Page 47 of All For You

I steeled myself not to look at Lizzy anymore and only scrutinized Jane.

The longer I watched her, the more I could see Wills falling hopelessly in love with her. He was clearly bowled over by her reserve, the demure turn of her head, her small, discreet laugh, the way she covered her mouth shyly.

She gave him nothing, really. No smile that she didn’t give the others, and she didn’t speak to him any more than she spoke with Knightley on her other side. And as she politely questioned Knightley about his vet practice and his good deeds, she gave Wills and me equal attention. Wills’s eyes were too bright, his smile too wide when she addressed him, and panic radiated through my chest. He was visibly grasping at her crumbs, probably making more of her gestures than was there. And she didn’t seem to have inherited Lizzy’s open face and propensity for speaking her mind.

My heart sank at what lay ahead for us.

He’d be devastated to hear my advice on how to proceed.

I waited by Wills’s side all through after-dinner drinks and endless chatting, praying for Jane to get tired and head to bed, so Wills would do the same.

This was torture. I snuck glances at Lizzy chatting to everyone. Once in a while, I caught her looking at me, puzzled and hurt, probably offended by my sudden change in focus. She might even be seeing my actions as a rejection. No wonder she was reticent about me. I was all in one moment, acting genuinely desperate to be with her, then all of a sudden, I was barely paying her any attention. She didn’t know why, and now was not the time to explain, within earshot of Wills. And I didn’t imagine she’d take kindly to my concerns about Wills and her sister.

I reminded myself of my role. My most important job was to stand between the world and my brother, protect him. Lizzy didn’t ever need to know I was worried. I simply needed to encourage some rationality in Wills, convince him to slow down.

All would be well, unlike that time I stuffed things up as kids.

Tired of watching Wills, I’d taken my eyes off him, and he’d fallen into the lake and almost drowned. I’d missed another time recently. Despite my misgivings, I’d thought this Imogen woman had been good for him because she’d been all over him, and he was in heaven. Too late, I realized we’d both been fooled, and I’d had to step in. By that time, Wills had been heartbroken. I’d messed up enough, and that wasn’t going to happen again.

But for the first time in my adult life, a sharp resentment sliced through me. I was babysitting Wills rather than accepting Lizzy’s offer of spending the night together.

It was after midnight before I followed him wearily upstairs.

I found a message from Shay on my phone which I’d left on my bed.Saw clips of the hay baling. Darcy, this is who you are.My heart softened at her words. Funny. I’d forgotten to check.

William wandered around the room, plucking at curtains, cushions, and clothing, being all dreamy about Jane again. He picked up a package on the chair and pulled out some photos.

“Darcy, we got photos from the afternoon back already. Here’s us posing on the bridge at Bibury.” He handed me thestack of photos. On the top one, Jane was gazing up at him, and Wills wore an enormous grin. “Honestly, the way she smiles at me. It’s like I’m the only man in the world.”

A lead weight dropped into my gut.

It was time.

I turned fully to him, bracing myself to use everything I had to get him to see reality. Usually if I suggested something to Wills, he did the opposite.

To earn his trust, I went through the photos slowly, in a considered way. In every one, Jane looked, of course, incredible—she’d been a successful model—but the positioning of her body and face and her smile was practiced and professional. I had to make him see that and ease the pace.

“But have you noticed she smiles the same for everyone?” I asked. “Did you not see when she was paired last night with Knightley for a dance, she smiled at him the same. When those supposed candid photos were taken over after-dinner drinks, she smiled at the photographer the same.”

He snatched the photos off me, and a disgusted exhale sounded from his throat. “She’s a model. That’s years of training.”

“Wills, this is moving a little too fast. You have all the time in the world to explore this after the show.”

“It’s not moving fast enough for me. I can’t wait to see her again. In fact, I’m thinking I should head back here Monday night.”

I groaned. “Monday night? No, no, that’s way too soon, too eager. Please. Slow down and make sure she’s into you. Take your time to get to know her in the coming months.”

“Darcy, you didn’t hear our conversations yesterday and today. We laughed and talked, and we gazed into each other’s eyes. It was a whole thing.”

“Wills, I’m sorry, but remember what happened the last time you fell this fast? You think every woman is the one.”

I could see him tense. I hated that I was about to destroy this temporary euphoria, make him confused, force him to rethink what he’d considered was a wonderful day, a special weekend. But ultimately, he needed to take this step back on his own.

“Remember with Imogen, the wedding stuff was ordered—our tuxes, the chairs and tables, food, venue paid for. We even had a room for the gifts.” I put a hand on his shoulder. “Wills, I don’t want to have to cancel wedding cakes because you’re too heartbroken to make the phone call yourself.”

Wills moved farther into the wardrobe, away from my hand, and I could feel he was humiliated. I hated that he might see me as cruel, but he did need to be reminded of that heartbreak. It had taken him a long time to get over that whole awful business.

Eventually, he turned back to me with a more considered look. “She did smile like that at the owner of that manor house yesterday and the director. She smiles sweetly at Knightley.” He shook his head. “Not that I think she’s attracted to those men or to Knightley. She stood next to him in the photos, and when directed by the photographer, she gave the photographer that smile.” He paused and looked up, as if remembering. “And when we talk… Sheisholding back, even I can see that. I thought it was because she was reserved, but…”