Tags:
Fiction,
Historical fiction,
General,
Romance,
Love Stories,
Christian fiction,
Religious,
Christian,
London (England),
Married People,
INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE
for that.
92
Without warning, Stacy's thoughts moved to motherhood
She had never told Tanner that she desperately wanted to be a
mother, but it was true. She loved Elena's girls and ached for
children of her own. She wasn't good at many things, but Stacy
somehow knew that she would be a fine mother.
She was contemplating the wonderful idea of presenting
Tanner with a son in nine months' time when the carriage abruptly halted The door opened immediately, and Tanner
swung down and turned to give Stacy a hand She smiled her
thanks.
"I thought I'd lost you for a moment," he spoke as they
moved up the steps to the front door.
"I was just thinking."
"Want to share?" Tanner asked and then chuckled They
had stepped inside the door of his London home, and he had
lost her again. Most men with homes as large as Tanner's
country home cared only to have a small town house in
London, but Tanner was not most men. Although not as large
as Winslow, his London residence was substantial. He watched
Stacy's head move carefully as she saw this home for the first
time. Lucinda had forbidden her from visiting while it was still
a bachelor's domicile.
Tanner loved it when Stacy was awed, as she was now. He
also loved it when she tried not to show it. He admired her
self-control as the staff gathered. The introductions were
performed by Campbell, who was head of housekeeping, and
before Stacy knew it she was being shown to her room.
It was a relief to find Rayna there. Lucinda had sent her to
assist Stacy for her entire honeymoon. The faithful maid had
laid out one of the beautiful dresses from Stacy's trousseau
and, after buttoning her into it, began to brush her hair.
Tanner loved it long down her back, so after Rayna pulled it
back from the sides, Stacy asked her to let it hang.
Just 20 minutes later, a very hungry Stacy entered the
private dining room at the back of the house. There had been a
lavish feast at the wedding, but no time to eat, what with well-wishers
and every man in the room wanting to dance with the
93
ide. Stacy frowned when she remembered that she had only
iced with Tanner twice.
"That's quite a fierce look. You must be starved," Tanner
jmmented, having arrived just ahead of her.
Stacy's face relaxed into a smile as she crossed the small
jsioom to stand before him. She loved the fact that she had to
||ook up to see him. He was the most handsome man she had
^ever seen and as hungry as she was, she somehow wished they
fwere going to be alone for the remainder of the evening.
This was an impossibility as Stacy soon learned The
f thought had barely formed when the food arrived The duke
and duchess took their seats and were served a sumptuous
feast of roast goose by the staff.
Tanner was well satisfied watching his wife eat. She didn't
pick at her food, but ate what she was hungry for and until she
had a sufficiency. Their talk over the table was equally satisfying
as Stacy questioned him about the many different people
she'd met at the wedding. Tanner was pleasantly surprised to
learn that she knew the Duchess of Briscoe.
"Sunny Hawkesbury?"
"Yes. Aunt Lucinda and I had tea with Lady Andrea just
weeks after I'd arrived. Sunny came as we were leaving. She
knows Elena."
Tanner nodded. "Did you like her--Sunny, that is?"
'Very much."
"Then you'll be pleased to know she and her husband are
our neighbors. They live at Bracken, less than an hour's ride
from Winslow. I wouldn't be too surprised to arrive home and
find an invitation to dinner or tea from them."
Stacy had never thought about their being invited as husband
and wife to dine, but now that Tanner mentioned it, she
found she liked the idea immensely. She decided she would
have to learn who their neighbors were and have them in as
well.
"Are you finished?"
Stacy came out of her musings to find Tanner watching
94
f
"Yes," Stacy told him, and sat still as he pushed his chair
back and approached. He took her
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