For All Time (Nantucket Brides 2)

When Rory went back outside, he was just in time to see Lexie run to the tent where Graydon and Toby were dining, and he heard her excited voice. Rory knew that as soon as his brother heard that Toby’s roommate had been called away by her rich playboy boss—a man Rory was likely to know—Graydon would know who had done it. Graydon didn’t believe in coincidences, especially not when his brother was nearby.

Sure enough, when Rory’s phone buzzed, it was a single word from his brother. NOW! That meant Graydon wanted to talk now. Rory wrote back. I’M AT KINGSLEY HOUSE. MEET ME THERE. Since his brother had sneaked away, leaving all his staff in Maine, that meant he was without transportation. It was a long walk from the site of the wedding, through town, and up Main Street to Kingsley Lane. Even if Graydon got a ride with someone, it would still give Rory time to find out what he needed to know.

He straightened his jacket, put his shoulders back, adjusted his face to the I-am-going-to-be-king expression, and started toward the big tent. He was going to do his best to impersonate his brother.

Rory saw Toby standing by a large round table full of guests and asking them if they needed anything. He stood to one side and waited for her to finish, as that’s what Graydon would do. If he were being himself, Rory would have pulled her onto the dance floor and swept her away. If she protested, he would’ve kissed her into silence. But that wasn’t Graydon’s style.

When she turned and saw him she looked a bit startled, but then she gave him a warm smile.

“May I please have the honor of this dance?” he asked with his brother’s exaggerated politeness.

“Of course,” she answered and took the hand he held out.

Rory reminded himself to stay rigidly straight and distant. He was glad it was a slow dance, as he didn’t trust himself to hold back in a fast one. It was the first time he’d been so close to her and she was prettier than he’d thought. A sort of Grace Kelly, with her blue eyes and quiet features. Her makeup was subdued, meant to look like she wore none. He thought that if her eyes were emphasized more and she added some red lipstick, she could be a knockout.

He gently led her in a circle, constantly reminding himself that he was his brother. “I enjoyed our dinner tonight very much.”

“Oh?” Toby said, smiling. “And with whom did you eat it?”

“With …” It took him a moment to understand what she was saying, then he laughed and relaxed his shoulders. “Did I fool you at all?”

“Not for a second,” she said, and the smile left her face. Anger flooded through her blue eyes. “Tell me, did your brother send you in here to test me?”

Immediately, Rory saw his mistake. “No,” he said seriously. “Graydon knows nothing about this. I sent him away so I could—”

“Find out if I’m a liar? See whether I’m after something?” Toby’s eyes were very angry. “Would you please tell me why the ability to tell you two apart matters?”

Rory avoided that question. “How much did Graydon tell you about himself?”

“That he’s to be king, that he’s to marry some highborn young woman—at least I assume she’s young—and that he wants a bit of peace before then. I promised I’d find him a place to stay while you take over his duties. However, in light of this very unpleasant game of the two of you, I may rethink that offer. I don’t like to be on

the receiving end of anyone’s practical joke.”

Rory could feel the blood draining from his face. It looked like his brother had set up everything on his own, but now it seemed possible that Rory was going to ruin it all. He did not want to anger Graydon more than he already had.

“I think I need to tend to the guests,” Toby said and started to pull away from him.

But Rory held firmly on to her hand. “Miss Wyndam, please, my brother is innocent in this.” He was looking into her eyes and she saw the pleading in them. “Would it help if I explained things to you?”

“Truth would certainly make for a change,” she said.

He turned her around in the dance. “I’ll tell you, even though it is at my own expense. You’re a good dancer.”

Toby glared at him. “If you start flirting with me, I’ll leave.”

“All right,” he said, “but first you have to understand that Graydon covers for me because I never live up to anyone’s expectations. I seem to have been born with an endless ability to make our parents angry. But then, you see, I don’t care if I do. My brother does. In fact, Gray cares about everything. People without homes, injured animals, whether children can read or not. If there’s a good cause, Graydon cares about it. So when I’m not where I should be or doing what I shouldn’t, he covers for me. My personal opinion is that he should let me take the consequences for my own actions but …”

Pausing, Rory took a breath. “The real problem is that my brother cares about me too. But this time his taking of my sins on himself is about to rob him of some time off that he deserves, and that’s not fair. Even I have limits.”

By the time he’d stopped talking, they were standing still on the dance floor, his arm about her waist, and he waited while she thought about what he’d just said.

“All right,” she said at last. “I’ll help him.”

Rory turned her hand in his and kissed the back of it. “Thank you,” he said, then began to move again. Only this time he was himself and there was a lot more energy in his movements.

“You can’t dance like this while you’re pretending to be him,” Toby said, nearly out of breath from following him around and around so fast.

“I know,” Rory said. “Do we really look so different to you?”