: right between them since they said their goodbyes for the trip,
and Stacy, not really understanding the problem but assuming
she'd done something wrong, didn't know how to put the
relationship back on firm footing.
"Do you really need something to eat?"
"I can wait until morning," Stacy hurried to tell him, but
Tanner just stared at her until she felt compelled to apologize.
"I'm sorry for whatever I've done wrong, Tanner. I think it
must have started a few days ago. I'm not really certain, but
whatever I've done to make you upset, I'm sorry."
Tanner couldn't take the way her eyes stared at him beseechingly
or the sound of her sweet voice in misery. Thoughts
of Leslie had ridden him hard since he'd agreed to marry
Stacy, but never as roughly as in the last 48 hours. His black
|( mood was terrifying his wife, and he was going to have to get a
grip on himself. He was just about to say something when
there was a rustling on the far side of the room.
"Excuse me, my lord, but I thought I heard voices." Winsow's
cook stood across the room. "Is there something I can
get for you?"
"My wife is hungry."
'Very well, I'll fix you right up." The rather plump woman
was cheerful for the middle of the night. "Would you care for
something, your Grace?"
"No. Just see to my wife."
Tanner left then, and Stacy felt utterly wretched. She
stared at the door long after he exited, asking herself what
she'd done.
"Now, my lady, if you'll Just make yourself comfortable in
the dining room, I'll bring something right in."
"I'll be fine here," Stacy told the older woman absently,
missing the servant's shocked expression.
Cook watched Stacy take a chair at the small, crude table
126
and worked at keeping her voice level. The lord and lady!
simply did not eat in the kitchen! The kitchen was for servants,'
not the duchess; she deserved the best. However she simply]
said, "I'll just be a moment with your food"
Stacy sat, staring at nothing in particular until cook put a
dish of sliced fruit on the table,
"There now. Why don't you start with that ? 1 worried about
you, my lady, when you didn't want your supper," she spoke in
a motherly tone. "I'll have something more for you in a jiffy."
Tanner came out of the shadows at that moment and
placed a heavy quilt around Stacy's shoulders. His hands were
gentle and Stacy was thankful for the warmth, but she was
decidedly uncomfortable when he sat down across from her.
"Why didn't you eat your dinner?"
Stacy swallowed a slice of apple before answering. "It was
foolish of me not to."
"But why didn't you?" Tanner pressed her.
"I thought the surprise party would be a dinner party,"
Stacy admitted quietly, her eyes down.
Tanner's hand went to the back of his neck. Stacy still did
not look up, or she would have seen the pain in his eyes.
You're a fool, Tanner Richardson, he told himself. And
you don't deserve this dear girl. She was honest with you and
you took her head off.
Stacy finished her meal in silence. Her stomach felt better,
but her heart felt as if a giant hand was trying to squeeze the
very life from it.
Tanner held her chair out when she was done and waited
as she thanked cook. He escorted her up the stairs. When they
were once again in the bedroom, he took her jaw in his hand,
forcing her gaze to meet his.
"I've been in a wretched humor these past days, but things
will be different tomorrow. You have nothing to be sorry
about, and in the morning we'll celebrate your birthday properly."
Stacy, clinging to the tender, calm sound of his voice,
127
;d with relief. She was still rather emotionally drained,
; when they climbed into bed, she fell asleep just moments
the covers were settled around her.
129
stacy's back rested against the base of a large tree, her
legs stretched out in front of her. Tanner's head was in her lap,
and thus far the day had been idyllic.
Both duke and duchess had slept late, eaten a leisurely
breakfast, and gone for a long ride into the bluffs beyond
Winslow. They had ridden for miles, and Stacy was amazed
that they were still on Richardson land. Everything about
Winslow was beautiful. Stacy said as much to Tanner.
"Including the mistress of the manor," Tanner commented.
Stacy smiled at the compliment.
"Did I tell you that I saw Hawk while I was away?" Tanner
asked suddenly.
"Hawk?"
"Hawk is Brandon Hawkesbury's nickname."
"Oh," Stacy said with surprise and then, "Is Sunny feeling
better?"
"Yes. She was terribly disappointed that she had to cancel
the dinner plans, but she's going to have you to tea soon."
"She didn't lose the baby, did she?" Stacy's voice was
pained at the very thought.
"No. It was a nasty virus according to Hawk. The doctor
has ordered her to take it easy, but the pregnancy is still
strong."
129
Stacy sighed with relief. She was already excited about the
ival of this new little one and knew she would have mourned
j loss. She had even started the baby's gift; it was a beautiful
mket in multiple colors appropriate for either gender, but
:retly Stacy hoped Sunny would have a girl.
"I think I've lost you," Tanner commented as he sat up
;side her and leaned against the tree.
"I was thinking about Sunny's baby."
Her voice was so wistful that Tanner stared at her. She
tsounded like having a child was the most precious thing on
[earth. Tanner frowned slightly. He did not have the heart to
i tell her that it might not ever happen for them.
He'd suffered a raging fever as a child, and the doctor had
told his father that one of the long-lasting side effects might
be sterility. In all the years he and Leslie had been married,
she had never conceived. The fact had never really bothered
him before, but now he wanted to give his wife a baby. His
heart felt weighted down over what he assumed was an impossibility.
"I think I've lost you." Stacy echoed his phrase a moment
later, and Tanner smiled down into her eyes before they
began to talk of the coming winter.
The day ran on in a quiet and peaceful vein. Both bride and
groom felt renewed in their relationship, and Stacy, although
she had no answers to her husband's quicksilver mood changes,
still believed Tanner loved her. She would work at this marriage
for as long as it took him to say the words.
"I'm so glad you're feeling better," Stacy told Sunny as she
hugged her. It was early the next week, and the women were
finally getting together at Bracken for tea.
"I don't know when I've been so sick. Brandon said there
were moments when I didn't even recognize him. He also told
130
me that Sterling
was frantic at times, having not seen me for so
many days."
"Poor little thing," Stacy sympathized "He must have
been so confused"
"He was, I'm still taking it slow, but it's good to be up and
around and spending time with both Sterling and Brandon."
"Is everything really all right with the baby?" Stacy's voice
was anxious, and Sunny was quick to reassure her.
"Everything is fine. I wasn't able to eat for a few days, and
that was a concern, but I'm back on track now."
Stacy's sigh was so heartfelt that Sunny smiled.
"Do you like children, Stacy?"
"Ever so much," she admitted, her eyes alight with pleasure.
"And Tanner, how does he feel?"
"I don't know," Stacy told her honestly. "We've never really
spoken of it."
Sunny hesitated only a moment before asking her guest a
very personal question.
"Do you think you might be expecting?" Sunny was ready
to apologize if she'd been out of line, but Stacy's face was as
open as ever. She shrugged slightly before answering.
"I don't think so. But I do wonder what signs I need to look
for. Oh, not the obvious of course, but my cousin Elena is
never ill when she carries a baby, and I thought that was one of
the first warnings."
"It's different for every woman," Sunny told her. "I know
that's no help to you, but I've known women who were not
sure they were pregnant for several months and others who
knew within days. Chelsea told me that she wasn't sick for
even a day. However, my niece Holly was ill the entire nine
months."
"That sounds awful," Stacy grimaced.
"It wasn't much fun," Sunny agreed. "But God gave them a
beautiful baby, and Holly said it was worth every moment."
"I imagine it was." Stacy's voice was a bit dreamy, and
131
Sunny couldn't stop herself from hoping that God would give
this couple a baby.
Keeping Sunny's recent illness in mind, Stacy did not stay
long. However, their time together was sweet. The Richardson
coach was coming around for Stacy when Sunny remembered
she had a wedding gift for Lucinda and Roddy. The Hawkesurys
were not going to make the special event, but Sunny
sent best wishes through Stacy.
As the coach started for Wlnslow, Stacy fingered the neatly
wrapped gift, her mind going to her aunt and Roddy. A smile of
pure enjoyment broke across her face knowing that Lucinda
would be preparing right now for the wedding. She and Roddy
would be man and wife in one week's time.
"Is everything ready at Brentwood?" Lucinda asked her
man, Craig, for the tenth time that day.
"Yes, my lady. All is prepared."
"And the groom's gift?"
"He's very comfortable in the stables." Craig's voice was
calm.
Lucinda nodded but didn't answer. Her mind, moving
from the magnificent horse she'd bought for Roddy, was
already thinking on the clothes she'd purchased for their
wedding trip. She simply couldn't decide which suit she
should travel in. Maybe she would ask Roddy. But the thought
no more materialized when she thought of something else for
Craig to do. He was on his way out of the room when she
stopped him.
"And, Craig, please see that Stacy's room is ready for her."
"I will, my lady, but I assumed the duke and duchess would
be staying in Lord Richardson's town house."
"You're probably right, but I want the room ready just in
case."
132
133
Craig left with only a nod of his head, and for the first time
in days her mind slowed to a stop. It stopped on Stacy. Lucinda
smiled
They would be coming tomorrow, or was it the next day? Well, nomatter, Lucinda thought. I'm going to marry the man Have, andStacy is coming. Lucinda was so overwhelmed with
peace and happiness that she simply sat, doing nothing, until
Craig came and asked if she was ready for tea.
Tanner lay back in bed, reading some papers and waiting
for his wife to join him. Just moments later Stacy entered the
room, and Tanner smiled to see her hair down. He opened his
mouth to speak, but as she neared the bed, he noticed that
her expression was a bit strained Tanner wondered if he
might have imagined it, but knew better when she climbed
onto the bed and not beneath the covers. He watched her
kneel gracefully on her side of the bed, not actually keeping
her distance, but just out of reach. Her expression was clearly
preoccupied
"Tanner," Stacy began, her voice telling of her distraction,
"are you going to Lucinda and Roddy's wedding? I'm not sure
if you ever said"
"Yes, I'll be there. Has that been bothering you?"
"Not exactly; I just couldn't recall if you'd told me."
Stacy fell silent then, and Tanner watched her, wondering
at her mood. He didn't have long to speculate.
"Tanner, may I talk with you?"
"Of course," Tanner answered automatically.
"I heard from Elena," Stacy began, not even looking at
Tanner. "She says the girls are fine and her pregnancy is going
well. She writes that she's very large but feels good anyway."
Stacy glanced at Tanner then. He was not hearing a word
she said. His eyes were back on his papers. Stacy sighed
inwardly and resigned herself to keeping her feelings inside.
She was moving to the side of the bed to draw the covers back
and climb in when Tanner realized what he'd done.
"Is that all Elena said?"
"No," Stacy told him, still standing. "But I don't have to talk
The pain in her voice made Tanner ashamed. He forced
himself to shift against the headboard with a pillow at his back
for comfort. Once settled, he gave her his full attention.
"What else did she say?" His voice was gentle, and Stacy,
desperately needing a lifeline, sat down on the side of the bed.
"She said that my grandfather has lost nearly all of his
sight. Even on good days he can see next to nothing." Stacy's
voice told of her agony. "I've known this was going to happen
for a long time, Tanner, but it's so hard. It's bad enough when
he has poor days, but to lose his sight completely is almost
more than I can take." Stacy's voice caught, but she didn't cry.
"Does Elena say how he's taking it?"
"Actually, she does, and she says that he's doing very well.
It's just so difficult when I'm not there. I know Elena is giving
me a straight story, but she doesn't live with Grandfather, and
he's such a private man. I wish Peters had written to me. I'm
going to get a letter off to both him and Hettie before we leave
for London."
Stacy was silent for a moment after that. Tanner waited for
her to speak. It took a little time, and she kept her eyes on the
wall as she shared.
"He's always been there for me, Tanner, a tower of endurance.
He's the only father I've ever known. I hate to see
him vulnerable like this."
Stacy looked at her husband then. His eyes were intent on
her and tender with caring. Stacy drew in a shuddering breath.
"Will you hold me, Tanner?"
His arms came out without words, and Stacy sighed deeply
as he cuddled her against his chest.
134
"With or without his sight, your grandfather is still th
same man. The man who took you to him when your parent
died, and the man who stili loves you today."
"Oh, Tanner," Stacy sighed.i
"It's true," Tanner continued, his voice gentle. "He'llf
always be Andrew Daniels, and he'd probably resent any]
intimation otherwise."
Stacy nodded. She'd nearly forgotten her grandfather's
pride.
"THE house is set up for the ceremony and reception now, I but as soon as Roddy and I leave for our wedding trip, the staff
will move everything from both homes."
Closeted in Lucinda's bedroom, Stacy and her aunt talked
about the wedding that would take place in approximately 48
hours.
"Did you have to let some of the staff go?" Stacy's voice was
resigned.
"Actually, no," Lucinda told her with satisfaction. "Roddy
has always had a very small staff. A few of my own were a bit
frantic over being made redundant, but I assured them we
would need them all.
"Now," Lucinda did a quick change of subject, "Roddy is
due anytime, and before he comes I want you to come with me
so I can show you the wedding gift I bought."
Lucinda rose and began to lead the way from the room.
"Where is it?" Stacy asked once they were in the hall.
"In the stables."
"The stables?"
Lucinda only laughed at her niece's look and proceeded to
take her outside.
136
Stacy had never seen her aunt as nervous as she was just
one hour before the wedding. It was a small affair, less than 70
guests, but Lucinda seemed unaccountably nervous.
Stacy stood beside her in an upstairs bedroom at Brentood,
The younger woman did not speak but offered support
with her presence.
Maids came and went, but at one point they found themselves
alone. The room was quiet for only a moment, and then
Lucinda began to speak, as though to herself.
"Aubrey was not a kind husband I'm afraid he was very
selfish and he's left me with a rather negative view over
certain aspects of marriage."
Stacy, without having to be told, knew what those aspects
were.
"He didn't visit me very often, but when he did, there was