For All Time (Nantucket Brides 2)

Toby lifted the leaves of a scented geranium to water underneath. Wet leaves under glass tended to burn.

Of course Graydon would have to return a day early, she thought. He was a prince and he had duties. That she’d nearly forgotten that in the last few days didn’t matter. She hadn’t thought of it before, but now she’d have no one to help her with Victoria’s wedding. She could ask … Well, actually, right now there wasn’t anyone on the island whom she could ask for help. Toby had never been one of those people who had a thousand friends. No, she had a few close friends and when she was away from them …

She moved six pots of camellias to the floor and began to scour

and disinfect the bench. Maybe Jared or Lexie would know someone she could get for a summer roommate. But where would she find someone who could help her cook and help with Victoria’s wedding? Someone who’d make her laugh?

She was putting the plants back on the shelf when she glanced up to see the man from Lanconia walking toward the greenhouse. He certainly was beautiful! And he walked as though he might spring into action at any second.

She went to the door, wiping her hands on the big apron she wore, and stepped outside.

“How bad is it?” she asked, then stopped. “I didn’t mean to be rude, but I could see that something is wrong. Could I help pack?”

The man was looking at her as though puzzled by something. “His Royal Highness has sent me to inform you of everything.”

For a moment Toby didn’t know who he meant. “When is Graydon leaving?”

“He is not. He must stay longer, and we’d like to remain in your house. With your permission, that is. Perhaps my colleague and I could use your second bedroom.”

Toby felt such relief that Graydon wasn’t going away, that she wasn’t going to be left alone, that she smiled deeply. “Mr.—?”

“Daire,” he said, not giving his title or even his last name.

“Appropriate,” she murmured. “Why don’t you sit down there”—she nodded to a raised bed—“while I tend to the garden and you tell me what’s going on? Oh! And we’ll have to make a place for you downstairs—unless you share a room with Graydon.” She looked at him. “Or does he share with … with her?”

Daire’s eyes widened in surprise. “With Lorcan? She is his protector. I believe the American term is bodyguard.”

Toby gasped. “Is there some danger? Has someone threatened Graydon?”

“No,” Daire said, his voice lowered.

Toby thought it was a nice voice, but she couldn’t help thinking that it wasn’t as rich and deep as Graydon’s.

“There is no danger and no threat. Lorcan and I know about the exchange of twins, so we volunteered to come here to guard the man believed to be Prince Rory. But there are things that Prince Graydon will need to oversee in the coming weeks.”

Toby, her hand on the faucet, halted. “Weeks? Why can’t they just exchange back?” She put up her hand before Daire could speak. “Unless something changed to keep them from being identical. Please tell me Rory didn’t ride a motorcycle up the palace steps and break his leg.”

At that Daire laughed, and when he did, his body relaxed. He took the hose from her. “Please sit and I will tell you all. But first, why would I need to share a bedroom with Gray?”

Toby looked at him. “I don’t know Lanconian customs but I can assure you that you’re not sharing a bedroom with me.”

Again, Daire laughed as he turned on the water and began on the rows of flowers along the fence.

Toby didn’t sit but went to walk beside him, pulling weeds as they moved down the bed. He told her how Rory had put himself between the falling king and the marble stairs and had come out of it with a broken wrist. “And Lorcan was bruised,” he said, then he told of her heroic act.

Toby saw the way his face softened when he spoke of the beautiful young woman. “And she is to you …?”

“My student. I have trained her since she was a child.”

The way he spoke made him sound like an old man—which she could see was far from the truth. “That makes you what? Fifty-two, fifty-three?”

For a moment Daire looked shocked, then his eyes twinkled. “My age seems to depend on the day. My hope is that Lorcan will take time off from her training so my old body can have a rest.”

Toby looked at him. It was easy to see that under his clothes was a well-toned body. Like Graydon’s, she thought. “I can see that you are a very lazy man.”

When he looked back at her, his eyes had a slow, easy fire in them that made Toby’s breath catch in her throat. She hastily pulled out three weeds and tossed them onto the pile. Graydon had certainly never looked at her like that, she thought, and suddenly, a surge of anger went through her. This man she’d just met let her know he found her desirable, but Graydon never had! She kept her head turned away. “So what happens now?”

“Prince Graydon needs to stay away from Lanconia until Rory’s wrist heals. We could fit Gray with a cast but the doctors would know. And right now we don’t want anyone knowing the king is incapacitated or that the brothers have …” He seemed to be trying to find the right words.