Who Brings Forth the Wind (Kensington Chronicles) (45 page)

Stacy knew it was also the carriage ride home. She was looking

forward to putting him to bed and climbing in herself.

However, it wasn't that simple.

At Roddy and Lucinda's or at the Blackwells', she would

have taken Drew right into bed with her, but she didn't feel as

free to do that here. Her bed now was also Tanner's, and she

didn't know if he approved of such a thing.

At the moment, Stacy missed Hettie terribly. Irrepressible

Hettie, with her sharp tongue and stubborn ways, would have

taken Drew off to his bed, put herself in the fireside chair in

his room to sleep, and allowed Stacy to find her own rest.

Stacy had just about decided to go to Drew's room with him

when Tanner came to her rescue. He entered the small dining

room and bent to speak closely into her ear.

"I've asked Price to put Drew down for his nap so you can

rest."

"Oh." Stacy was surprised and uncertain, "I don't mind

putting him down."

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"I know you don't, but he and Price are getting along well,

and Drew will do well with him until other arrangements can

be made."

This statement sounded somewhat cryptic to Stacy, but she

was too tired to argue. She watched her son carefully as

Tanner broke the news to him, waiting for him to cry for her or

complain. Once his face and hands were clean, however, he

kissed his mother and skipped off with Tanner's man as if it

were an everyday occurrence.

Juliet was waiting for her in her sitting room, and although

Stacy felt a bit awkward in her presence, Juliet's manner was

kind and matter-of-fact. Within minutes Stacy was down to

her shift and tucked into bed. The sheets were cold at first and

caused her to become quite wide awake for a moment, but it

didn't last. Very soon, while praising God for bringing her

home and for Tanner's efforts to take care of her, Stacy fell

sound asleep.

Two hours later, she was just beginning to stir. She rolled

to her back, feeling fully refreshed and contemplating rising

when Tanner came in from his dressing room. He sat down on

the edge of the bed and leaned over her. Stacy stared up into

his face, wishing again that she knew his thoughts.

"I'm glad to see you looking so rested. When I came into

the dining room I thought I might need to carry you upstairs."

"I doubt if you could lift me at this point."

One of Tanner's brows flew upward "Your face is just

starting to fill out so you look like the girl I married, Stacy."

Stacy's eyes widened, and Tanner shook his head.

"I suppose you've got some silly notion that I find you

repulsive while in your present state."

Stacy blushed at his perception. "The thought did cross my

mind"

"Oh, Anastasia." Tanner's voice was low. "Nothing could

be further from the truth."

Stacy watched his eyes move warmly over her, his scrutiny

ending with her stomach and the way it rounded the blankets.

For the first time, he touched her. Stacy lay still as he placed

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his hand gently on her distended abdomen and splayed his

long fingers wide.

"You might get kicked," Stacy whispered, as if a louder

voice might break the spell.

The baby moved as though on cue. Stacy watched her

husband's face as he moved his other hand to his wife's

stomach and stared in wonder.

"Will you be cold if I draw the covers back?"

"No."

Tanner did so, anxious to feel the baby through just the

light fabric of her shift, but it seemed that the little person

inside had settled once again.

"Does he move often?"

"All day."

"Does it bother you?"

"Only when I'm trying to sleep."

"Your stomach is hard." Tanner's hands were still spanning

her middle.

"Harder sometimes than others."

"Am I hurting you?"

"No," Stacy chuckled. "Drew climbs all over me. Speaking

of Drew, I should get up and check on him."

"He's been up a few minutes, and he's still with Price.

Before you go to him, I want to talk to you about something."

Tanner's hands came away from her now, and after he

replaced the covers, Stacy lay watching him.

"I've hired a nanny."

Stacy's entire frame stiffened. Alarm covered her face as

she half sat up.

"Tanner, I--"

"Just a minute," he cut her off, but there was nothing

dictatorial in his tone. "Let me explain."

"Hettie--" Stacy started again.

"Will come back as ornery as ever, I have no doubts about

that." Tanner's voice was dry. "But her recovery will not erase

the years. She's getting too old to be shadowing a boy as active

as Drew."

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The words so echoed Stacy's thoughts of late that she lay

back to hear him out.

"The nanny's name is Mrs. Maxwell, and she was recommended

to me by Sunny." Tanner let that sink in a moment

before going on. "She is not here to take yours or Hettie's job,

but to give you both a hand. She will have no other responsibilities

here at Winslow other than to see to Drew. She will

be free to help at a moment's notice."

"Is Drew with her now?" Stacy's voice was accusing, but

Tanner did not take offense.

"No, as I said, he's with Price. I honestly think he will fall

for her as soon as they meet, but I didn't want that to happen

without talking to you."

"How old a woman is she?"

"Mid-fifties."

"Where is her husband?"

"She's a widow. Her children are all grown. She has two

grandchildren, who, I have assured her, would be welcome to

visit here if you approve her staying."

Stacy took a deep breath. She was a little surprised that

Tanner had done this after he'd gone to so much trouble to fire

and rehire the staff for her. Stacy hated to admit it to herself,

but Tanner's hiring a nanny without first talking to her felt just

a little sneaky. Such thoughts flew out of Stacy's mind, however,

on Tanner's next sentence.

"She shares your beliefs."

"She what?" Stacy could hardly believe her ears.

"Mrs. Maxwell believes as you do, that you can have a

personal relationship with God. I think if you meet her, you'll

find her most suitable for Drew's needs."

Stacy momentarily found herself without words. With the

exception of Price, Tanner was not in the habit of becoming

well acquainted with any of his servants. Stacy couldn't help

wondering how he'd come by this knowledge.

"Will you meet her?" Tanner pressed, his expression giving

nothing away as he watched Stacy's face.

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'Yes, I will. IVe been concerned about Hettie for

time. She's been with me for so long she seems more liki

mother than a servant. I know you balk at our familiarity, but]

can't cast her aside."L

"I think I understand I have a feeling that Hettie will dol

some balking herself over any changes we make, but on thtfl

inside she's bound to be relieved."., 1

Stacy could hardly argue with that. And who know, Stacy 1

thought to herself. If Mrs. Maxwell is a sister in Christ, maybe 1 she'll have some positive impact on Hettie.

Mrs. Maxwell was all Stacy could have prayed for. She was

gentle-mannered and soft-spoken, and her humble willingness

to please put Stacy immediately at ease with her. Stacy

was present when she met Drew, and just as Tanner had

predicted, he took to her right away.

It took a number of days for Stacy to recover from the long

carriage ride, and during that time Mrs. Maxwell was invaluable.

She seemed highly sensitive to Stacy's fatigue and would,

with the most gentle of urgings, distract Drew from talking

overly much or making unreasonable demands.

Stacy couldn't have been more grateful, as word came to

them just a few weeks after they'd arrived home that Hettie

would need to stay where she was. Lady Blackwell assured

Stacy that Hettie was not on her deathbed, but that she was

still very ill. Stacy wanted to go to her, but in her condition

Tanner had to refuse.

To relieve Stacy's mind, however, Tanner sent a servant to

check on Hettie and return with a report. It was just as Lady

Blackwell had said She was not dying, but neither was she

ready for the long journey home to Winslow.

Drew cried when he learned that she would not be home

for Christmas, and in fact Stacy felt close to tears herself. It was

the first time they'd been apart during the holidays.

stacy found southern england in January to be warmer

than usual as far as the temperature went, but the "weather"

inside Winslow was still on the cooler side. Stacy, thinking her

relationship with Tanner was finally on solid footing, found

herself confused. After spending much time in prayer concerning

the matter, however, Stacy was reminded just how

intense Tanner's personality could be.

He was throwing himself into a business deal at the moment,

and other than at the dinner table, Stacy wasn't seeing

much of him. He came to bed long after she slept and was up

before she woke. He wasn't even taking time out for Drew.

Stacy found herself keeping her son quiet once again for fear

of disturbing Tanner and incurring his wrath. He had been a

bit on edge lately, and Stacy knew his temper was close to the

surface. It seemed too that he was distancing himself again,

but Stacy prayed that she was only imagining it.

However, Stacy was not imagining Drew's despondency.

The little boy had quickly come to love Mrs. Maxwell, just as

Tanner had predicted, but he was missing Hettie's and his

father's attention terribly. His little face was solemn most of

the time, and he simply wasn't his old chattery self. It was this

melancholy, the quiet his mother was imposing on him while

in the house, and the overall upheaval of their life in the past

months that caused Stacy's heart to melt. For several days

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Drew had been asking to go fishing, and Stacy had simply not

had the energy. He never fussed or made a sound when she

said no, and in some ways this made it all the harder.

"Can we go fishing today, Mum?" Drew would ask. He'd ^

taken to calling her Mum most of the time now, and his

sweetness when he said it made her want to give him the

world on a silver platter.

"Oh, Drew," Stacy would reply, "I don't know if I can

manage it today."

"All right, Mum." He would smile at her just a little. "After

the baby has come, could we then?"

So when Drew sweetly asked Stacy again if they could fish,

she agreed. The baby was due in a month, and she was feeling

tired and huge, but she said yes anyway.

Stacy informed Mrs. Maxwell in the middle of the afternoon,

when she would have normally taken Drew for a few