For All Time (Nantucket Brides 2)

Toby looked up. The woman’s face was very sympathetic. She was older, but she had utterly perfect skin, and Toby realized that at one time Millie had almost certainly been a beauty. Right now she looked as though she might cry in sympathy. “It wasn’t like that. Victoria has it wrong. But still, I need time to heal from this and I don’t want to talk about it. I’d just like to work and try to put the past behind me.”

With a smile, Millie squeezed her hand. “I understand, but I also want you to know that I’m here if you do want to talk. I know some about men and tears.”

“Thank you,” Toby said, and realized that she did feel better. “How about if I show you the garden Jared wants me to put in?”

“And Jared is …?”

“My landlord and friend,” Toby said as Millie handed her a plate of pancakes. “What do you know about gardening?”

“That roses and lilies look good together.”

“That’s enough,” Toby said and began to eat.

It didn’t take long for Toby to realize that Millie had been modest about her knowledge of gardening and everything else. The woman was a powerhouse of information and efficiency.

After only a quick look at Jared’s garden Millie said, “Keep it simple. Classic. Easy to maintain.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Toby said, and they began discussing what plants to put where, seating areas, and even a small gazebo at the back. By the time they’d walked back to Kingsley Lane, they were ready to make sketches using the measurements Toby and Lorcan had taken.

Jared had set up a complete design studio in Kingsley House, and with his permission, the two women began using his antique drafting table to draw the plans for the garden. And Millie set up a chart to keep track of what had been done and needed to be done for Victoria’s wedding. By the third day, the two women were moving forward quickly.

Originally, the idea of the famous authors coming in costume had seemed to be an excellent one, but besides the letters, Toby had never received so many emails and text messages in her life. Some of them were so long they were almost scenes from a novel—and all the authors expected Toby to be an expert on Regency everything.

Victoria said, “Tell them you’re not a copy editor and they can verify their own research.” But the truth was that Toby could easily answer all their questions. After all, she had been there.

“How do you know so much about this time period?” Millie asked as they went over the flowers ordered for the wedding.

“I—” Toby began but stopped. What could she say? That she’d traveled through time? “I’ve read a lot of Regency novels,” she said and looked back at the order forms.

During the weeks leading up to the wedding, Toby talked to Lexie a couple of times a week but things had changed between them. Toby got the idea that Lexie was concealing as much of the truth as she was.

“I’m fine,” Toby told her friend. “Graydon has an entire country to run. He couldn’t very well give that up just to stay with a commoner.”

“Don’t you read the news?” Lexie said angrily. “There’s Prince William. And the future Queen of Sweden married her personal trainer.”

“Oh, yes,” Toby said. “That’s in Lanconia’s constitution. Physical trainers are okay but florists are out.”

“Am I supposed to find that funny?” Lexie asked.

“So how are you and Roger getting along?”

“We’re fine,” Lexie replied, echoing what Toby had said. “I’m more concerned about you.”

And that’s how all their conversations went. Toby asked about Lexie; Lexie asked about Toby. But neither one told a lot of information.

As much as Toby tried to immerse herself in work, there were still times when she nearly lost it. A week after they left, Lorcan sent Toby a large package of cheeses and sausages, and some handmade lace. She’d had to use diplomatic channels to get the food through customs, but it had arrived safely.

Inside was a brief note from Lorcan.

We miss you every day and HE is very, very unhappy.

Lorcan

“Good!” Toby said, letting anger take over so she wouldn’t give way to tears.

She shared the food with Millie, Ken, and Jilly. Millie bought wine and Jilly made a raspberry pie. The evening was good, and it was only when Jilly spoke of Lanconia that Toby put her hand up. She refused to listen to a word about the country.

But Ken said it anyway. “The engagement ceremony was postponed.” He glanced at Millie, who kept her head down and didn’t interfere or pry into the conversation.