Mail Order Brides: Western Romance Collection: The Brides of Wyldewood: Volume One

by Holly Blake

  Ivy pulled open the door to the clinic and to her surprise Anna, Cade and Mr. Barnaby were all sitting in the waiting room waiting for her.

  “What are you all doing here?” She asked and went to Cade. “You should be in bed resting. You have to gain your strength so you can get back to the farm.”

  Cade looked at Ivy with disapproval so harsh that Ivy stepped back away from him. She looked to Anna for reassurance but there was none.

  “Dr. Sullivan I think you owe us all an explanation.” Mr. Barnaby rose from his seat and faced Ivy.

  “Anna!” Ivy exclaimed and shot the young nurse a withering look.

  “It was not Anna that gave you away, it was a letter that your colleague in Boston sent with the arm that you, not Anna requested.” Mr. Barnaby took the letter from his pocket. It had been opened and it seemed from the looks in the room that they all knew its contents. This left Ivy at a disadvantage. She wondered how much they knew.

  “I can explain but may I read my letter so that we are all on the same page?” Ivy enquired.

  “Of course, after all it is your letter Dr. Sullivan.” John handed the letter to Ivy and she read it quickly. Harold Dean wrote about the fitting of the arm. She had done it before under his instructions but he wanted to ensure she had all the equipment she would need. Was she sure the clinic was sufficiently stocked? Harold then went on to a personal note.

  “Ivy, you should never have left Boston. Your father came to me a week ago and told me that you had left. I was surprised and disappointed. You left before the inquiry was finished. I know how badly you took the death of that young girl and you blame me for giving evidence against you. I did not betray you. I simply told the board what treatments you had given. They asked if I had ever used the same treatments and I honestly replied that I had not, not that I would not. You did everything you could for that girl. Ivy, you have been found innocent of any wrong doings. What killed that young girl was a treatment that Dr. Kline had administered two days before she died. He had taken it upon himself to give her a tonic he thought would build her up. It was a concoction of his own invention and was fine to administer to adults, but the child was young and underweight because of her illness and the tonic was too much for her fragile constitution. Dr. Kline has been forced to give up working in the hospital and is moving to set up a practice in New Jersey.

  You are a wonderful and capable doctor Ivy Sullivan, and if you ever thought any different you were wrong. I confess that I miss you terribly. If I thought you were interested in marriage I would have offered my proposal a year ago when we first met. I do so now and hope that you will see reason and return so that we can become husband and wife. We are kindred spirits Ivy, we both put science and intellectual pursuits above such trivial nonsense as romance. I am sure that you only took up with this man in Wyoming because you thought you had failed as a doctor. Now that you know you have not you can secure his prosthetic and return to the hospital where you belong. I look forward to hearing of your return soon.”

  Ivy had thought at one point that she was in love with Dr. Harold Dean. A year ago she probably would have entertained his proposal, but not now. She now knew what real love felt like. She knew it the moment she laid eyes on Cade’s dimples and his smile that made her feel like she was floating on air.

  She was extremely relieved to know that she had not been responsible for the child’s death but was angry with Dr. Kline for going behind her back with additional treatments. All these thoughts swirled around her head as the others in the room stared at her.

  Cade spoke first, his voice filled with accusation. “So you were just running away? Is that why you accepted my proposal? You were waiting for that Dr. Dean to come after you so you could marry him?” The pain in Cade’s eyes was palpable. His questions stung Ivy because there was some truth in all of what he said.

  “I was running away, but it was not to force Harold’s hand. I accepted your proposal because I thought I could love you. I have found that it was easier than I thought.” She regretted the way she worded her thoughts immediately, but it was too late.

  “You didn’t love me when you came to Wyoming? So pity is what has made you love me?” Cade became more and more agitated with every question. “I am not a charity case to be pitied. Take your false arm and go! I have no time for cowards or women who take privileges with men’s hearts!”

  Cade stood up gave Ivy one last foul look and stormed off to the ward. Anna looked from Cade to John to Ivy but couldn’t find words. The woman looked pale and shocked by the whole affair.

  “I think it would be best if you stay at the Inn for a few days.” John Barnaby said with sadness in his voice. “Wyldewood needs a good doctor, but you have lied to me and my family and it will take time to find forgiveness, if it can be found.” He shook his head slowly.

  Ivy felt her heart fall. Tears burned her eyes as she turned and left the clinic. She had turned her life to ash because of her headstrong ways and now she would suffer the consequences of her actions. Her heart broken, she moved slowly down the road toward the Inn. She would leave tomorrow at first light. She would go to Boston, see her father and decide what to do next.

  Chapter Nine

  Cade awoke in his clinic bed the next morning. He had not slept well the night before. He kept dreaming about Ivy with Dr. Harold Dean. The tall, dark imaginings had no face but Cade knew he was exceedingly handsome, smart and charming. He stood no chance against a big city doctor. Now that the man had pledged his devotion to Ivy she was sure to leave and run to him. Cade was both angry and miserable. He loved Ivy, but she had a much better man waiting for her in Boston. How could she ever love someone as pathetic as himself?

  Anna came into the ward with an envelope in her hand. “Oh, you’re awake. Ivy stopped by first thing this morning and dropped this off for you.” Anna offered Cade the letter that Ivy had written. Cade hesitated. “Come on Cade, it wouldn’t hurt to see what she has to say. For what it’s worth, I knew Ivy in Boston, not as well as I do now, but I worked under Dr. Dean and Ivy was frequently on his ward to help out.”

  “I bet she was.” Cade said sulkily.

  “It was never like that. I thought they might marry one day but Dr. Dean is not really the marrying kind. Ivy deserves better. She was an incredible doctor in Boston. One of a handful of women doctors in the whole country. She put up with a lot of ridicule and mistrust, but she proved herself time and time again. Why, I think she was the best doctor in the whole hospital. She has always been a good person. She lost faith in herself, that’s why she ran away. It had nothing to do with Dr. Dean. You should give her a chance.” Anna left the room giving Cade no chance to respond.

  Cade opened the letter gingerly as if it might cut him. He was still hesitant to read it but Anna was right, he owed Ivy the respect of at least reading her letter. As he read the letter Cade felt worse and worse. Ivy apologized for deceiving him over and over again explaining the pain she had felt when the girl died. She explained that she never had romantic feelings for Dr. Dean; they were friends and colleagues, but nothing more. She wrote that she had fallen in love with Cade the moment he first smiled at her, the night he had seen his angel.

  How could he have been so hot headed? He turned the page and read the last paragraph of the letter and shot out of bed. He grabbed his clothes and hurriedly put them on. His missing hand slowed him down a tiny bit but he was determined to stop Ivy. She had written that she was leaving on the first train out of town. Cade knew he would miss it if he didn’t move fast.

  “I’ve got to get to the train!” Cade yelled to Anna as he passed through the clinic and out the front doors. He heard the train whistle and tried to run but was surprised to find he wasn’t as fast as he had been before the accident. His body had weakened and he barely had the strength to walk, let alone run. He felt out of breath and weak but he moved ever closer to the train station. He got to the platform just as the train was pulling out of the station. He yelled for Ivy but t
he noise of the train was too loud. His heart sank as he watched the cars disappear into the distance. He had lost his only hope at true love. What would he do without Ivy?

  Cade walked slowly back to the clinic feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  Chapter Ten

  As Cade turned the corner to return to the clinic he heard a familiar horse whinny just ahead of him. It was Lightening, Sherriff Grover Wright’s horse.

  “Howdy Cade! I see you’re recuperating nicely after your terrible accident. I was so sorry to hear about it. You’re looking good now. I guess you’ll be getting on with that wedding of yours any day?” Sherriff Wright smiled at Cade.

  “If you help me I just might be.” Cade had an idea. Lightening was the fastest horse in all the territories. If Grover would lend him to Cade he might just be able to head off the train at the next station. Cade quickly explained his predicament to the Sherriff.

  “I would love to loan you Lightening Cade but I’m in town because I’m tracking some outlaws this way.” Grover looked at Cade and saw the light leave his eyes. “Oh, Okay, here you go. Just hurry back, and keep an eye out for the outlaws,” Grover cautioned and handed Cade the reins.

  “I sure will. Thank you Grover!” Cade was on Lightening and out of town in a flash. He rode hard to catch up to the train.

  He felt the stump where his arm used to be throb from the galloping, but he didn’t care. He had to catch that train. He leaned as far forward as he could and held on tight with his good hand. It wasn’t the way he would normally ride a horse. He was right handed but he would normally hold the reins with both hands using the reins to guide the horse. This new situation felt strange at first and he had to change his hand position on the reins to guide Lightening. He was grateful that the horse was as patient as he was fast.

  Cade quickly learned that he could lean in the direction that he wanted Lightening to go and the horse would pick up on the subtle gesture and change directions. Cade was stunned and thrilled by this discovery. He pushed Lightening even harder as soon as he learned this trick and the two raced fast toward the next train station.

  As they rounded a bend in the trail Cade heard gunfire. Lightening slowed as if waiting for instructions. Cade searched the horizon and spotted the train. It had stopped about a half mile down the tracks. Why would the train stop in the middle of nowhere? He heard gunshots again and realized they were coming from the train. Panic set in and Cade galloped toward the train. Ivy was on that train and the gunfire must have come from the outlaws. He prayed that Ivy was ok.

  Nearing the train Cade saw passengers huddled in a large group beside the steaming train. He noticed a man on a horse with a shotgun hitched on his hip. The man seemed to be watching over the passengers and trying to scare them. He raised his pistol and fired it into the air. The mass of people shrank down low to the ground, some screaming in fear. Cade slowed his approach. He was riding Sherriff Wright’s horse and everyone in the area knew the Sherriff and Lightening. From a distance Cade thought the outlaws might think he was the Sherriff, but Cade was unarmed.

  More gunshots rang out from the other side of the train and there was yelling from the same direction. Cade couldn’t make out what was said but the man threatening the group of passengers hastily rode away in the direction of the yelling, leaving the train and the terrified passengers trembling in his dust.

  Cade came around through the trees behind the passengers and watched as the conductor, holding his shoulder came through one of the train cars to the huddled group.

  “They’re gone! The outlaws are gone. We are all safe now.” He headed over to the group of passengers, followed by two men in uniform with guns. They looked like soldiers and carried themselves with the same gait as John Barnaby had. It appeared as though they were agents travelling with the train to guard it. Cade felt confident enough to come out from the trees and approach the group.

  “Ivy?” He yelled. The two soldiers saw Cade and bristled.

  “Who are you?” The taller one demanded and approached Cade with his gun raised.

  “Whoa there, sir. My name is Cade Montgomery and my fiancée was on this train. I have to find her.”

  “Why are you riding Grover Wright’s horse? Did you steal it?” the shorter man questioned.

  “I borrowed Lightening from Sherriff Wright. He’s in Wyldewood at the Inn; you can go and ask him.” Cade offered, scanning the crowd but not seeing Ivy anywhere.

  The two men seemed to be satisfied with Cade’s answer and began to instruct the passengers to get back on the train. He noticed that the conductor had gone into one of the other cars so he headed toward the car the man had entered.

  As he entered the car he could see nothing but darkness. He heard moaning and smelled the metallic scent of fresh blood and the acrid sting of smoke from recent gunfire. His eyes adjusted quickly and he saw several people slouched in seats holding various wounds they had suffered from the gunmen. Among them was Ivy and at first Cade felt his heart jump to his throat and his stomach turn to knots. “Ivy!” He whispered and lunged toward her. She turned and saw him, the look in his eyes betraying his fears for her.

  “I’m here Cade.” She said calmly as she turned back to her patient, applying pressure to the wound she was treating.

  “You’re not injured?” he asked, relief already setting in.

  “No Cade, I’m not injured, but these people need my help. Please go back to Wyldewood and bring back a wagon so we can get them to the clinic. Let Anna know to expect several patients and have surgical supplies ready. Tell John to send horses and wagons for the rest of the passengers. The train will need some repairs before we can leave and the passengers are in shock. Go, Cade, time is of the essence.” Ivy commanded him gently but firmly.

  Cade immediately turned and headed to the door of the train. “I love you Ivy Sullivan.” Cade said and turned and left before Ivy had a chance to respond.

  Chapter Eleven

  Ivy’s heart burst with joy when she heard Cade’s words, but she couldn’t’ leave her patients as much as she wanted to run into his arms and pledge her love for him. It was enough that he was here now. She knew he had followed her, why else would he be here?

  The outlaws had attacked the train more than an hour ago. They had put explosives on the track to stop it. Ivy was sitting in her seat feeling sorry for herself when she heard the explosion and felt the train jolt to a stop. All around her people were being pitched out of their seats and thrown into each other by the force. Ivy held tight to her seat as a man came crashing into her. He was older and the surprise had caused him to have sudden chest pains.

  She immediately went into the mindset of the doctor she was and eased the man into her seat and began treating him.

  Gunfire rang all around her but she worked to help the man and as she did others seemed to find her. Word travelled like wildfire down the train cars that a nurse was on board, but no one imagined she was really a doctor.

  Many of the passengers had been caught in the crossfire between the soldiers that were guarding the wage packages for the military camp not far away, and the outlaws trying to rob the train. It had been a fierce battle but the outlaws had been repelled.

  While she tended to the injured, Ivy let her mind wander to thoughts of Cade and his professed love for her. She knew she loved him, but she had to wonder if he would accept her now and her vocation. She shook off her emotions and turned her focus back toward the injured.

  ****

  It took several hours to bring all the people back to Wyldewood. Anna had the clinic waiting and Ivy buried herself in her work, removing bullets, sewing up and bandaging wounds. Several of the townsmen brought back passengers in wagons loaded with people and luggage.

  The soldiers had set up camp in the saloon and conferred with Sheriff Grover Wright on what to do next. The Inn was packed to capacity and some of the overflow of passengers were put up by kind townsfolk.

  Two days flew by. Ivy lived in
the clinic with Anna by her side. John Barnaby had offered his help but one look at the man’s ashen face told Ivy that if she accepted she would have another patient to treat. Instead she charged him with organizing the repairs to the train and the care of the unharmed passengers. She saw a wave of relief wash over the man, his shoulders slackened and a smile crossed his worried face. It was the first time Ivy had seen him smile. Anna had commented later that it was the first time she saw John Barnaby look so relaxed and happy. Ivy was reassured that she had found her place in the world, with or without Cade Montgomery.

  Cade was clearly hoping that Ivy would forgive him. He kept coming into the clinic like a lost puppy. He tried to help were he could so that he might speak to her if only for a moment. He kept trying to explain himself, but each time he was interrupted by a patient needing Ivy’s attention.

  What Cade didn’t know was that Ivy had forgiven him the moment he stepped onto that train car. Her fear and distrust of him washed away by the end of the first day when he had come to the clinic to help. He was still weak from his own injury and yet he cleaned bedpans, rolled bandages, and did whatever he could to be near her. Ivy caught herself giggling at his efforts a few times. He was awkwardly learning to overcome his disability and she saw the amazement in his eyes when he realized he could do something he doubted just days ago.

  Three days after the train robbery Ivy pulled Cade aside. “I think it’s time we fit that prosthetic.” She said to him.