Who Brings Forth the Wind (Kensington Chronicles) (52 page)

assurance. Please let me talk to him before You take him to

You.

Stacy realized then that she was praying as if she knew he

was going to die, which was ridiculous. She began to alter

her prayer, asking God to help her fight the numbness that

seemed to be pervading her limbs, knowing she would be

needed as soon as they arrived.

By the time they had pulled into the courtyard of Winslow,

Stacy felt more in control. The ride had seemed to take ages,

but doors opened seemingly of their own accord as the

duchess's presence was made known. Stacy hurried indoors.

With no care for watching eyes, she picked up her skirt and

took the stairs two at a time.

371

She entered the master bedroom on swift, silent feet and

stared down into the pale features of her husband. Both Rand

and Miles Gallagher were present. Tanner's shirt was off, and

a wrapping of sort had been bound around his chest. The side

directly over the wound was soaked with blood. Stacy stared

down at him and felt an amazing calm come over her.

"Has someone sent for the doctor?" she asked, her voice

soft and in control.

"Yes. Jordan and Dexter have ridden to find him."

"I need Hettie," Stacy began. "Oh, that's right, she's with

the baby. Eden," she said to a maid standing nearby, "bring me

some more dressings and hot water, and please be quick

about it."

Brandon, whose gun had caused the damage, now stepped

forward. He'd been in a state of shock up until then, but seeing

Stacy in charge propelled him forward to assist her. In just a

matter of minutes he was carefully lifting Tanner so Stacy

could change the wraps.

"Do you think the bullet is still in there?" Her voice was

hushed, as though afraid to wake her patient.

"No. It went clean through."

"Good. Let's pad the back here. Reece?" Stacy called quietly

to the faithful servant who came immediately to her side,

"Yes, my lady."

"Check as to whether a coach is bringing Hettie and Price.

If not, see to it. I need them both immediately."

"Yes, my lady."

"Tanner," Stacy now spoke to her unconscious mate. "I'm

going to take care of you, but you need to wake up and tell me

how you feel."

Stacy felt better having said the words, but Tanner lay

mute, his eyes closed, his skin almost clammy with cold.

"Let's get this sheet up around his chest now, and then a

light blanket," Stacy went on. Again Brandon's hands were

there to assist her.

The men in the room watched in some fascination as she

worked. Stacy herself could not have told them where she had

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learned to do such things, but her husband needed her, and at

the moment that was all that mattered.

The doctor showed up some time after Stacy and Brandon

had washed their hands. Stacy stayed very close as he checked

the wound. She took no offense when the doctor assumed

Brandon had done all the work or when he addressed all of his

questions to Lord Hawkesbury. Stacy was content to silently

observe until the doctor reached for his bag and spoke.

"I'm going to have to bleed him."

"What did you say?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, my lady. I'm going to have to ask you to leave so

I can bleed your husband"

"But he's already lost blood, more than he can spare."

Stacy's voice was reasonable, but she felt panicked inside.

Andrew Daniels had always been against this practice, and

some of his beliefs had carried on to his granddaughter.

"It's still necessary," the doctor said, his voice resigned

"No," Stacy told him.

The doctor did not look overly surprised. His gaze swung

to Brandon. "Will you please take Lady Richardson from the

room?"

Whether or not Brandon would have done such a thing,

Stacy would never know. She didn't give him a chance to move.

"Reece!" Stacy used a voice none of them had ever heard

before. "Remove this man at once!"

The doctor's mouth opened in shock, but Reece, surprised

as he was by her tone, promptly came forward to do as he was

told

"You'll kill him," the man sputtered as Reece lay hold of

the doctor's arm.

"You will not bleed my husband," Stacy told him, her eyes

shooting sparks.

"He'll die otherwise." The doctor had pulled himself from

Recce's grasp and was coming back to the bed. Stacy stood

between Tanner and the doctor like an enraged warrior. The

fact that she stood many inches taller than the doctor caused

the man to stop.

"I said you will not bleed him, and if that is all the treatment

you can offer, then get out." Stacy's voice was deadly

cold

The man was so flustered he could only stare at her.

Brandon, Rand, and Miles had moved in such a way that they

seemed to flank Stacy. The doctor glanced into their eyes and

knew he would find no help from any of them. With a deep

sigh he said, "I think you're making a grave mistake, and I

won't be held responsible."

"Then by all means go," Stacy told him reasonably, not at

all fearful of the responsibility.

The doctor sighed again. "I do have a poultice," he said,

knowing he could not leave without doing something. "I can

apply that to the wound if you'd like."

Stacy nodded, her voice soft but not apologetic. "Thank

you."

The doctor was watched like a hawk as he bent over

Tanner and applied the poultice and wrap. He left another poultice with Stacy and gave her instructions as to how to

apply it before taking his leave. He was not a heartless man,

but he honestly believed that Lord Richardson would be dead

by morning.

375

"I WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED, STACY," Brandon said

softly when he, Stacy, Rand, and Miles were alone in the room.

The doctor had been gone just minutes, and now Stacy stood

next to the bed, staring down into Tanner's pale face.

"It doesn't matter, Brandon," Stacy looked up and told

him. "I know whatever it was, it was an accident."

"You're right, it was," Brandon agreed with her, his voice

tight with pain. "But it was my gun, and I want to tell you."

Stacy's heart turned over when she saw tears in this man's

eyes. She was not shocked or angry to learn that it had been

Brandon's gun. She preferred that over it being the gun of one

of the boys who had gone on the hunt and who might never get

over such a mishap. Still, his obvious pain made Stacy ache for

him. He cared deeply for Tanner, and she could well imagine

how he must feel. On Stacy's nod, Brandon began to speak.

"I've never done anything so foolish in all my life. I

pointed my gun--that is, I gestured with it to a place behind

me--and my finger was on the trigger. I knew that Tanner was

behind and to the side of me, but I thought it was the other

side.

"The gun seemed to go off of its own accord. I know that

can happen to anyone. My deepest regret is that I used the gun

to point at all. Ihave two good arms for that. Ican'tthink what

possessed me. I'm sorry, Stacy."

375

Brandon's voice broke then, and Stacy went to him. She

hugged this man who was so like her husband in size and

listened as a sob caught in his throat. It never even occurred to

Stacy to be bitter or unforgiving, and after a few moments

they broke apart and Stacy smiled gently at Brandon.

"God is only good to us, Brandon. I know that He is going

to use this in a mighty way in Tanner's life."

Brandon drew in a deep breath. He didn't know where

Stacy found the strength to do it, but she was actually ministering

to him. Rand and Miles came close at that point, and the

men hugged Brandon and Stacy also.

"Now," ever-practical Rand spoke when everyone had

their emotions under control, "what can we do for you, Stacy?"

Stacy had just opened her mouth to answer when she

heard Alexa's cry in the hall. Her milk came down in a rush,

and when she did speak, it was with her arms tightly folded

across her chest. She spoke as calmly as she could

"Please ask Hettie to give Alexa to Juliet, and then I would

like to speak to Hettie." This was all accomplished in competent

haste, and just minutes later Hettie stood before her.

"Hettie, Rand is going to take you to the village. I want you

to find a wet nurse. You know the kind of woman to look for. If

you need to bring several women for me to meet, then do, but

I want to speak to whomever you bring before she goes to

Alexa. When you leave, tell Juliet to bring Alexa to me."

"Yes, my lady." Hettie's voice was humble. She had thought

to come back and find Stacy a mess, but Stacy's control was a

comfort to everyone near her. Mrs. Maxwell, who had Drew,

was just as calm. Hettie knew that she and Stacy shared the

same faith and wondered if there could be a connection.

Five minutes later Stacy had cleared the bedroom so she

could feed her daughter. She did this while sitting next to the

bed, her eyes more on Tanner than her daughter. She fed

Alexa only long enough to bring herself some relief and

temporarily satisfy her baby.

Not until she'd returned Alexa to Juliet and changed her

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clothing did she have time to think about where everyone was.

Miles had gone with Hettie and his father. Brandon had gone

down to Tanner's study to write letters to the family. Brandon's

first letter was to Roddy and Lucinda, and the second

was to Uncle Edmond.

Now Price, who had come in when Alexa was given to

Juliet, was the only one in the master bedroom with Stacy.

Price was the consummate gentleman's gentleman. As he

stood on the opposite side of the bed and stared into Tanner's

pale features, however, his emotions were starting to win the

battle. Thankfully Stacy glanced at Price just then and recognized

his plight better than he did himself. Stacy compassionately

dismissed him.

Stacy was glad for a few solitary moments with her husband

He was so still it was alarming, but the gentle rise and

fall of his chest told Stacy that it was not yet God's time for

Tanner to leave this earth. Tanner had been placed on her side

of the bed, so it was easy for Stacy to reach her Bible from

where she sat. She turned to Psalm 135 and read quietly to her

spouse.

"Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise

him, O ye servants of the Lord. Ye who stand in the house of

the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, praise the

Lord; for the Lord is good. Sing praises unto his name; for it is

pleasant. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure. For I know that the Lord is

great and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the Lord