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" W ill you be all right on your own if I go off and speak to some old business associates for a while?" James asked Victoria.

She nodded. "Of course."

The truth was that she didn't really want to be on her own at the party.

The crowd was making her nervous, heightening her awareness of just how long it had been since she had been out in public like this.

She was already looking forward with great eagerness to the moment when James would say that they could go home.

She knew that she was handling the pressure of the ball as well as could be expected, but that didn't mean she was enjoying herself.

But the best thing to do was probably to allow James to socialize with whomever he felt the need to socialize with. If he could do that, maybe he would feel ready to leave, and then they could go home and put the night behind them.

It wasn't until he had walked away that another benefit of his absence occurred to her.

Left standing on her own, she looked around the room and her eye immediately went to Benjamin, the gentleman who had had addressed them moments ago. He was standing alone with a drink in his hand, and as she watched, he turned his attention toward her and smiled at her.

Victoria smiled back.

He started across the room in her direction.

Victoria felt a surge of anxiety—the idea of being on her own with any man was frightening after everything she'd been through. The fact that she had been able to adjust to time alone with James every day felt like nothing short of a miracle.

But then, she and Benjamin wouldn't be alone if he came over here, would they? There were people all around, people who would bear witness to anything that happened between the two of them. And she could easily walk away if things became unpleasant.

Benjamin had reached her. "Good evening again," he said, raising his glass to her. "Can I get you a drink?"

"I'm not thirsty, thank you." Victoria wanted to keep her mind clear tonight.

He nodded. "Very well," he said. "Are you enjoying the festivities?"

She settled on an answer that was vague enough not to be dishonest. "It was kind of Lord and Lady Worthington to invite me."

"Oh, I'm not sure kindness had anything to do with it," Benjamin said with a laugh. "You must know that everyone is eager to see the mysterious Dowager Duchess of Stormwell out of her seclusion. You're the talk of the party."

"I did know that, but I try not to think about it," Victoria sighed.

"Forgive me for bringing it up, then," Benjamin said. "I suppose I don't know how I would respond if it was me everyone was talking about. I tend to think that I would like the attention! But then, people respond differently to things."

"You might not like it very much if the only reason you were given attention was that people thought you guilty of a monstrous crime," she pointed out.

"Right again. Well, rest assured I don't believe you had anything to do with his death," Benjamin said.

"I'm sure he just drank himself into an early grave.

And if you ask me, it's rather foolish that no one else has thought about things in those terms. Everyone knows that the Duke of Stormwell was a drunk. "

"Do they?"

"You were married to him. You must know."

"I probably had three conversations with the man in the entire span of time we knew one another. Surely no more than five. I couldn't rightly claim to know anything about the man, nor can I say that I wish I did," she said.

"Well, if you ask me, that's what killed him," Benjamin said. "Nothing you did, but the drink. Anyone who drank the way he did would have met his demise eventually."

"You seem to know a great deal about the late duke."

"I ought to," Benjamin said. "He was my cousin."

The words took a moment to register.

Then Victoria stared at him. "He was your cousin? Then—then you and James are…you're relations?"

"He didn't tell you," Benjamin said with a sigh. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised either," Victoria admitted. "I'm beginning to think there are a great deal of things he doesn't tell me."

"Well, yes, we're family," Benjamin said. "We're brothers, as it happens."

"He never mentioned having a brother."

"Technically, I'm his half-brother. As I'm sure he would rush to clarify if he was here right now."

"It sounds like you're saying you two weren't very close," Victoria surmised.

"No, we never have been. Not for lack of trying on my part, I assure you—but he hasn't been much interested in a relationship with me."

"I wonder why that is?"

Benjamin smiled, but Victoria thought it was a sad smile. His eyes lacked the cheer they'd had thus far in this conversation. "You would have to discuss that matter with him," he said. "It's not my place to talk about it, I don't think. Especially since you two are the ones with the relationship."

"Oh—we don't have a relationship," Victoria said. "It isn't like that between us." Her cheeks were hot. If Benjamin had made this mistake, was it possible that other people had made it too? "We're just—friends."

"Of course," Benjamin said. "I didn't mean to make an assumption. Please forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive," Victoria assured him, feeling herself relax slightly. "An honest mistake."

"It's just that the two of you have been living in the same house, and you're so lovely," Benjamin explained with a smile. This time, the expression seemed more genuine.

"That's kind of you to say," Victoria said, noticing that she didn't perceive any threat from him.

It would often have bothered her to have her looks commented upon by a gentleman, but there was something very innocent—harmless—about Benjamin.

She wasn't worried about what he might intend. She was sure he meant her no ill will.

How strange. The last time she had been sure of that had been with Jonathan, and she couldn't have been any more wrong about him. And now she found herself ready to believe in the good intentions of a man again, something she had thought would never happen.

She had no romantic feelings toward him.

She could tell at once that things between the two of them would never move in that direction.

But that was all right. It was enough to feel comfortable, to know that she could stand here with him and not have to worry about where things might be going.

She thought she would have been more intimidated if this had been a romantic situation, and she was grateful for the fact that it wasn't one.

"Is James going to be angry that you told me all this?" she asked. "If he had wanted me to know, he probably would have told me himself. Don't you think?"

"I do," Benjamin said. "But he works too hard to keep me a secret."

"I don't understand. Why would he want to conceal the existence of his brother?"

Benjamin let out a sigh. "That's one thing I truly can't answer," he said.

"Because you don't know?"

"Because it isn't my place. If you want to know more about our past and why he likes to keep me a secret, you'll have to speak to him about it directly."

"You show a lot of concern and respect for someone who doesn't even acknowledge your existence," Victoria observed.

"He's my brother," Benjamin said simply. "Whatever the state of things between the two of us might be, I care about him. I care about what's best for him. He's had little enough of that in his life, and I'm not going to be one more person who refuses him the consideration he deserves."

That was a statement full of mystery. Victoria wondered what it might mean.

What had happened between them in their past, and who had failed to give James the care Benjamin thought he deserved?

She wished she could ask, but she knew she couldn't—he'd made it clear he wasn't going to answer any questions that got too personal.

"I'll tell you what," Benjamin said. "Since he seems to have left you here on your own, would you like to remain with me until he returns? I'd love a dance, if you're amenable to that."

"That would be lovely," Victoria said gratefully, knowing that dancing with Benjamin meant she would be spared—at least for the time being—having to dance with anyone else. He wasn't interested in her romantically, she could sense it, and because of that he would be someone safe to spend time with.

He led her out onto the dance floor and held her loosely in his arms. The music began, and they fell into an easy step.

"You're a good dancer," Benjamin observed.

She blushed and smiled. "I haven't actually had much practice, she confessed. "I was out for three seasons before I married, but I didn't spend much time dancing with gentlemen in those years."

"No one asked you? I find that difficult to believe."

She blushed again. "You're very flattering. No, it wasn't so much that as it was my own reluctance. I've always been a bit…shy."

"And that's why you became a recluse after my cousin's death? I knew there had to be some explanation—it couldn't be what people were saying, that you were hiding because you were responsible for it."

"I wasn't hiding at all," Victoria said.

"I was most comfortable in my home, so I chose to stay there.

I had no desire to marry again, and I certainly had no interest in listening to what the gossips had to say about me.

There was no reason to venture out of the house when the few friends I had were more than content to come and visit me there. "

"That makes sense," Benjamin said.

"You're the first to see it that way. I wish you would explain it to your brother."

"He may understand better than you think," Benjamin said. "I wouldn't judge him too quickly. You're not the only one who has been challenged by your past."

"What do you mean?"

But Benjamin only shook his head, and she knew that she wouldn't get him to say any more on the subject.

The dance ended and he gave her a bow. "Thank you for your time and the pleasure of your company, Your Grace," he said. "I hope you enjoy the remainder of your evening."

"I hope you do as well," Victoria said. "I'm very glad I met you."

They smiled at one another, but as he walked away, Victoria was aware that their encounter had left her with more questions than answers.

Why had James never mentioned having a brother? And what other secrets had he been keeping all this time?

She was determined to find out.