Who Brings Forth the Wind (Kensington Chronicles) (39 page)

was shaking.

"Mumma," Drew suddenly said "We didn't pray."

Stacy took a deep breath and praised God for this gentle

reminder. "You're right, my darling. Shall we pray now?"

Where Stacy found the courage to suggest this without even

looking at her spouse, she didn't know, but pray she did

"Father in heaven, we thank You for this food and all Your

blessings. Please keep us this night that we might wake tomorrow

to know You and serve You better. In Your name we pray.

Amen."

"Amen," Drew echoed and picked up his spoon once

again. Stacy retrieved her own utensil and only then did she

look up to see Tanner staring, but this time he was looking at

Drew, contentment etching his handsome face.

"It's good that children pray," Tanner finally commented.

Stacy nearly dropped her fork. She recovered swiftly, however,

and put in her own gentle oar.

"I find that prayer is also good for adults. That, along with

time spent reading God's Word."

Tanner's attention turned to her, his eyes thoughtful. "I

wondered at your having a Bible near your bed."

"I read it every day." Stacy spoke calmly but was amazed

that he'd even noticed

"Why?" he asked bluntly, as if doing such a thing was only

for the weak,

"I have a yearning to know more. I have a relationship

with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, and I want to know

Him better."

Tanner clearly did not know what to do with this answer.

He didn't believe that God involved Himself in people's daily

lives. That type of thing was reserved for the Old Testament

times, when God spoke through a burning bush or met Moses

on the mountain to give him the law. And yet Stacy was so

sincere. She was not the type to go off on some emotional

religious experience, and the serenity in her eyes as she'd

answered him was unmistakable.

I Tanner went back to his plate, and Stacy knew the discus-Lonwasover.Ithadn'tbeenmuch^buthe'datleastlistenedto

' her without ridicule. Stacy continued to eat as well. Drew

started to chatter right after that, but Stacy's mind was praying

and she did not attend

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"You're leaving?"

"Yes. We're going to Bracken. I hope it will be quiet for you

then."

Tanner didn't even bother to acknowledge her statement.

Without so much as a by-your-leave, he turned on his heel and

walked back to the study.

the study door burst open, and Tanner, having been

disturbed, came out in a dreadful humor. Stacy and Drew had

been on their way to the front door, and Stacy, thinking Tanner

was away again, was chasing Drew and making him giggle

loudly. They both shrank back when he stood before them in a

towering rage Stacy, fearing he would shout at Drew, called to

Hettie.

"Drew," she told him when the old woman appeared, "go

on to the coach with Hettie; there's a good boy. I'll be out

shortly."

"I'm sorry, Tanner," Stacy said when Hettie and the boy

were gone. "We didn't realize you were here."

Tanner's mood was not improved by her apology. Stacy,

thinking it best that she just leave, took a step away.

"Do they not have dressmakers in Middlesbrough?"

The question was not lost on Stacy. She was wearing a

dress of dark blue satin with matching bows and white lace

on the bodice and neckline. It was one from her wedding

trousseau--in fact all of her dresses were from her wedding

trousseau.

"Well, actually I gained quite a bit of weight when I was

carrying Drew, and I wasn't able to wear many of my gowns.

Some of them are virtually new." Stacy stopped, thinking this

explanation enough, but Tanner still scowled.

"So you think things might be a little better?" Sunny asked

"Well," Stacy tried to explain, "Tanner's moods are usually

pretty black, but he's been very attentive to Drew and sometimes

he's very kind to me. One night--" Stacy began and went

on to tell Sunny what had happened over the dinner table with

Drew, the prayer, and their discussion afterward.

"It was very brief, but then a few nights later Tanner

showed up at Drew's bedtime. I always read Drew a Bible

passage, and Tanner actually stayed to listen. It was the parable

of the prodigal son from Luke 15. Tanner seemed fascinated.

Now he looks at me as if he doesn't know me, but it's

not in a negative way. Does that make sense?"

"Yes. You think he might be warming up?"

Stacy shrugged ruefully. "He wasn't too happy when I left

this morning. I always seem to underestimate Tanner. I've

been so relieved on several occasions that he hasn't seemed to

notice my clothing, and then this morning I discovered he

hasn't missed a thing."

"Upset, was he?"

"Yes. I know my clothes are all out of date; Lucinda made

that quiet clear, but it just hasn't been important, Sunny. When

you think of all that's gone on in my world in the last fewyears,

you can probably see why having the latest outfits was not a

priority."

"It's a matter of pride."

"You think I'm being prideful?" It was hard for Stacy to

hear this, but she needed to be made aware.

280

"Not you, Stacy. Tanner. He's a duke, a wealthy one. Hef

wants you dressed in the finest attire money can buy."

Stacy's look was comical. "I've never thought of it that

way."

"It might be best if you did, because I wouldn't be too

surprised if he suddenly decided to do something about your

wardrobe."

Stacy nodded in understanding. They both knew that

"something" meant a shopping trip to London.

"Thank you, Sunny," Stacy said softly, and for the moment

the subject was dropped. It was time to go upstairs. Earlier, the

boys had asked their mothers to have tea with them in the

nursery.

For the second time since Stacy returned to Winslow,

Tanner "followed" her to Bracken. She had been other times

on her own, so she knew he was not checking on her, but the

emotions she felt when he appeared were riotous. Actually

they were the same emotions that occurred nearly every time

he sought her out--some fear, but also some hope that maybe

he had come because he'd missed her.

The women were still in the nursery when Tanner and

Brandon came in. Tanner did not immediately speak to her

beyond a short greeting but talked with Brandon, Sunny, and

the boys. Stacy noticed the way he studied the children, and

something in his expression made her wary. She didn't have

long to wait. Tanner refused tea and just ten minutes after he

arrived, he turned to Stacy.

"I want us to leave for London."

"Right now?"

"Yes."

"All right," Stacy stood. "Would you like me to go home

and pack?"

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"You and Drew are already packed. Hettie is waiting with

the carriages." His voice was not harsh, but Stacy could tell

that he was not feeling overly patient.

"Oh." Stacy was not certain how to reply to this, but she

knew she needed a moment of privacy. "Drew and I will just

take a minute to prepare, and we'll be right down."

Tanner's nod was almost curt as he told them he'd be

waiting downstairs and abruptly left the room, Stacy made

swift thank-you's, and Sunny took her and Drew to a retiring

room. Stacy's heart sank when Drew decided he needed to sit

down on the commode. Stacy knew it would do no good to

rush him, but she could almost feel Tanner's impatience from

downstairs.

When they finally started to rush down the stairs, Drew

got it into his head to examine everything they passed. Tanner

was in sight when he stopped the last time to look at a bronze

statue.

"Andrew!" Stacy's voice was sharp with panic. "Lord Richardson

is waiting for us. Come now."

Afraid of his fury, Stacy kept her head lowered as they

passed Sunny walked Stacy and Drew to the carriage, and

Tanner and Brandon followed more slowly.

"Come again when you can stay," Brandon told the other

duke.

"I'll do that, Hawk. Thank you."

"I might be out of line," Brandon continued as they

walked, "but Stacy gave Sunny the impression that you've

accepted Drew as your own."

"Of course I have." Tanner frowned darkly at him, but

Brandon was not so easily intimidated

"Then why the Lord Richardson?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Your son calls you Lord Richardson, and Stacy calls you

by your title when she's speaking of you to Drew."

Tanner's air left him in a rush. He hadn't even noticed

He'd had a formal relationship with his father, never calling

282

him anything but "sir," but not even he and his brother hj

been expected to call him by his title.

"It's your choice, Tanner," Brandon said softly. "And the

last thing I want to do is interfere. It's just that Drew obviously

thinks quite a lot of you, and I think he's a fine boy."

"Yes, he is," Tanner admitted, looking his friend in the eye

"I'll see you later, Hawk."

"Goodbye, Tanner."

The two men shook hands, and Tanner covered the remaining

distance to the carriage and pulled himself inside.

Stacy and Drew waved briefly from the window before settling

back for the long trip to London.

Tanner could not get Sterling and Preston from his mind.

He'd come to Bracken determined to take Stacy away and

dress her in London's finest, and then he saw his son with the

Hawkesbury boys. Tanner had not even thought about Drew's

clothes. In all fairness, Stacy had done an admirable job with

their son's wardrobe, but next to the smart outfits and fine

fabrics of the other boys' clothes, he looked dressed in homespun

cloth. It didn't take more than a second to know that he

wanted better for his son, a son who chattered nonstop for the

first 15 minutes of the ride before falling into an exhausted

sleep in his mother's lap.

Stacy settled him on the seat beside her and gambled a

look at Tanner. He'd been in no mood for chitchat when he'd

come into the carriage, and other than an occasional comment

to Drew or an answer to the boy's questions, he had

been quiet. Stacy knew she would find out sooner or later

what was on his mind, but not having been privy to his

conversation with Brandon, it came as a complete surprise

when he finally told her.

"I don't want Drew to call me Lord Richardson. I want him

to know who I am."

283

Stacy blinked at him. "All right," she replied slowly. "Would

you like to tell him?"

"What do you think?" Stacy had never seen Tanner humble;

it was a little hard to grasp.