Who Brings Forth the Wind (Kensington Chronicles) (24 page)

"But you never mention the baby"

"No. I've been tempted, Elena, I really have. But whenever

I feel that I just have to tell him, I remember that he thinks I've

been unfaithful. He probably wouldn't even believe that the

baby is his."

"How about your newfound faith? Do you ever talk about

Christ?"

"Not in so many words. Tanner can be so hard, and I'm

afraid of his scorn. I'm sure he'll think I've turned into some

kind of religious fanatic. I tell him I'm praying for him, but I

never come right out and say I'm a new creature in Christ."

Elena nodded, thinking Stacy was the most amazing

woman on earth. Elena had met Tanner Richardson only once,

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and now found herself having to fight the feeling that the ma

did not deserve a wife like Stacy. She knew that Stacy,

wonderful example to Elena, continued to show love to hii

even after he'd sent her away with a coldness that was frigh

ening. Stacy's explanation of Tanner's first marriage was j

great help, and although Elena didn't understand, neither dif|

she hate Tanner. She continued to pray for him even as shej

was completely confused by his actions., ]

A sharp, indrawn breath from Stacy suddenly snapped'

Elena out of her musings. Elena looked over to see Stacy

breathing hard, her face a mask of shock. As the contraction

abated, she spoke.

"That hurt," she gasped.

Elena's voice was tender. "Yes, it does, but you really will

be all right."

"I want to go home, Elena." Stacy's voice was Just short of anic.

"I want to see Papa."I

Elena didn't answer because she was already ringing for a I

servant. Within five minutes Stacy was headed to Morgan,

Elena by her side. Stacy had another contraction in the coach

and another as she walked in the front door. Hettie was there

to assist her, and her grandfather, who was almost completely

blind now, hovered nearby. Elena spoke words of encouragement

as they made their way upstairs, and all of them wondered

if it was going to be a long day and possibly a longer night.

"She's lost a lot of blood."

The physician's voice came to Stacy as if through a fog. She

wanted to open her eyes and ask whom they were talking

about, but her body wouldn't obey. At least the pain was gone.

Her brow furrowed when she realized she hadn't heard a baby

cry. Wasn't all the pain supposed to give her a baby? Again she

wanted to ask questions but couldn't seem to make herself

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ik. She floated on the brink of sleep for some moments

fore she drifted out completely.

It was a day and a half later, when Hettie was forcing water

m her throat, that Stacy woke to coherency. It took a

ment to find her bearings, but after just a second of awkrdness

she lifted her head and drank with thirst. Hettie's

teyes were suspiciously moist by the time Stacy lay back down

fwith a sigh.

"Thank you." The younger woman's voice was little better

than a croak.

Hettie had to clear her throat before she could speak in

her matter-of-fact tone. "I thought we were going to lose you,

love."

"My baby, Hettie." Stacy's senses were quickly returning

to her, and she gave no thought to her own life. "Where is my

baby?"

"He's in the cradle yonder."

"He?"

"Um hmm. A boy--the biggest I've ever seen."

"A boy." Stacy said out loud, but in her heart she prayed as

a strange mixture of delight and sadness filled her.

I've given Tanner an heir, Lord Will he ever know? Will be

ever want us back? My little boy is the future Duke of Cambridge.

Will the present duke ever acknowledge him?

Please give me peace. Please help me to see Your hand in

all of this so I can go on and be the mother I need to be. Please

cause Tanner to miss me and send for me.

Averse came to Stacy then, one from Philippians 4, exhorting

believers to give up anxiety and put everything in God's

care. She meditated on the words until she felt drowsy again.

She would have dropped off, but the sound of a small cry

brought her fully awake.

The little person in the cradle was at full volume by the

time Hettie got to the cradle, lifted him into her arms, and

brought him to his mother's side. Hettie jostled him gently as

she spoke.

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"Do you feel up to nursing, love? I've a girl here from tti

village, a nice clean girl named Felicity whose baby is a montM

old. She's let him nurse since she's plenty to spare, but fl thought you might want to do it yourself."'

Stacy could only stare at the longtime servant. What was

she talking about? Had she really been asleep that long?

"What day is it, Hettie?"

Hettie saw the confusion in her mistress' face and kindly

explained

"The baby was born late Wednesday night and this is

Friday morning. We had to get him some nourishment."

Stacy nodded, her face clearing. She wouldn't have believed

she could sleep that long, but then she realized how

achy her body felt. Suddenly the doctor's comment about the

loss of blood made sense. The thought of another woman

feeding her baby was a bit disconcerting, but she was glad

someone had been found.

"Well, love," Hettie went on, "do you want to give it a go?

I've no doubt you'll have plenty of milk, but it's a full commitment

once you start."

Every inch of Stacy's body ached, but at the moment all

that mattered was the howling infant just out of her reach.

With the rise of Stacy's arm, Hettie moved. She gently laid the

little lord in the crook of his mother's arm and fought tears

once again.

Stacy took one look at the screaming infant and laughed.

He was red with fury, his face balled up in anger, and Stacy

didn't know when anything was so precious or so funny.

"Shhh," she spoke softly, laughter still filling her voice.

"Don't cry, my darling. Mummy's here."

To Stacy's delight and amazement, the baby stopped crying

and turned yet unfocused eyes toward her voice.

"There now," she continued tenderly. "Everything is going

to be fine. Hettie and I are going to take very good care of

you." Stacy spoke for a few minutes longer, but the infant's

fascination with the voice was quickly overridden by hunger.

Once again he began to howl.

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With a bit of maneuvering Hettie helped Stacy into a

ition on her side so she could nurse her baby. Her body

^..ied at her to lie still, but she ignored its demands and

;d in fascination at the child who finally lay quiet at her

ist. He was beautiful, with a head full of blond hair and

__ i like the petal of a rose. In fact he was pretty enough to be

t'girl. Stacy said as much to Hettie.

"It might be better if he had been" was Hettie's negative

iment.

"Why do you say that?"

"If his father gets wind of his arrival, he'll probably come

-and take the boy."

1 Hettie did not stick around after she spoke these depressing

thoughts, and Stacy, who suddenly had much on her mind,

was glad for some moments alone.

"What are you going to call him?"

The question came from Andrew Daniels as he sat at

Stacy's bedside. After feeding the baby she had slept for a time,

but now she'd had some lunch. Even though she was as yet

unable to sit up, she felt much refreshed and was thrilled with

her grandfather's presence.

"I was thinking on that just before I fell asleep. He's going

to be Andrew." Stacy watched as a look of delight came over the old man's face. "Andrew Tanner Richardson, and I'll call

him Drew for short."

Andrew cleared his throat a few times. "It's a fine name.

He's a fine boy."

"He is, isn't he?" Stacy's voice held the tone of a child

desperately needing approval. Again Andrew cleared his

throat.

"We almost sacrificed you to have him, and I wouldn't have

cared for that, but I'm glad he's here."

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"Are you really glad he's here? I mean, I made such

awful mess of my marriage. I wasn't really sure you'd

pleased about my having Tanner's child."

The viscount's face tightened in anger. "The breakup oj your marriage was not your fault, and I don't want to hear you

say such a thing again. It's your husband who's the loser. He'sa

got a beautiful wife and now a son, and it's his loss for not|

claiming either of you."1

Stacy had grown very quiet in the midst of his anger. When ]

the old man was done, he turned fading eyes to her face. He

could barely see her, but the serenity in her gaze was unmistakable. She had changed so much since coming home and

spending time with Elena. At first it had been hard for Andrew

to see her turn to Elena so often, but then he watched her go

from despair to hope and he could no longer find it in his heart

to begrudge her the help.

And if the truth be stated, Stacy's relationship with Elena

had caused no distance between her and the man who raised

her. Grandfather and granddaughter were as close as they had

ever been.

"Are you going to write Tanner and tell him he has an

heir?" The question came after just a moment of silence, but

Stacy answered immediately.

"No. I seriously doubt that his knowing would, change

anything, and it would only feel like one more rejection."

"But you will continue to write to him?"

"Yes. As soon as I'm on my feet again. I tried to get Hettie to

take down a letter for me, but when she found out it was to

Tanner, she refused."

Andrew nodded. Hettie had muttered to herself for an

hour after Stacy's request, and it wasn't at all hard to figure

out what had set her off. The older woman had never taken to

Stacy's marrying someone from London, no matter who he

was. Then when she'd met him, she thought him too good-looking

and smooth to be real. Once Stacy returned to

Middlesbrough, and Hettie had heard the entire story of the

way she'd been sent away, dislike had turned to loathing.

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f

^Andrew's reflections were interrupted when Stacy yawned

I better let you get some rest," he commented

Stacy smiled sleepily. "I could use some sleep. Hettie said

Felicity has been wonderful, but Drew can be rather

.Aiding and I want to continue feeding him myself." This

punctuated with yet another yawn as Stacy's eyes slid

it.

She was almost asleep when her grandfather rose to leave

id was uncertain later if he tenderly touched her hair and

leek or if she only dreamed it.

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Q/u^~QMtee

more than

Two years later

"would you like something, Lady Stacy?"

"No thank you, Mercy. Grandfather should be here any