Author's Notes: *bummed out* I just missed 'Ice Age' when it was shown yesterday. Of all the rotten luck!!!! *mutters foul language that will put even sailors to shame*

Anyways, a big thank you! goes out to all those who took time to review this fic… I promise I'll try to make the latest chapters come up quicker. Really, I do promise! *cross my heart and hope to die!*

Oh, um, yeah… a little shameless campaigning here… please, oh please, please please go to TLWFix and vote for my fic, Writer's Ink for the Special Edition Challenge… I'm begging y'all!

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. Really.

Dedication: this is for KatrinaAnn… I'm really, really sorry about COTB being abandoned like that. I hope this fic will somehow make up for it… :) And this is also dedicated to Lisa. I know you're waiting for the continuation of FHNH and MT… but in the meantime, I hope you'll read this first… I'll make it up to you guys, I freaking SWEAR!!!  

Behold the Façade

Five

"Well," Marguerite muttered as she glanced from her fiancé to the man smirking in front of her, "isn't this interesting." And wasn't that an understatement, she thought to herself.

She had never, in her wildest dreams, thought that this stubborn, arrogant man was related to the refined, sophisticated Lord that she was about to marry. There wasn't even a hint of anything between the two men to make one think that they were related. She fixed a small smile on her face to cover her confusion, but inside she was racking through her brain for even some remote memory of William telling her anything about the existence of his brother. He did say something about his only sibling being somewhere in the world, didn't he? Marguerite's fine brows creased. Damn it, where was the wine he was offering when she needed one? She could really use some of it now. Think, damn it. Gain some semblance of control over the situation. She hated being surprised like this, and she was beginning to loathe the man who was the reason for all of it.

"John," she heard William whisper again. It gave her some comfort that she wasn't the only one who's shocked. But was there something else in that tone of William's besides disbelief? She could swear there was some hint of—

"JOHN!" William most certainly shrieked, his voice loud enough to attract some unwanted attention. She watched, with the smallest, barest amount of amusement, as the younger Roxton hugged the older one with much gusto. "John! John, you're here! You're really here!"

"Easy there, boy," The man who calls himself John Roxton said. He wore this very wide smile on his face as he did so, making Marguerite think twice about her earlier assessment that the two Roxtons did not look anything alike. And that was another indicator that she… well, that she was more than a little unprepared for this event. The smiles on their faces were definitely identical; it was like one mouth was plastered onto two different heads. Two very different heads, she affirmed herself. Two very different heads with very similar mouths.

I wonder if they kiss the same way. Marguerite was more than a little irritated at this thought that annoyingly kept popping and nagging at her.

"How did you know?" William asked him as soon as the brothers were standing face-to-face again. "I mean, how did you—"

"—get hold of the fact that my little brother is getting married?" John finished for him. She could see the way his mouth thinned, again, when he mentioned that fact. "News like that gets around pretty quick, Wills. Wherever I go, I could always hear the townsfolk gossip about your upcoming marriage. And, very clearly, I could really see why." He deliberately pinned Marguerite with a look she couldn't quite comprehend. 

William smiled as he looked at Marguerite as well. "I know," he muttered. "Isn't she a vision, John?"

"A vision," John echoed, with a peculiar glimmer in his eyes. Then he turned his gaze back to his brother and gave him a hard slap at the back. "Good old Wills," he said, "You never forget the fact that our family always has its preferences."

"Only the best for a Roxton, we always say." William added. Then the two brothers erupted into equals peals of laughter.

Too bad Marguerite wasn't in any mood to laugh.

*

An unexpected tap came from behind him.

Jerome turned around and looked at the familiar blue eyes of his 'sister'. "Veronica," he spoke, surprise coloring his tone. "What are you—"

The young woman looked sideways first. "Where's Marguerite?" she asked.

"With William," he answered. "She's waiting. What's the word? How shall we proceed?"

Veronica pursed her lips, then took something out from her purse. "There's been a slight change of plans," she said. She handed Jerome a small, folded note. "The details are all in there."

Jerome frowned slightly as he opened the letter. His eyes widened when he read the contents. "I thought we were to leave tonight?"

"Like I said, there's been some change of plans." Veronica placed her hands over his. "Be very careful, Jerome. You and Marguerite. Tell her we'll be waiting for both of you." She leaned closer to him close enough for her lips to be next to his ear. "Tomorrow. We are all looking forward to it." And then, after a brief, mysterious smile, she's gone.

Jerome looked at the letter in his hands again, determination hardening his handsome face.

Tomorrow. Marguerite and William's wedding.

It's going to be a bloody mess.

*

"How's Mother?"

William gazed about them. "She's fine. I'm very happy that she seems to be going out more these days. She's somewhere around here as we speak, although I am supposing she is with Countess Nicole. Those two had grown quite close, almost inseparable." He answered. "I'm guessing Mother hasn't had the pleasure of seeing that her prodigal son has already returned."

John cocked his head. "Not yet," he muttered. "Though I do want to see her expression once she does. She's practically begging me to return from the first month of my… shall we say, vacation."

"More like self-imposed exile, if there's such a thing."

"May I ask where you have gone, Lord John Roxton?" Marguerite suddenly asked, her expression openly innocent and wondering.

John turned to look at her. "Tibet." He replied. "I visited a monastery there."

She blinked. "Oh," she said. Then, she gave him a wide smile. "I never knew monks were such a gossiping bunch of people."

Both William and John looked at her in question. "Pardon me?" John asked.

"Well, you did say that you heard from the townsfolk about our marriage, didn't you? So naturally, I just assumed that by 'townsfolk' you meant the monks." She batted her eyelashes at him. "What? Was I wrong?"

John lowered his head and chuckled.

William smiled at her, before returning his gaze to his brother. "Forgive her, John. It's just that she's—"

"Quite alright, William." John told him. "On the contrary, it was quite impressive. Very observant of you, Marguerite." He said to her.

She graced him with another dazzling smile. "Only appropriate for a Lady, don't you think, William?"

William forced out a cough. "Certainly." He said.

Behind them, the orchestra ended their current song and started a new one.

*

John took a step forward. "If I may be too forward to ask, William," he started, "can I have your beautiful bride-to-be for a dance?"

William just smiled. "Of course," he said. "Marguerite?"

The older Roxton watched as a myriad of expressions crossed over her lovely features. "But I—"

"One dance. I'm asking you as your future brother-in-law, Marguerite. I hope you won't turn down a request from family." He held out his hand for her to take, if she dared.

She did. "Of course," Marguerite replied. "I wouldn't even dream of turning down a request from my 'brother'." The sides of her mouth quirked up at the mention of the word.

John Roxton felt his own quirk up as well.

To be continued…