Who Brings Forth the Wind (Kensington Chronicles) (18 page)

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and worked at keeping her voice level. The lord and lady!

simply did not eat in the kitchen! The kitchen was for servants,'

not the duchess; she deserved the best. However she simply]

said, "I'll just be a moment with your food"

Stacy sat, staring at nothing in particular until cook put a

dish of sliced fruit on the table,

"There now. Why don't you start with that ? 1 worried about

you, my lady, when you didn't want your supper," she spoke in

a motherly tone. "I'll have something more for you in a jiffy."

Tanner came out of the shadows at that moment and

placed a heavy quilt around Stacy's shoulders. His hands were

gentle and Stacy was thankful for the warmth, but she was

decidedly uncomfortable when he sat down across from her.

"Why didn't you eat your dinner?"

Stacy swallowed a slice of apple before answering. "It was

foolish of me not to."

"But why didn't you?" Tanner pressed her.

"I thought the surprise party would be a dinner party,"

Stacy admitted quietly, her eyes down.

Tanner's hand went to the back of his neck. Stacy still did

not look up, or she would have seen the pain in his eyes.

You're a fool, Tanner Richardson, he told himself. And

you don't deserve this dear girl. She was honest with you and

you took her head off.

Stacy finished her meal in silence. Her stomach felt better,

but her heart felt as if a giant hand was trying to squeeze the

very life from it.

Tanner held her chair out when she was done and waited

as she thanked cook. He escorted her up the stairs. When they

were once again in the bedroom, he took her jaw in his hand,

forcing her gaze to meet his.

"I've been in a wretched humor these past days, but things

will be different tomorrow. You have nothing to be sorry

about, and in the morning we'll celebrate your birthday properly."

Stacy, clinging to the tender, calm sound of his voice,

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;d with relief. She was still rather emotionally drained,

; when they climbed into bed, she fell asleep just moments

the covers were settled around her.

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stacy's back rested against the base of a large tree, her

legs stretched out in front of her. Tanner's head was in her lap,

and thus far the day had been idyllic.

Both duke and duchess had slept late, eaten a leisurely

breakfast, and gone for a long ride into the bluffs beyond

Winslow. They had ridden for miles, and Stacy was amazed

that they were still on Richardson land. Everything about

Winslow was beautiful. Stacy said as much to Tanner.

"Including the mistress of the manor," Tanner commented.

Stacy smiled at the compliment.

"Did I tell you that I saw Hawk while I was away?" Tanner

asked suddenly.

"Hawk?"

"Hawk is Brandon Hawkesbury's nickname."

"Oh," Stacy said with surprise and then, "Is Sunny feeling

better?"

"Yes. She was terribly disappointed that she had to cancel

the dinner plans, but she's going to have you to tea soon."

"She didn't lose the baby, did she?" Stacy's voice was

pained at the very thought.

"No. It was a nasty virus according to Hawk. The doctor

has ordered her to take it easy, but the pregnancy is still

strong."

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Stacy sighed with relief. She was already excited about the

ival of this new little one and knew she would have mourned

j loss. She had even started the baby's gift; it was a beautiful

mket in multiple colors appropriate for either gender, but

:retly Stacy hoped Sunny would have a girl.

"I think I've lost you," Tanner commented as he sat up

;side her and leaned against the tree.

"I was thinking about Sunny's baby."

Her voice was so wistful that Tanner stared at her. She

tsounded like having a child was the most precious thing on

[earth. Tanner frowned slightly. He did not have the heart to

i tell her that it might not ever happen for them.

He'd suffered a raging fever as a child, and the doctor had

told his father that one of the long-lasting side effects might

be sterility. In all the years he and Leslie had been married,

she had never conceived. The fact had never really bothered

him before, but now he wanted to give his wife a baby. His

heart felt weighted down over what he assumed was an impossibility.

"I think I've lost you." Stacy echoed his phrase a moment

later, and Tanner smiled down into her eyes before they

began to talk of the coming winter.

The day ran on in a quiet and peaceful vein. Both bride and

groom felt renewed in their relationship, and Stacy, although

she had no answers to her husband's quicksilver mood changes,

still believed Tanner loved her. She would work at this marriage

for as long as it took him to say the words.

"I'm so glad you're feeling better," Stacy told Sunny as she

hugged her. It was early the next week, and the women were

finally getting together at Bracken for tea.

"I don't know when I've been so sick. Brandon said there

were moments when I didn't even recognize him. He also told

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me that Sterling was frantic at times, having not seen me for so

many days."

"Poor little thing," Stacy sympathized "He must have

been so confused"

"He was, I'm still taking it slow, but it's good to be up and

around and spending time with both Sterling and Brandon."

"Is everything really all right with the baby?" Stacy's voice

was anxious, and Sunny was quick to reassure her.

"Everything is fine. I wasn't able to eat for a few days, and

that was a concern, but I'm back on track now."

Stacy's sigh was so heartfelt that Sunny smiled.

"Do you like children, Stacy?"

"Ever so much," she admitted, her eyes alight with pleasure.

"And Tanner, how does he feel?"

"I don't know," Stacy told her honestly. "We've never really

spoken of it."

Sunny hesitated only a moment before asking her guest a

very personal question.

"Do you think you might be expecting?" Sunny was ready

to apologize if she'd been out of line, but Stacy's face was as

open as ever. She shrugged slightly before answering.

"I don't think so. But I do wonder what signs I need to look

for. Oh, not the obvious of course, but my cousin Elena is

never ill when she carries a baby, and I thought that was one of

the first warnings."

"It's different for every woman," Sunny told her. "I know

that's no help to you, but I've known women who were not

sure they were pregnant for several months and others who

knew within days. Chelsea told me that she wasn't sick for

even a day. However, my niece Holly was ill the entire nine

months."

"That sounds awful," Stacy grimaced.

"It wasn't much fun," Sunny agreed. "But God gave them a

beautiful baby, and Holly said it was worth every moment."

"I imagine it was." Stacy's voice was a bit dreamy, and

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Sunny couldn't stop herself from hoping that God would give

this couple a baby.

Keeping Sunny's recent illness in mind, Stacy did not stay

long. However, their time together was sweet. The Richardson

coach was coming around for Stacy when Sunny remembered

she had a wedding gift for Lucinda and Roddy. The Hawkesurys

were not going to make the special event, but Sunny

sent best wishes through Stacy.

As the coach started for Wlnslow, Stacy fingered the neatly

wrapped gift, her mind going to her aunt and Roddy. A smile of

pure enjoyment broke across her face knowing that Lucinda

would be preparing right now for the wedding. She and Roddy

would be man and wife in one week's time.

"Is everything ready at Brentwood?" Lucinda asked her

man, Craig, for the tenth time that day.

"Yes, my lady. All is prepared."

"And the groom's gift?"

"He's very comfortable in the stables." Craig's voice was

calm.

Lucinda nodded but didn't answer. Her mind, moving

from the magnificent horse she'd bought for Roddy, was

already thinking on the clothes she'd purchased for their

wedding trip. She simply couldn't decide which suit she

should travel in. Maybe she would ask Roddy. But the thought

no more materialized when she thought of something else for

Craig to do. He was on his way out of the room when she

stopped him.

"And, Craig, please see that Stacy's room is ready for her."

"I will, my lady, but I assumed the duke and duchess would

be staying in Lord Richardson's town house."

"You're probably right, but I want the room ready just in

case."

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Craig left with only a nod of his head, and for the first time

in days her mind slowed to a stop. It stopped on Stacy. Lucinda

smiled

They would be coming tomorrow, or was it the next day? Well, nomatter, Lucinda thought. I'm going to marry the man Have, andStacy is coming. Lucinda was so overwhelmed with

peace and happiness that she simply sat, doing nothing, until

Craig came and asked if she was ready for tea.

Tanner lay back in bed, reading some papers and waiting

for his wife to join him. Just moments later Stacy entered the

room, and Tanner smiled to see her hair down. He opened his

mouth to speak, but as she neared the bed, he noticed that

her expression was a bit strained Tanner wondered if he

might have imagined it, but knew better when she climbed

onto the bed and not beneath the covers. He watched her

kneel gracefully on her side of the bed, not actually keeping

her distance, but just out of reach. Her expression was clearly

preoccupied

"Tanner," Stacy began, her voice telling of her distraction,

"are you going to Lucinda and Roddy's wedding? I'm not sure

if you ever said"

"Yes, I'll be there. Has that been bothering you?"

"Not exactly; I just couldn't recall if you'd told me."

Stacy fell silent then, and Tanner watched her, wondering

at her mood. He didn't have long to speculate.

"Tanner, may I talk with you?"

"Of course," Tanner answered automatically.

"I heard from Elena," Stacy began, not even looking at

Tanner. "She says the girls are fine and her pregnancy is going

well. She writes that she's very large but feels good anyway."

Stacy glanced at Tanner then. He was not hearing a word

she said. His eyes were back on his papers. Stacy sighed

inwardly and resigned herself to keeping her feelings inside.

She was moving to the side of the bed to draw the covers back

and climb in when Tanner realized what he'd done.

"Is that all Elena said?"

"No," Stacy told him, still standing. "But I don't have to talk

about it right now."

The pain in her voice made Tanner ashamed. He forced

himself to shift against the headboard with a pillow at his back