Page 51 of Chasing Benedict
Simmons smiled. “Indeed, sir. And might I add that he was right … you do look splendid in purple.”
Once Simmons had retreated, Benedict was left with nothing to do but go down to dinner. The butler announced the meal just as Benedict reached the ground floor, and he joined the others on the short trek to the dining room. Alex and Nick were engaged in animated conversation, years of separation giving them much to catch up on.
Calliope linked her arm with his and gave him a smile. “You’re looking well, Benedict. Better than I’ve ever seen you.”
“The pure country air and my training regimen have been good for me.”
“I think the company of a long-lost friend might have something to do with it, as well.”
The comment was innocent enough, but it still made Benedict stiffen, his senses on high alert. Still, he had to admit—at least to himself—that Calliope was right. He had tried to fight it, but being in Alex’s presence had offered him the kind of comfort and ease Benedict hadn’t felt in years. Now that matters between them were better settled, Benedict supposed there was no harm in enjoying what time they had left.
Then again, he wasn’t sure how much time that might be. Their arrangement was set to end in a few weeks, at which time Benedict had an important decision to make. He would need to decide what the future might hold for him, and whether that future would include Alex. After the revelations of the past few days, Benedict found it difficult to imagine that he could return to his solitary life without a look back.
As they reached the dining room, he pushed that matter to the back of his mind. There was nothing to be done about any of it now, and Benedict needed to keep his head while interacting with Alex in front of people who had no idea what they shared.
Small talk continued over the fish course. Fisher’s absence from the table freed Benedict to eat and drink as he pleased, so he enjoyed his first taste of wine all week. Alex watched him with amusement in his eyes while sipping from his own goblet.
Clearing his throat, Ben sought Nick’s gaze. “Did you receive Aubrey’s letter?”
Nick choked on a mouthful of food, eyes watering as he followed it with a healthy swallow of wine. He looked at Benedict as if certain he’d lost his mind.
“He knows, Nick,” Benedict said. “We can speak freely in front of Alex.”
Nick’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Alex … knows. All the secrecy and sneaking about these last few years, and you see nothing wrong with letting someone else in on our secret?”
Benedict could have kicked himself for revealing the Alex knew. It was easy to forget how ambivalent he’d been when speaking of Alex in the recent past.
“He was already suspicious,” Benedict hedged. “Besides, he’s friend with three of us. Did you really think we could keep it hidden from him forever?”
Nick narrowed his eyes. “Indeed. And how are matters being settled with the Gossip?”
“I’ve uncovered her identity, if that’s what you want to know. The name will be familiar to you … Cynthia Milbank.”
“Cynthia … you mean …” Nick followed his stammering with a gulp of wine, looking again to Alex.
Aubrey and Nick were the only ones who had known about Benedict’s brief, forced engagement. Benedict gave a brief shake of his head to discourage Nick from revealing what he wanted to divulge. With Nick here, he didn’t seem to have a choice. His presence would force Benedict to tell Alex the rest of what he’d been hiding
“I see,” Nick said. “I assume you have a plan. You always do.”
“Yes,” Benedict replied.
Nick leaned in as if waiting for more, but sighed when Benedict offered nothing. “Right. I forgot. Only Aubrey is ever good enough to know what’s going on in that head of yours.”
Benedict’s head snapped up, but Nick had busied himself with the soup course. “What was that?”
Nick shrugged. “Oh, nothing. It’s just that I’ve finally figured out why I’ve been so annoyed with you these past months.”
“Nick,” Calliope whispered. “Now is not the time.”
Benedict dropped his spoon into his bowl and sat back in his chair. “Oh, are you annoyed with me? I hadn’t noticed.”
Nick glowered at him, soup forgotten. “With all that has happened, you’ve kept almost everything close to your chest. I thought I understood it. I thought I understoodyou. Except, you don’t keep it all to yourself, do you? Aubrey knows everything, and the two of you have become quite adept at shutting me out.”
Alex cleared his throat. “Perhaps the two of you might want to make use of a drawing room to continue this conversation.”
“Nick is the one who felt he could pick a fight with me over dinner,” Benedict retorted. “Well? Go on, Nick. You are never short on things to say.”
“I’ve said far less than I’ve wanted to,” Nick said. “Do you think me a child, that you must coddle me and protect me from the truth? I could understand why you wouldn’t want to worry Hugh or David … but me? I’ve known you longer than any of them, yet you treat me like an outsider.”
