boy, not our opinion," the duke said wryly. "Scandal is not official

unless it is acknowledged by the gentlemen in attendance with the loftiest titles. It is an odd rule of life you would do well to accept, as it is perpetuated by the wives"-he cast the dowager an affectionate grin-"and mothers of those with the loftiest titles who are truly in control of this world."

"Indeed we are," the dowager said with a chuckle, and the duke closed the door firmly in his wake. Her Grace directed her attention back to Matt and Tatiana. "As much as I am certain I would find the explanation of what has transpired between the two of you fascinating, it is no doubt none of my concern." She gestured for Tatiana to sit in a chair to her right. "Not that that would particularly stop me, but at the moment there are other issues of concern. Don't you agree, Lady Matthew?" Tatiana settled in the chair and considered the question. After a long moment she met the dowager's gaze. "Yes." "I thought you would." Her Grace folded her hands together primly in her lap. "Now, then, it's past time for you to tell me exactly what you are looking for"-she smiled pleasantly-"Your Highness." Chapter 17 "Do you know everything, Your Grace?" Tatiana said with a smile.

"Not everything, Your Highness. But I have the means to discover what I don't know. In addition, I have a son who is a duke with excellent connections. What I do not know, he does or can find out."

"I do apologize if my deception has offended you in any way," Tatiana said slowly. "That was not my intention."

"I never imagined it was." The dowager studied her carefully. "You look far too much like your aunt for it to be a coincidence. Therefore, I made certain assumptions, and my son managed to confirm them for me." She leaned toward the younger woman. "If one is going to meddle, it helps to have powerful relations."

Tatiana smiled. "So I have always believed."

"Why are you asking about Sophia's travels?" The older woman's eyes sparkled with interest. "I am fairly confident you have very little interest in writing a history of your family."

Tatiana paused.

"Your Highness, I would not have sent the others from the room if I were not committed to keeping your secret. My son is the only one who knows who you are." The dowager's voice was firm, her manner honorable. "I am astute enough about the affairs of the world to know there was a good reason for a princess to conceal her identity."

"She didn't trust you," Matthew said coolly. "She doesn't particularly trust anyone."

"Sometimes, Matthew, that is extremely wise." She turned toward Tatiana. "You do not know me, my dear, therefore it seems rather foolish for me to simply ask for your trust and expect to receive it. However, do consider that your aunt trusted me. And, as immodest as it sounds, she did not regret it."

"No, I do not think she would." Tatiana drew a deep breath. "Did Sophia ever speak to you about the Heavens of Avalonia?"

"Do keep in mind the annoying problem I have with my memory, but to the best of my recollection, it does not sound familiar." Her Grace shook her head. "What are the Heavens of Avalonia?"

"Jewels, Your Grace," Matthew said. "Large and priceless. An opal, a ruby and four flawless diamonds originally set in a wide, gold cuff. I'm certain you would remember if you had seen, or been told, of them."

"I should think so." Her Grace's eyes widened. "Flawless, you said? Oh, my, yes. That I would remember. One never forgets jewels, particularly if they are large or perfect."

"Their value is far greater than any monetary amount. They are a symbol to my people of the right to rule Avalonia. Of Avalonia's very right to exist. It was not until recently that we learned they had been replaced by nearly perfect copies. It appears they vanished at the same time Sophia left the country."

"I see."

"Their guardianship is a charge of my position as hereditary princess. But I must confess, until now, recovering them was very much a personal quest."

"And now?"

"Now," Matthew said, "someone, more than likely a cousin of hers who wants to claim the throne for herself, is also on the trail of the jewels. We suspect she was responsible for the wrecking of Tatiana's room and the tampering with my balloon."

"Actually, Matthew"-Tatiana met his gaze-"it is no longer mere suspicion. It was Valentina. She was here tonight."

"What?" He started toward the door.

"Do not bother. She has gone by now. I met her on the terrace. She said she had impeded my progress and I now understand what she meant."

"She started the rumor about you and your husband?" the dowager said. "But why?"

Tatiana shrugged. "Perhaps to force me to reveal my title. I thought-admittedly a mistake-that it would be easier to inquire about Sophia and the Heavens as a simple scholar. I see now that Matthew's insistence that I am dealing with honorable people and should therefore be honest with them has merit."

"Complimentary as always, Your Highness," he said under his breath.

She ignored him. "However, it is more likely, as she was unaware that Matthew and I are truly married, that she assumed if our deception was uncovered we would no longer be welcomed here or at the home of the next lady on the list."

"But she has no idea that lady is my grandmother, does she?" Matthew asked.

"Ihad no idea," Tatiana said pointedly. "The woman mentioned in Sophia's letter was a Lady Cranston, not Stanwick."

"My grandmother was married more than once," Matthew said. "Her first husband was Lord Cranston. Her second was my grandfather."

"Sophia stayed at Weston Manor because Beatrice resided there for a considerable time before her marriage." Her Grace chuckled with the memory. "Another interesting scandal long since forgotten."

"Oh?" Matthew said.

The older woman paid him no heed. "This is all fascinating, Your Highness, and explains a great deal. You are certainly welcome to look throughout the house for your jewels, a room-to-room search if you wish-if, of course, you have not already done so." Laughter sparked in the old lady's eye.

Matthew raised a brow. Tatiana smiled weakly.

"I am fairly certain, though, after this length of time, if they have not yet been found, they are in all likelihood not here. I can recall no stories through the years of anyone finding jewels, nor can I recall abrupt, unexpected and unexplained wealth among relations or guests or servants."

"I am beginning to think Sophia would not have been so foolish as to hide them where she could not watch over them." Tatiana blew a long breath. "When Matthew and I began this, I confess the search for the Heavens was not well planned. I simply hoped that all would work out. In truth, the purpose of my quest was deeply personal and the jewels were little more than a convenience." She slanted a quick glance at Matthew.

Tatiana rose to her feet and paced before the sofa. "Since learning of Valentina's presence in England, I have spent much of my time studying the letter Princess Sophia wrote to her mother. I was doing so the morning before it was stolen.

"She mentions your help and the assistance of the other ladies. It is apparent she trusted the three of you greatly." Tatiana cast the dowager an appreciative smile. "She also writes of duty and heritage and honor. Sophia wrote that heritage is the tie that binds the past to the future. I paid no heed to those words at first, but now I wonder if her writing may be an oblique reference to the Heavens. I know it was a very long time ago, but have you any idea what she meant?"

"None whatsoever. Although there could well be another explanation, Your Highness." Her Grace's voice was gentle. "Sophia was quite private about her concerns. There was an air of determination about her even as she seemed burdened with an awful sorrow. Understandable, given all she'd been through. Her words may well be more reflective of the upheaval in her life than anything else."

Tatiana heaved a heartfelt sigh. "I am beginning to fear the jewels are lost forever."

"It is not nearly time to give up yet, child. It is entirely possible Beatrice knows more than I. Sophia did stay with her for more than a month, I believe. It was during that visit she met and married Lord Worthington."

"And then moved to Worthington Castle, essentially exiling herself from the rest of the world." Tatiana spoke more to herself than the others. "But Alexei searched there and found nothing. He is convinced the jewels are not there."

"You have not spoken to Lord Beaumont about this, have you?" the dowager asked.

Tatiana started with surprise. "No, of course not."

"He is your cousin and Sophia's grandson." Her Grace paused to press her point. "He could be a great deal of help."