obviously haven't received my letter about your wound--they
want us to come up for some hunting as soon as we're able.
Elena goes on to say that little Noel is getting just huge, and
Brittany still asks about Drew every day
"Now, these two are business," Stacy continued as she
sorted the post. "Do you want them here or on your desk?"
"Why don't you give them to Price."
"I'll do that. Oh, I almost forgot--"
"Excuse me, my lady," Reece interrupted them.
"Yes, Reece. What is it?"
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"It's Felicity, my lady. She's says her baby has a slight cold
and could she please leave and go to the doctor in the village
or send for him to come here."
"Send for him, by all means," Stacy told him. "And tell
Felicity not to worry. I'll be in to see her later."
"One of our maids has a baby?" Tanner didn't speak until
after Reece had left. Stacy nearly laughed at his baffled expression.
"No. Felicity isAlexa'swet nurse. Her baby is just six weeks
old His name is Robert."
Tanner could only stare at her.
"What is it, Tanner?" Stacy asked, not recalling that she
and Tanner had never discussed this.
"Alexa needed a wet nurse?"
"Well, yes. I sent for one after the accident because I
couldn't be with her all the time."
"But why couldn't you?"
Now it was Stacy's turn to stare. Did he really not understand
how many hours she'd spent in this room? Her voice was
gentle, however, when she answered him in just a handful of
words.
"Because you needed me more than Alexa did"
Tanner's world rocked Feeding Alexa herself had been
very important to Stacy. He knew there was not another woman
in all the earth like his wife. She cared for him without
complaint. She took his verbal abuse without comment. And
now, when he needed her, she had even set her baby aside to
be with him. He felt humbled beyond explanation, and for the
first time in his life he realized his true feelings for his wife
went far beyond respect and admiration.
When Tanner had remained quiet, Stacy assumed he
didn't want to hear any more letters. Stacy had stood to bend
over him and check his dressing. He spoke while she was
poised above him, a study in concentration.
"I love you, Anastasia."
Stacy froze, certain she had heard wrong. Her eyes moved
slowly to lock with his.
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'Yes, you heard me correctly. I love you, Stacy."
Stacy straightened slowly, and Tanner watched as her hand
came to her lips. Huge tears puddled in her eyes and spilled
down her cheeks. Tanner had never actually seen her break
down before, and all he could do was watch helplessly from
the bed.
A door sounded then, and both knew they were going to
be interrupted. Stacy turned swiftly from the bed and moved
to the window in an effort to control herself. Her whole frame
shook as she tried to suppress sobs, but it wasn't working.
Price, who had been the one at the door, sized up the
situation immediately and excused himself. Pain ripped through
Tanner's chest and shoulder as he shifted to see her. He
listened for a long moment to her tears before calling to her.
"Sweetheart. Come back over here."
She did not come immediately. He called to her several
more times before she returned and he was able to urge her
into the chair near the bed Tanner gasped his way into a
sitting position and handed Stacy the edge of the sheet to dry
her tears.
"I just can't... I didn't think you would ever... that is, I
hoped, but I didn't know..,"
Tanner didn't try to quiet her. Her reaction spoke volumes
to him as to how much she'd hoped and waited for him to say
the words. It occurred to him suddenly, however, that she had
not returned the words. In fact she hadn't said them in many
months. Tanner wondered if perhaps she didn't feel as strongly
about him as she once had. It saddened him to think that he
might have waited too long, but he vowed that as soon as he
was able to get out of bed, he would not just tell Stacy, but show
her in a thousand different ways that his love was real.
Tanner was feeling remarkably better by dinnertime, and Stacy
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later found herself pulled in two directions. She wanted to
hold her husband and be held in return, but fear for his wound
was very real. Tanner, on the other hand, had no such qualms.
After dinner, while Stacy was still checking his dressing,
she felt Tanner's free hand in the middle of her back. Before
she could even guess what he might be up to, he pulled her
down against him and kissed her.
Stacy struggled, thinking that her weight would start the
bleeding again.
"Tanner," she gasped. "You can't do that."
Stacy escaped and stepped away from the bed to talk.
"Tanner," she tried to sound stern. "Behave yourself."
"I am behaving myself. I'm behaving like a man in love
with his wife. Now come back over here."
"No." Stacy sounded more adamant than she felt.
"Do as I tell you, Anastasia."
There was that tone. The one that always made Stacy feel
helpless. She returned, sitting carefully on the edge of the bed
"I love you," he said again. "And I want the spare bed out of
here tonight."
Stacy shook her head. There was no way she was going to
jeopardize his recovery by sleeping in the same bed and
possibly endangering his wound
"Yes, Stacy." Tanner's voice was velvety smooth, but ever
when he ordered, Stacy stood her ground Tanner was none too
happy with her over it, but he saw that he'd pushed far enough.
Stacy was lulled into a false sense of security when Tanner
suddenly gave up. She left him for a time to ready herself for
bed, feeling distinctly triumphant. She'd have fainted with
horror had she seen Tanner actually standing by the bed after
she left.
The effort was almost more than he could take, but once
up, he found it not too bad. His injury screamed at him, but he
ignored the pain and the trembling in his lower limbs. Just a
few minutes was all he could last, but it was enough to give
him confidence for the morrow. Thankfully he was back in
bed before Stacy or Price could make an appearance
"Do you have plans TO GROW teeth any time soon?"
The question was good-naturedly posed to Alexa by her
papa. As usual, she grinned and even drooled with delight on
the good side of his chest.
Drew had been in for an hour that morning, and now it
was Alexa's turn. Stacy was careful to watch Tanner for signs
of fatigue, but he seemed a hundred percent better. She smiled
to herself when she thought of how swiftly the change had
come about. It came with his declaration of love. Stacy's heart
was swelling with joy over yesterday's events.
My
husband loves me, she told the Lord the night before
while spending some quiet moments alone in her sitting
room. /rs more than I ever hoped for, Father. You have brought
a miracle in this marriage, and I thank You from deep in my
heart.
"Stacy, I think she's doing something." Tanner's voice was
distressed, his face chagrined.
Stacy glanced down at Alexa's red, strained features and
laughed. She pulled the bellpull, and when Price arrived she
asked him to send for Hettie. Hettie was completely undisturbed
over the task at hand and crooned softly to her charge
as she took her from the room.
"You look like you could use some sleep."
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Tanner yawned before answering. "I think you're right.
You wouldn't like to climb in with me, would you?"
Stacy smiled. "I've got some things to do, and then I'll
come up. Do you want anything before I go?"
"No."
They kissed then, and Stacy made her way around the bed
to gather some papers from a small writing desk. She quietly
straightened a few things in the room, and then, with a final
glance at her sleeping husband, made for the door. She had
not reached the threshold of Tanner's dressing room when
Price came in. He stopped in front of her, and Stacy studied his
anxious eyes.
"What is it, Price?"
Price glanced at Tanner, and Stacy's eyes followed his, but
he was asleep.
"Lord Stanley is here."
Stacy stared at him.
"Nigel Stanley?"
"Yes, my lady. He wishes to see you."
Stacy took a deep breath. What in the world could he
want?
"All right. Tell Lord Stanley I'll be down shortly."
Price nodded and left. Stacy looked one more time at
Tanner. He was on his side, facing away from her; otherwise
Stacy would have seen that his eyes were wide open and dark
with a myriad of emotions.
Nigel Stanley looked older to Stacy, older than she had
expected. It wasn't that his hair had turned gray or that he'd
shrunken in frame, but his eyes and mouth had lost their
youth. There was a sadness in the depths of his eyes, and there
were deep grooves at the sides of his mouth.
"Hello, Lord Stanley. I understand you wanted to see me."
Stacy congratulated herself over her calm. She wasn't afraid of
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this man, but she did not want hijn in her life or disturbing her
marriage as he'd done before.
"Yes, thank you for seeing me. I wouldn't have blamed you
if you'd had me thrown from your property."
"Won't you sit down?"
He did, but Stacy could see he was not at ease. Stacy sat
also and waited Nigel cleared his throat at least three times
before he began.
"I know that much time has passed, and I'm sorry for that,
but I wanted to see you today to express my deepest regrets
over my past actions. My actions on that day bring me extreme
shame, and I know they caused you great distress.
"I stalked you that weekend, totally thoughtless of your
person. It's something for which I have no excuse. I came to
tell you how sorry I am for the way I acted"
Nigel stood abruptly, and Stacy did the same. He'd clearly
come to say that and no more.
"Thank you, Nigel. I appreciate your stopping. The rumors
were evidently false."
A ghost of a smile lifted one side of his mouth. "I suppose
you heard that your husband killed me in a duel."
"Murdered you actually," Stacy replied, feeling shame that
she'd ever believed such a thing of Tanner. ''You did rather
disappear."
"Having been raised in Paris, I had not been in London all
that long when I attended the party. So when I made such a
fool of myself over you, I thought it the better part of valor to
make myself scarce."
"But you're back in England now?"
"Only on business. I'm married myself now, just six months,
and we make our home in France."
Stacy smiled a very genuine smile. "I'm pleased for you,
Nigel, and I wish you all the best."
"Thank you, Lady Richardson. Your understanding and
forgiveness confound me, but I am eternally grateful."
He left then, being shown to the door by Reece. Stacy
stood in the parlor where he'd left her.
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How odd, she mused, but then thought better of it. He
needed to make things right, and she admired his doing so
instead of pushing that whole incident into some corner of his
mind to pretend it never happened.
For the first time, Stacy was able to think of the Cradwell
party without pain. The nightmare had come to an end; the
problem had been resolved. She understood now that a part of
her had still been living in the shadows of that painful time.
Stacy felt now a sort of freedom come over her with Nigel's
apology. She would have to tell Tanner, in a gentle way, what
had transpired
"Stacy."
Stacy's calm reverie was shattered. Her head snapped to
the door. That had been Tanner's voice; she was sure of it. She
ran for the closed portal, wrenched it open, and ran for the
stairs. He was at the bottom, wearing only a robe. His face was
completely drained of color.
"Oh, Tanner. Please go back to bed Whatever possessed
you to get up?"
"Where is he?" Tanner gasped as he sank to the bottom
step.
"Who?" Stacy really didn't know.
"Stanley" Tanner could barely talk. "I know he's come to
offer for you. I've got to set the record straight--you're mine
and we both know it. Unless I tell him, he'll not believe you
won't go with him."
Tanner was completely spent then, and Stacy put her arms
around him until he caught his breath. She laid her head
against his shoulder, and when she looked at him after a
moment, found his color improved.
"He came to tell me how much he regretted his actions of
the past. Nigel is married now and not even living in England.
He's already left."
"He didn't want you?"
"No, and it wouldn't have mattered if he had."
Tanner pulled her head back down to his shoulder. He
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held her close for long minutes. Stacy heard him sigh deeply
before speaking quietly.
"I'm ready, Stacy. I'm ready to hear what happened."
Stacy lifted her head, and their eyes met. She never looked
away as she told her story.
"I was so naive in those days," she began. "I look back now
on the way Lord Stanley acted and wonder how I could have
been so innocent, but I was.
"He watched me constantly. I realize now that his behavior
was obvious to everyone but me. Had I understood, I would have been a little cooler to him, but since I didn't, I was my
usual friendly self. Because he was already smitten, he took
every smile as an invitation.
"He approached me in the conservatory on Saturday, but I
still didn't catch on. Then Sunday, he completely lost his h
ead.
When you came in I was trying to push him away, but for all his
slim build he was fairly strong.
"I'm sorry I didn't know, Tanner. I'm sorry--"
"Shhh," Tanner cut her off, his eyes still holding hers.
"There is nothing for you to apologize over. I'm sorry I didn't
give you time to explain. The loss has been my own.
"In the last weeks," Tanner told her, "I've figured out much
of what you just told me. You're certainly right about Stanley;
his actions were peculiar. His eyes looked of blood lust, like a
hound on the hunt. I let my emotions run over the top of me, or
I would have come to more reasonable conclusions much
sooner."
Stacy sighed then and put her head on his shoulder. She'd
thought that it was over when Nigel apologized. Now she was
certain of it. Content as Stacy was to sit there all day, she
remembered just how ill Tanner had been. Stacy was on the
verge of suggesting they go upstairs when he spoke.
"I haven't been easy to live with. I know that, and I might
be a little late in coming to this, but I'm going to make it up to
you, Stacy. When I'm finally on my feet again, I'm going to
show you I'm worthy of your love."
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"Tanner," Stacy said, lifting hei head. "Whatevei are you
talking about?"
"You've stopped saying it, you know. Not even when I told
you I loved you did you say it in return--not that I blame you.
But just give me time; I'll win your love back."
"Oh, Tanner. I've never stopped loving you, but when we
first came back I knew you didn't want to hear it. I guess I just
got out of practice. I'm sorry."
"I love you, Stacy."
"And I love you, Tanner."
He kissed her and then held her close once again. They
made quite a sight at the bottom of the stairs, Stacy in a
beautiful day-dress and Tanner in his robe, but no one disturbed
them and they didn't care.
"I only just thought of something. We never took that trip
to France, the one we were going to take for our first anniversary."
"No, I guess we didn't."
"So how about it? I figure we could leave in about a
month's time. What do you say?"
The chances of seeing Nigel Stanley were slim to none, but
still Stacy could not find any enthusiasm about going.
"Not interested?" Tanner questioned her silence, trying
not to read anything there.
"Not in France," she admitted "But I understand Greece is
beautiful in the fall."