Who Brings Forth the Wind

by Lori Wick

the kitchen maid. He would have questioned Stacy about this,

  but there was another knock at the door.

  Each evening at 6:00, a tray was delivered by a kitchen

  maid to Drew and Stacy. The maid never stayed to serve them

  in any way, but now that Tanner was present, not only one

  maid came to attend him, but three. The plates uncovered

  from Tanner's tray were filled with sumptuous foods and

  added to Drew and Stacy's meager fare. Stacy and Drew never

  received any more than one piece of bread each--Tanner had

  an entire loaf. He had butter--they never saw the stuff. They

  felt blessed if they received one vegetable--Tanner's tray had

  four.

  Stacy, fighting resentment over the way she and Drew

  were treated, busied herself with her son's plate, filling it with

  the best food they'd eaten since arriving. Then she cut his fish

  and got the spoon into his hand. He bumped his water at one

  point, but Stacy caught it. It wasn't until that moment that she

  glanced up to find Tanner's gaze on her.

  He'd been talking with Drew, and Stacy, who was still in

  turmoil inside and had not said a word, only listened. She

  thought she'd been hiding her feelings but realized now that

  her color must be high with her agitation. She was more angry

  at herself than anyone else for not telling Tanner on the spot

  that this was the best they'd eaten.

  As soon as Drew was well ensconced with his food, Stacy

  lowered her eyes and dug into her own plate. She didn't care if

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  she was being watched or not, she was suddenly so hungry j

  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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  GM^-Qw

  "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.

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

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

&
nbsp; 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

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  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."

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  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.

  "I think he'll be thrilled"

  "That isn't what I meant. I meant should I tell him, or

  would he take it better from you?"

  Stacy thought. "Why don't we tell him together? He's

  awfully little, but I think I can make it clear for him. If you

  were there also, you would know firsthand if he understood."

  "At bedtime then," Tanner said, but Stacy feared it would

  only excite him and cause an hour of work to get him to sleep.

  "I think dinnertime would be better."

  Tanner stared at her. It was such a surprise to have her

  contradict him in any way. There had been no heat, but he

  could see that she was adamant. Not for any other reason did

  Stacy stand up to him. He suddenly remembered how much

  trouble he'd been in over the banister, and for the first time in

  weeks knew a desperate urge to please his wife.

  "Dinner it is. What time would you say is best?"

  "Drew usually eats at six."

  "Six o'clock then."

  Drew began to stir, so the adults fell silent, Stacy kept her

  eyes on her son until he settled again, but the conversation did

  not resume.

  "Lord Richardson asked me to give you this, my lady."

  Stacy took the paper from Price's hand. It was an itinerary

  laid out for the next few days. According to the schedule she

  had an appointment with Madame Angelica for the following

  day. She was to be fitted for a summer, fall, and winter

  wardrobe.

  Drew had an appointment with the tailor two days after

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  that,
but Stacy thankfully saw that the tailor would be comfcj

  to the town house.^

  "If you have any questions, my lady, just ring for me.

  would be happy to explain."

  "How long will we be here, Price?"

  "Probably not as long as you might think," he took the

  liberty of telling her. "Your clothing can be picked up by one]

  of the coachmen and delivered to Winslow."

  Stacy breathed a sigh of relief and thanked Price. He had

  read her concern so accurately. London was always a trial for

  her, and if she had needed to wait for three wardrobes, they

  could have been there for weeks.

  Price went on his way after that, and Stacy settled down to

  write Lucinda. If she'd read the schedule correctly, she had a

  day between her own fitting and Drew's. With a bit of maneuvering

  she could get a visit in with her aunt and uncle.

  The meal that evening was very relaxing. Tanner was most

  charming, and he made Stacy and Drew laugh on more than

  one occasion. When it seemed that Drew was finished with

  his dinner, Stacy petitioned God for help one last time and

  plunged in,

  "I have something special to tell you tonight, Drew," Stacy

  began, knowing she had to do this in her own way. Only her

  fear that Drew would be hurt in some way by the news gave

  her the boldness to handle it as she saw fit.

  "Do you remember my telling you about baby Moses?"

  "He went in the water."

  "That's right. Did Moses have a mother and a father?"

  "I think so."

  "Yes, he did, because that's God's way. How about Adam

  and Eve in the garden? They had children, didn't they? A

  mother, a father, and children make a family.

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  Stacy paused when Drew needed a drink, and then asked,

  7ho is your mother, Drew?"

  "You, Mumma." He smiled as though she were making a

  ime.

  "That's right. Who is your father?"

  i Stacy didn't know which was more heartbreaking, the

  confusion in her son's eyes or the yearning in her husband's.

  "Lord Richardson has the same name as you, doesn't he,

  Drew?" The little boy looked at Tanner and then back at Stacy.

  "His name is Tanner Richardson and your name is Andrew

  Tanner Richardson. That's because Lord Richardson is your

  papa."

  "What about mumma?"

  "I'm still your mumma," Stacy swiftly assured him. "I

  always will be, but now you have a papa too."

  When Drew looked back at Tanner, the duke smiled at

  him. Drew smiled in return, and Tanner reached forward and