by Lori Wick
serve him. Tanner frowned at her actions, looking around for
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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277
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.
280
"Not you, Stacy. Tanner. He's a duke, a weal
thy 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?"
281
"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.
"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.
Dre
w had an appointment with the tailor two days after
284
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.
285
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
