Who Brings Forth the Wind (Kensington Chronicles) (22 page)

much she'd missed the day before. She thought she'd

someone come in the door just a moment past, but no

j called out and Stacy didn't even look. Whoever it was, she

sew the structure was big enough so that they could stay out

f each other's way. It only took a moment before Stacy had

impletely forgotten that anyone had come in, making it all

: more startling when Nigel suddenly appeared at her side.

"I was hoping I'd find you here."

"Oh!" Stacy gasped, her hand flying to her throat. "You

f startled me."

"I'm sorry," Nigel's voice was tender. "I wanted to talk with

you."

"Oh." Stacy smiled now. "What did you need?"

Now that he had her full attention, Nigel found himself

tongue-tied She was so lovely and tall. He could just imagine

how well she would fit in his arms.

Nigel stood mute for so long, his eyes glazed over with

passion, that Stacy's smile turned into a confused frown.

Seeing that frown, Nigel thought she might be thinking of

leaving. He acted in haste and grabbed her hand. When Stacy

gave her hand a tug, Nigel would not release her.

"Lord Stanley," Stacy began, "please let go of me."

"No."

Stacy's breath caught. "I'm a married woman," she said on

a gasp.

"That's all right," he declared fervently. "I need to touch

you, and now that I have I know nothing matters except the

two of us."

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Stacy's eyes grew round at this announcement, and j

tried in earnest to regain her hand. Nigel only transferred

hold to her wrist. Stacy began to panic.

"Please, Lord Stanley--"

"Call me Nigel. I'll call you Stacy, and you can call

Nigel."

Stacy shook her head and tried to move away, but wit

Nigel holding her wrist, it was impossible.j

"Please," Stacy tried again, fear now pounding in her)

chest. "You're hurting me."i

Nigel dropped her wrist immediately. Stacy reached for'

and rubbed the offended member, and then turned to run for

the door.

"Please don't go!" Nigel's voice, now strangely high-pitched,

stopped her. Stacy turned to him and began to back away,

suddenly afraid to take her eyes from him.

"Stay away from me," she spoke with more calm then she

felt, glancing behind her to see that the door was in sight. "I'm

sorry if I gave you an impression to the contrary, but I am

happy in my marriage."

"I love you," Nigel told her, "and I know that you love me

too."

"No, Lord Stanley." Stacy's calm was deserting her, and she

knew she was going to make a run for the door any moment.

Nigel knew it too. The next time Stacy glanced to the exit, he

grabbed for her.

Stunned to be grasped and pulled against this stranger's

chest, Stacy did not immediately react. But only seconds

passed before she put her hands against his chest in order to

push him away. Stacy, no weak thing, did manage to put some

space between them, but when she threw her head back in

order to gain more leverage, Nigel put his lips against her

neck.

Stacy begged him to release her and struggled in earnest,

but he was too strong. The blood was just beginning to pound

in her ears when she heard Tanner's voice. At least she thought

it was Tanner's voice--she'd never heard him so angry.

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"Get your hands off my wife!"

Nigel released her, and Stacy half-fell against one of the

Ives. She righted herself and looked up to see a Tanner so

ious, he terrified her. He had come at Nigel and was now

Iding him by the lapels. As upset as Stacy was over the

:k, she suddenly feared Tanner's actions more, feared he

ild kill this man in anger.

"Tanner, please, don't."

He spun on her, still gripping the other man and pinning

:y to the floor with his gaze.

"Protecting your lover?" he snarled.

"No!" Stacy denied breathlessly, aghast that Tanner could

ask such a thing.

"Your wife and I are in love."

Both Tanner and Stacy turned to look at Nigel. Stacy

couldn't believe her ears. Tanner had dropped Nigel's coat-front,

but he truly looked capable of homicide.

Stacy opened her mouth to say something, but Tanner cut

her off.

"Get out of my sight, Stanley. If I ever see you again, I'll kill

you."

For the first time since he entered the conservatory, Nigel

pulled himself out of his dreamlike haze. He looked at the fury

in the duke's eyes and actually feared for his life. He ran for

the door without a backward glance.

Wanting desperately to be taken into Tanner's arms, Stacy

was jolted to the core when he turned his icy gaze on her.

"Get to the house and have Rayna pack your things. You

have 15 minutes to be in the coach, or I'll leave without you."

Stacy could only stare at him. She saw the clenching of his

jaw, a sign of pure fury, but seemed unable to move or speak.

"Did you hear me, Anastasia?"

His voice was calm now, deadly calm. Fear spiraled through

Stacy as she ran for the door herself.

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;ar. It was well after midnight before exhaustion claimed

?, and even then it was not a relaxing night.

the 90-MiNUTE ride home to WiNSLOw was the longest of

Stacy's young life. Tanner was on his horse and she was alone

in the carriage with her own torturous thoughts. Shudders ran

over her frame repeatedly as she thought of the way Nigel had

grabbed her in the conservatory.

At one moment Stacy glanced down to see a ring of dark

bruises around her wrist. It was almost more than she could

take. She had been bruised and manhandled, and Tanner

obviously thought she'd welcomed Lord Stanley's attention.

Stacy finally curled into a ball on the seat and tried not to think

about anything the rest of the way home.

Two hours after they'd arrived at Winslow, Stacy lay in a

steaming tub. She had searched for Tanner for over an hour,

but he was not to be found. There was no doubt in Stacy's mind

that this was deliberate.

The servants, never very congenial to Stacy, were extremely

remote, and after an hour of their cold treatment, Stacy had

sought out Rayna and a hot bath. She was not the least bit

hungry for the food Rayna brought on a tray, so Stacy soon

climbed into bed. ft was early, but she was feeling so weak she

was not even certain she could sit up in a chair.

Sleep did not come swiftly, but even as the time stretched

into hours of restless tossing and turning, Tanner did not

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Stacy did not know until morning that Tanner had not

* been to bed all night. Feeling more tired than she'd ever been sjn her life, she dragged herself from beneath the covers and

moved to her dressing room. Once over the threshold, Stacy I saw something that stopped her in her tracks.

"Rayna?"

"I'm sorry, my lady." There were tears in the servant's

voice. "Lord Richardson said I was to pack all of your things."

Stacy's hand came to her mouth. The action was almost

too much for Rayna.

"Would you like some tea, my lady?" The servant's voice

broke.

"No, Rayna, thank you. Please just help me dress."

This task was accomplished in some haste, and without a

word to her maid, Stacy went in search of her husband. Her

legs felt weighted, as did her heart, but she had to find out

what was going on.

Stacy found Tanner in his study. There had been no answer

when she knocked so she was surprised to find him at his desk

when she opened the door and peeked inside.

"Tanner?" Stacy spoke softly, but he did not raise his head

from the papers he was studying.

Stacy was trembling, but she entered the room anyway.

After closing the door she stayed by the portal, hoping he

would speak or at least look up. He did neither.

"Tanner, may I speak with you?"

"Has Rayna finished with your packing?" Tanner finally

looked up, but his voice was so detached that Stacy found

herself preferring his anger.

"I'm not sure. Where are we going?"

162

"We are not going anywhere. You are leaving."

"Where am I going?" Stacy's voice shook, but she som

how managed the words.

"I don't care where you go."

Stacy could not believe her ears. She knew that Tanner was?!

upset with her, but nothing could have prepared her for this.

"Tanner," Stacy's voice spoke of her hurt and bewilder-i

ment. "Can we talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about," he stated. Some anger had

entered his tone now, but his voice was controlled as he went

on.

"I've been a fool to actually believe you were different, but

you're not. You're as faithless as other women. You're better

than most with your innocent eyes and sweet smile, but you

couldn't keep the pretense up forever--the very reason I

never wanted another wife."

"You didn't want a wife?"

"No." Tanner had finally stood, but his voice was still calm

and cold. "Lucinda would never listen to reason. I never

wanted you for a wife, only for a mistress. I was a fool to have

agreed. Were you only my mistress, your little meeting with

Stanley wouldn't have made a bit of difference."

"Tanner, I didn't meet Lord Stanley in the conservatory. I

didn't ask him to kiss me or touch me."

It was the worst thing she could have said. Mentioning

what Nigel Stanley had done turned Tanner's face a dull red

He was so furious that Stacy would have fled the room, but she

couldn't make her feet move.

"Get out," his voice was low with fury.

Stacy managed to turn then. Her hands were trembling on

the knob, attempting to open the door, when Jeffrey pushed it

toward her from the other side. Stacy stepped back and stood

in surprise, but Jeffrey barely glanced at her as he entered the

room and spoke.

"Lady Richardson's bags are ready, my lord."

"Load them in the coach." This said, Tanner returned to

his desk.

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fstacy stared again at Tanner's bent head.

rTlease, Tanner," she whispered, knowing he heard her.

__se let me stay so we can talk about this."

He never looked in her direction. Knowing that she could ,l take his disapproval any longer, Stacy waited only a moment.

Ith her stomach churning so that she feared she might be

, Stacy walked out of the study, leaving the door open

ind her. The front door was open as well, and Price stood

r. Rayna appeared out of nowhere with Stacy's cloak and

lered her outside; Price followed.

"The coachman will take you wherever you wish, my lady,"

ice informed Stacy.

"But I can't stay here." It was more of a statement than a

jestion.

. She sounded so much like a pitiful child being driven away