For All Time (Nantucket Brides 2)

Toby nodded.

Ken got back in the car, Toby waved to Jilly, and they drove away. She turned to Graydon. It was dark around them, with only the porch light on. “Mind if we go around to the back? The front stairs lead past Lexie’s bedroom and I don’t want to wake her.”

“I’ll follow you,” Graydon said.

They went around the far side and there were only a few feet between the house and the fence. A narrow stone path went between shrubs and flowers and a couple of small overhanging trees. At the end, the vista opened up to reveal the shadows of what looked to be several raised beds full of flowers, a greenhouse, and a tall ironwork gazebo. It was all lit very subtly, with soft golden spots that made the garden look like a place of enchantment.

“This is beautiful,” Graydon said. “Did you design this?”

“Heavens, no! Jared did. Lexie and I had to nag him for months but he did it.”

“I can see why he’s famous.”

Toby opened the back door to the house and they stepped inside. She switched on the light by the door and he saw a very pleasant—and very old—room. The ceiling was low. Another few inches and his head would graze the overhead beams. White plaster was between them. There were some built-in cupboards that he guessed to be original. “Early 1700s?” he asked.

“Yes,” Toby said, pleased by his knowledge. “Jared bought the house with his first commission as an architect and he restored it on weekends. He’s a firm believer of ‘gut fish, not houses.’ ”

“What does that mean?”

“Nantucket’s historical commission is fierce on keeping the exteriors of the old houses intact, but you can tear out the inside and replace it with anything you want, even if that means stainless steel and Plexiglass.”

“I take it you like the old things?”

“Yes,” Toby said, “I do.” She started up the stairs with Graydon behind her.

“My favorite part of my house was built in the 1200s,” he said. “I even found some furniture from then. It has a lot of sword cuts on it.”

“That vanadium certainly is useful.”

“It is, or else my ancestors were bad marksmen. ‘Brocan! Strike your fellow Lanconian, not the table.’ ”

Toby laughed. At the top of the stairs, she pointed to a door and whispered, “Lexie is sleeping in there.”

Graydon nodded. They turned the corner and saw a pile of luggage left by Rory.

“My goodness,” Toby said softly as she looked at the stack, four high, three deep. It took up half the wall against the stairs. There were two leather cases big enough to transport a person, several duffel bags, a couple of attaché cases, three thick garment bags, and things on the bottom that she couldn’t see.

“My brother doesn’t travel lightly,” Graydon said.

“What about you? What do you usually travel with?”

“Half an army,” he said with a grimace.

She looked at him. “How did you get away?”

“By lying. Right now all my staff except for my head bodyguard believe I’m locked away with a highly contagious virus. One of my Montgomery doctor cousins verified it. If I’m found out, it won’t be pleasant.”

“You risked all that just to come to a wedding?”

“It was more to get away from scrutiny for a few days.” He smiled, his eyes having a faraway look. “But to think of an entire week! It’s more than I thought possible and it’s all because of your extreme generosity. I can never thank you enough.”

Toby was a bit embarrassed by his praise.

“I can certainly never fully repay you,” he said, his voice soft and so low it was more of a feeling than a sound.

Toby realized that it was turning into an awkward moment. A very attractive man, the dim light … “Invite me to your wedding,” she said.

“I would be honored. Front row?”