by Barbara Goss
“Yep, sure did. She looked lost when there was no one to meet her, so she went inside the hotel.”
“Thank you,” Conner yelled, as he was already rushing to the hotel. His future wife was inside somewhere.
He walked into the hotel to see a strange-looking young woman sitting on a chair. She was wearing a straw hat, and her bright red curls hung willy-nilly beneath it, and she wore a faded blue cotton dress with a white shawl around her shoulders that had seen better days. He silently prayed as he walked over, “Please Lord, don’t let this woman be Elsie.”
She stood when he approached.
“Elsie?” he practically whispered.
She nodded and smiled.
She wasn’t an ugly woman by any means—she had a clear complexion except for a few freckles and a beguiling smile. She also wasn’t a beautiful woman by any means—not pretty, but cute. He thought she might be pretty if she fixed herself up. Her eyes were enormous and quite charming, but her appearance was rather disheveled. She wasn’t at all what he’d expected.
Always a gentleman, he held out his hand, and she took it. “Nice to meet you, Elsie. I’m Conner.”
Conner released her hand. “I’m sorry for my lateness. A patient came into the clinic needing treatment just as I was leaving. I’m the only doctor in town, so I had to treat him before coming to meet you.”
“You’re a doctor?” she asked.
Conner nodded. He detected a slight accent. It wasn’t a deep Southern accent but more of a... well; he wasn’t sure. Her speech resembled a man from Missouri he’d known who’d been from a coal-mining town in Southwest Pennsylvania.
He’d planned to take her to the café for lunch before the ceremony, but he wondered if he shouldn’t take her home to Bertie first—Bertie would know how to make Elsie more presentable for the wedding ceremony.
He took her arm gently. “My wagon is over there.” He pointed. “Where are your trunks?”
She shrugged and held out a gunny sack. “This here’s it.”
As they walked to the wagon, Conner asked, “Where are you from? The matchmaker didn’t say.”
“Gobbler’s Knob, West Virginia.”
“Of course. I was trying to figure out your accent. I’m from Missouri. I’ve only been in Hays a short time myself.” He helped Elsie into the wagon and noted her worn shoes and the holes in the soles, but he felt pity rather than disgust, which was his first thought when he’d first saw her. She seemed to be one of those people who always had a smile on their faces, even when there wasn’t a reason, and when she smiled, her big blue eyes lit up and her dimples widened.
When he first realized the girl was Elsie, his first impulse was to make some excuse and run, but her smile had stopped him. He’d have Bertie clean her up, and he’d have himself an ever-smiling bride.
Elsie’s first look at her groom-to-be made her smile. He was clean-cut and had a likable face. So many men wore beards and mustaches these days, and she preferred a clean-shaven man. He had a serious face, at least he did when he first approached her. She hoped he wasn’t disappointed with her looks as she’d done her best to look decent, but it had been a long trip.
When the man asked if she was Elsie, he’d said it so softly she almost hadn’t heard him. She saw the look on his face when she’d assured him who she was, and she felt his disappointment. In the past, she’d been told that her smile made her more attractive, so she kept smiling the whole time, even though her heart was breaking. He didn’t care for her. She knew it.
As he spoke, she decided that if he were willing to marry her today, she’d definitely agree. He was the man of her dreams. His tall, lean but muscular body and gentle-looking face had won her heart already. Since she’d arrived west of the Mississippi, she’d noticed that most of the men wore shirts, pants, and boots, but this man—who’d introduced himself as Conner—was dressed in a suit with a string tie, which made him look professional and intelligent. Still, if the matchmaker had put them together, they must have a lot in common.
They didn’t speak much on the short trip to his home, which was on the main street but at the opposite end from the hotel. He helped her from the wagon and grabbed her gunny sack bag. The little white house had a sign on the front porch that read “Dr. Conner B. Van Gates.”
So, her name would be Elsie Van Gates. She liked the sound of that.
A full-bodied woman met them at the door with a surprised look on her face, but Elsie kept smiling.
Conner pushed her forward gently. “Bertie, this is Elsie.” To Elsie, he said, “Bertie is my housekeeper and office manager.”
Elsie noticed that Bertie’s eyebrows had raised at Conner’s remark before she held out her hand to Elsie. “A pleasure to meet you. You two surprised me, as I thought—”
Conner cut her off. “We decided to come here first. Elsie’s had a long trip, and she needs to freshen up.”
“Of course. Come right in, dear. I’ll have you ready for the wedding in no time at all.”
Elsie was guided through the clinic to a door in the back which led to a small but nicely furnished apartment, where Bertie led her to a small, dark bedroom.
Bertie opened the shade and let the sunshine stream into the room. “I like to keep the room cool during the daytime.”
Conner followed them in with her gunny sack, which he laid on the bed. “I have some paperwork to finish in the clinic, but remember that we need to be at the church by three.”
Bertie nodded and closed the door after him. “I’ll go to the laundry room and bring up a tub. A nice warm bath will help you relax.”
Elsie surveyed the room after Bertie had left. She tested the mattress on the bed and was pleased with it. The multi-colored quilt reminded her of her beloved grandmother who had loved making quilts. She touched the wooden dresser and armoire; someone had good taste in furniture, as the wood of the armoire matched the headboard of the bed. She’d never seen matching furniture before.
Bertie returned with a large tub. “We won’t have time to fill it too full, but two buckets of water will at least clean off the dust from the trail. I promise you a better bath tomorrow.”
“That will be fine,” Elsie said.
After Bertie had toted in two buckets of warm water and poured them into the tub, she said, “Did you bring a dress to get married in?”
“Yes, it’s in my gunny sack.” Elsie opened the bag and drew out an old-fashioned, dark green dress. “It was my mother’s wedding dress.”
Bertie rubbed her temples. “Do you mind if while you bathe I press it and maybe add a little something to...enhance it.”
“Not at all,” Elsie replied.
After Bertie had left with the dress, Elsie undressed and slipped into the tub. Though there wasn’t enough water to cover her body, she slid down and enjoyed the feel of it. She started to wash her hair but then she remembered that she was still wearing her straw hat. She pulled it off, slung it across the room, and dipped her hair into the water. After ten days of dusty traveling, it felt wonderful to be clean again.
When she finally stepped out of the tub, she dried herself off with a towel and wrapped it around her. She sat on the bed and waited for Bertie. When Bertie came in holding the dress, Elsie drew in her breath.
“Oh, you’ve made it so beautiful.” She reached out to touch the beautiful green lace Bertie had sewn around the neckline and sleeves. “The lace adds so much to the dress. I love it.”
Bertie smiled. “It’s a lovely dress. It just needed something to make it more feminine. Styles change every few years, and now it’s right in style.” Bertie clapped her hands. “Now, I’ll let you dress, and then I’ll have just enough time to help you with your hair.”
“What’s your real name, Bertie?” Elsie asked as Bertie fixed her hair.
“Bertha. I was named after my grandmother. As a child, I picked up the nickname of Bertie, and it stuck.”
Elsie’s transformation from cute to pretty caught Conner by surprise
. Bertie had fixed her hair into a bun at the top of her head which made her red hair look much tamer. Her dress was forest green with dainty lace trim. She even had lace around her hair bun. Conner smiled when he saw her, and her eyes sparkled with delight.
“You look lovely, Elsie,” he said. He looked over to Bertie who was slipping on her shoes. “Are we ready? I’ve got the buggy out front. Pray, we don’t get any patients for the next half hour or so. I’ve put a note on the door.”
The couple repeated their vows, signed the necessary papers, and hurried off into the buggy.
“Being a doctor means long hours. You never know when someone will come in for treatment. Sometimes patients knock on the clinic door in the middle of the night.”
For the first time since he met Elsie, she wasn’t smiling. She said, “That’s awful. Does it happen often?”
“No, thankfully,” he said. “Then, on some days, we’ve no patients at all.”
Elsie smiled again. “That’s good, then.”
“I’ll need some help in the clinic, and I was hoping, as my wife, we could work together.”
Elsie stopped smiling again. “Me? I don’t know a thing about medicine.”
Conner patted her hand. “I’ll teach you. We’ll start tomorrow.”
The trip home went by rather quickly since the church was just down the street. Bertie escorted Elsie in while Conner took care of the buggy and horse.
Once inside, Bertie said, “So, how does it feel being Mrs. Conner Beauregard Van Gates the fourth?”
“That’s his full name?”
Bertie laughed. “I just call him doctor or sir, and on special occasions, Conner.”
Elsie kneaded her fingers nervously. “Um... Bertie—where am I expected to sleep tonight? I don’t feel—”
Bertie put her finger to Elsie’s lips. “In your room, alone. You’re to take my room, and I’ll sleep in the clinic. Conner thought it best to wait until you two were much better acquainted before... well, before consummating the marriage. After all, you two are still practically strangers.”
Elsie let out a breath of relief as soon as Bertie had said she’d sleep alone. “That’s a good idea. I like Conner very much, but I’m not ready for... well....”
“I know, so relax. You’ll enjoy working in the clinic. Up to now I’ve been trying to cook, do laundry, clean house, and work the clinic, but I just can’t do it anymore, so you’re a welcome addition to the household.”
Elsie didn’t speak, but she bit her lower lip. What help could she be to Conner when she couldn’t stand the sight of blood?
After a hearty breakfast, Conner gave Elsie a complete tour of the clinic. How would she ever remember where everything was when he called for it?
The clinic door burst open, and a man carrying a young boy entered. He seemed frantic. “Doctor, please fix my son!”
Elsie froze.
Conner took the boy from his father’s arms and laid him calmly on the examination table. “What happened?”
“He was helping me move the bull into the new pen when the bull turned on him and gored him in the legs.”
Elsie watched Conner rip the bloodied pants from the boy’s legs, and she felt herself swoon. One moment she felt light-headed, and that was all she recalled.
Chapter Three
Conner left his patient and ran to reach Elsie, but she’d already hit the wooden floor. “Bertie!” he yelled. He picked Elsie up and turned to the father of the boy and said, “I’ll be right back,” and ran to the back door just as Bertie rushed out.
“Take her to bed, Bertie. She passed out and hit her head. I need to tend to my patient, and then I’ll come back to check on her.”
Bertie took Elsie from him, and Conner turned back to his patient. It would be hard to treat the boy and fetch every tool he needed at the same time. He should have kept Mrs. Walker on for a few more days.
Besides badly torn skin on the boy’s legs in several places, the bull had broken no bones. The father helped to hold the boy down while Conner stitched up his legs.
Conner wiped each wound with carbolic acid before placing a sterile cloth over them. Next, he tied a long strip of cloth over each wound. “He needs to take it easy for a few days,” Conner said. “Bring him back next week and I’ll remove the stitches.”
The father paid Conner and carried his son out to his wagon.
Conner rushed back to the house and went to Elsie’s room where Bertie was dabbing water on her face.
“Has she come around yet?” When Bertie shook her head, he asked, “Do we have any smelling salts?”
“I might have some.” She turned toward the door, but when she heard Elsie moan, she stopped and watched her open her eyes.
“W-what happened?”
Conner moved closer to the bed. “You passed out. Does your head hurt?”
Elsie reached up to feel her head and grimaced. “A bit in the back. There’s a slight bump there already.”
Conner helped her to roll over so he could check her head. “It doesn’t seem too serious.” He turned to Bertie. “Get me a candle or lamp—I need to check her eyes.”
“I can see just fine,” Elsie said.
“I need to check for a concussion,” Conner said. Her lovely smile stunned him. She was smiling, even at a time like this. He had to admit once again how beautiful her smile seemed to light up her entire face.
Bertie reached over, grabbed the oil lamp from the nightstand, removed the globe, turned up the wick, and lit it. She replaced the glass cover and handed the lamp to Conner, who held the lamp up to her eyes to peer into them. How clear and blue they were, he remarked to himself.
He handed the lamp back to Bertie, who blew out the flame. “She doesn’t have a concussion,” he said, “but I want her to stay in bed until dinnertime.”
Bertie sighed. “Well, I have a chicken in the oven, but if you need me in the clinic, call me.”
“I’ll clean up the mess from the last patient myself.”
They left the room and closed the door. In the hallway, Conner whispered to Bertie, “She fainted when she saw blood! What am I to do with her? She can’t work in the clinic.”
“Then she’ll do the housework,” Bertie said, “and I’ll help in the clinic.”
Conner pulled Bertie away from the bedroom door so Elsie wouldn’t hear them. “I’ll ask Mrs. Walker to help in the clinic tomorrow so you can take Elsie for some new clothes and shoes. Can you do that?”
“What about dinner?”
“I’ll meet you and Elsie at Rusty’s at six, and we’ll eat there. Elsie has to have better clothes, especially for attending church.”
“I’ve seen the few things she brought with her, and I agree. I’ll take her tomorrow afternoon.”
When Elsie sat down to eat her breakfast, Conner was sipping his coffee. Bertie placed a plate of eggs and ham before Elsie, then took a seat herself.
“Elsie,” Conner began in his calmest voice, “from now on you’ll be keeping house, and Bertie will work in the clinic with me.”
“What?” Elsie’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Since you can’t stand the sight of blood, we thought it best,” Conner explained. “Bertie has agreed to spend the morning showing you exactly what she does each day. After lunch, Bertie Is taking you to the general store to buy you a few dresses and a pair of shoes. Oh, and anything else you’d like.”
Bertie nodded. “You’ll need a suitable dress for church on Sundays.”
“Church?” Elsie nearly choked on the tea she’d been sipping. “I don’t go to church.”
“What?” Bertie and Conner said in unison.
Elsie nodded. “I don’t believe in God.”
Conner and Bertie looked at each other, obviously speechless.
“Didn’t you fill out the questions the matchmaker sent?”
“Yes,” Elsie replied, “and I stated that I didn’t go to church or believe.”
Conner hit his head with his hand.
“I don’t believe this.”
Bertie intervened. “Elsie, it wouldn’t look good to the community if you didn’t go to church with your husband. Couldn’t you just go and not pay attention? You could bow your head and think about something else while we pray.”
Conner sighed. “I’m a devout Christian man, Elsie. I can’t force my beliefs on you, but it would make me very upset if you didn’t at least go halfway on this with me. Like Bertie said, just go along with it. For me. Would you do that?”
Elsie gazed at Conner and then at Bertie. She didn’t smile when she said, “I suppose I could do that, but I won’t believe in a God who never cared about me.” She pushed away from the table and ran to her room.
“Oh, dear,” was all Bertie said.
Conner rubbed his forehead. “What have I done, Bertie?”
When Conner arrived at Rusty’s, he found Elsie and Bertie sitting at a table sipping tea. He greeted them and looked up at the wall to read the menu. “Do you two know what you’ll have?”
Bertie replied first. “I’ll have the roast beef with mashed potatoes and whatever vegetable they’re serving today.”
Conner turned to Elsie. “What will you have?”
Elsie shook her head. “I don’t see chicken, pork, or fish on the menu.”
“We’re in cattle country, and beef is plentiful. It’s cooked tenderly here,” Conner said.
“I don’t eat beef,” Elsie said. “I had a pet calf at home, and there’s no way I could eat beef. He was so cute. He followed me all over. His name was Buddy.”
Conner turned his head so Elsie wouldn’t see his grimace. He thought the matchmaker must have been blind—how could he cope with this woman for the rest of his life?
“How about a breakfast dinner?” Bertie suggested. “I sometimes enjoy having eggs and ham for dinner.”
Elsie sighed. Then her smile reappeared. “I’ll have ham and eggs, then, with toasted bread and some jam.”