Love Is Patient Romance Collection

by Vetsch, Erica; McDonough, Vickie; Barton, Janet Lee

  Martha smiled and cast a knowing glance toward her. “I guess you’re feeling better. But you’ll have to wait to thank the young doctor. As soon as he knew you were all right, he slammed out of here. He was quite angry.”

  Elaine stood and smoothed her skirt, then went to the small mirror over her washstand and arranged the hair that had come loose.

  “You lie back down, now. The girls and I can manage.”

  “Nonsense. I’m fine. I was just overcome from nerves and the lack of air. Oh, Mrs. Granger will send some flour over later. They’re out of everything in the store.”

  “Yes, I heard. I’m afraid our sweet little town won’t stay the same now that the miners are here. A few of them will bring families, of course, but most of the miners are a rough bunch.”

  They left the room, and Martha headed for her desk in the kitchen while Elaine went to check on the children. Grace was rocking Autumn, and the little girl seemed contented as she lay with her head against Grace’s chest, her thumb in her own little rosebud mouth.

  Elaine smiled and ran her hand over the soft curls. “We really need to make her stop sucking her thumb.”

  “Yes, ma’am. That we do.” Grace looked at Elaine, and they exchanged knowing smiles. Little Autumn had almost stopped the screaming. They weren’t about to upset her just yet.

  Jane rushed in carrying a stack of diapers. When her eyes rested on Elaine, they lit up with mischief. “Miss Elaine, you are so lucky.”

  “What do you mean, Jane?”

  “What do I mean? Well, I would give just about anything to be carried in the strong arms of a handsome man like Doc Murphy.”

  “Jane Andrews, that’s not very nice. I was unconscious.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” The girl giggled and put the stack of diapers away.

  Elaine let out a huff and walked out of the room. There were several volunteers helping out today, so she mostly went from one group to the other making sure all was well and giving occasional instructions. This, of course, left too much time for free thinking, and Elaine found her mind wandering to Dan Murphy. Her cheeks flushed as she thought of Jane’s words. She couldn’t help but wonder how those arms would have felt if she’d been awake. Stop it, Elaine. All she needed was to get people gossiping about her, too.

  The rumors about Dan seemed to be getting worse instead of dying down. Elaine knew most of the respectable folks were going to a doctor in another town and continued to snub Dan every chance they had. She’d made several of the ladies angry when she defended him at the last sewing circle. Since then, she’d gotten the cold shoulder from a few people herself, although most folks stood by her even though they thought she was deceived.

  She was happy the Jacobsons hadn’t been swayed by the gossip. They liked the new doctor and didn’t care who knew it, although they thought he was unwise to continue to give medical treatment to the saloon girls. Elaine had to admit to herself that she agreed. Those creatures had done fine with the bartender to take care of their medical needs, and she simply couldn’t understand why Dan couldn’t see it, as well. After all, they’d chosen the sort of life they lived, hadn’t they?

  If he aimed a little to the left, he’d make it this time. Dan leaned back in his chair with his boots propped up on the desk, then aimed the wadded-up paper and sent it sailing, giving a satisfied grunt when it landed in the can on top of the bookcase.

  Pushing his boots against the desk, he slid his chair back and got up. How pathetic was he anyway to be so easily entertained?

  He grabbed his hat and slung it on his head as he went out and locked the door. If anyone needed his services after hours, they could come looking for him. He intended to go to the hotel and check on the miner who’d come down with a fever earlier in the week. It probably wasn’t anything serious, but with so many strangers crowding into town, he didn’t want to risk an epidemic.

  The town was quiet today. Since getting their supplies a couple of days ago, all the miners were up in the mountains searching for copper. He passed the dress shop, which was closed for the day, and sauntered through the door of the hotel.

  “Howdy, Doc. What can I do for you?” The desk clerk ran a feather duster over the long counter.

  “Hello, Bob. I just came to check on the miner who was ill.”

  Bob stopped dusting and scratched his ear. “He hightailed it out of here with the rest of them.”

  “Hmm. Did he appear to be all right?”

  “As far as I could tell. Didn’t seem sick to me. He probably just had a touch of the sun or something.”

  Dan frowned. “Maybe.” Shrugging, he said good-bye and left. He stood outside the hotel with his hat in his hands, running his fingers around the brim. He wondered if he could get by with going to the orphanage to see Elaine. Probably not. Since she’d agreed to let him call on her last week, he’d already been over there three times. He grinned. No sense in pushing his luck. He’d never imagined he’d feel this way about any woman.

  He crossed the street and headed down the sidewalk to the café. Might as well eat supper, he supposed. Etta usually closed up by seven on weekdays. She had a huge crowd for breakfast and lunch, but it was pretty slow at supper, except for Friday night. Today was no exception. There was only one other customer in the place.

  Dan sat at a table near the door and looked over at the menu on the chalkboard.

  “What’ll it be, Doc?” Etta’s cheerful voice rang out through the room.

  “I’ll have the meat loaf dinner, Miss Etta. It’s been a while since I had it, and I think I hear it calling me. A cup of that great coffee, too.”

  Etta laughed and went to get his coffee. She placed it on the table and headed back to the kitchen to get his food. He knew she did all the cooking and serving. The girl who’d worked for her had quit, and now she was stuck with it all.

  “When are you going to get some help, Etta?” He took a sip from the steaming mug. “You can’t run this place by yourself forever.”

  “Matter of fact, I just hired someone. She came in looking for work this afternoon. Starts in the morning.”

  “Well, that’s good. Who is it?”

  “She’s not from around here. Came in on the train this morning, looking like a little lost kitten. Had a tiny baby in her arms. She didn’t say why she landed here in Cactus Corner, but I guess that’s her business. I put her up in my spare room.”

  “Are you sure that’s wise, Etta? Moving a stranger into your place?” Dan shook salt on his potatoes, then put the shaker down. No insult to Etta’s great cooking. He just liked a lot of salt.

  Etta wiped the dusting of white granules off the red-and-white-checkered tablecloth. “Maybe. But she and that baby looked as though they needed help even more than me. And sometimes you just have to trust people.” She grinned. “Besides, she’s not big enough to do me any damage even if she tried.”

  Dan shook his head as she walked away. He ate his meal, then sat back with a slice of apple pie and another cup of coffee.

  A murmur of voices drifted in from the kitchen, then footsteps. Dan inhaled sharply as an all-too-familiar scent pervaded his nostrils. “Dan, I’d like for you to meet Lila, my new waitress.”

  “Well, small world, isn’t it, Dan?”

  Dread surged through him, and he knew the women he’d see before he even raised his head. His heart thumped loudly, and he felt sick as he glanced up at the familiar blond hair and curvaceous figure of the woman who stood over his table, smirking at him.

  Would it never end? Would trouble follow him wherever he went?

  Chapter 5

  What was the use of even trying? Just when he’d begun to think maybe there really was a loving God up there somewhere, the same old garbage came raining down on his head. Dan let the door of the orphanage slam shut behind him and mounted his horse, slinging his medical bag over the saddle horn.

  Sure, she’d allowed him to give medical treatment to the children, but he could tell she’d rather have had a witch do
ctor had one been available. She at least could have listened when he tried to tell her about Lila. But no, she stood there with that frozen look on her face and handed him his hat.

  Pain shot through him. Pain he thought he had gotten rid of years ago. And all because Lila had decided to get her revenge. Apparently it was time to move on again. He had hoped it would be different this time. Thanks a lot, God. If You’re really up there, You’re not doing much of a job taking care of my life.

  Elaine choked back tears as she peered through the lace curtains and watched Dan ride away. Uncertainty nibbled at her mind.

  “Do you think you might have been a little bit too hard on him?”

  Elaine turned and stared at Anika. “Too hard?”

  “You might have listened to his side of it.” Sympathy was written all over Anika’s face.

  Oh no, she’d heard it all.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. The walls are thin.”

  “But, Anika, that woman came right out and told Etta he’d run out on her. After getting her … well, you know.”

  Her friend pursed her lips and looked thoughtful. “I know. I heard all about it. But who’s to say she’s telling the truth?”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” Elaine dropped onto a settee. “But why would anyone lie about something like that? And besides, what about all the other rumors?”

  “I thought you didn’t believe the other rumors.”

  “Well, I didn’t, but …”

  Anika sat next to her and patted her hand. “Honey, it’s not my place to give you advice. Especially when you didn’t ask for it. But even criminals get a chance to defend themselves.”

  Elaine sat frozen as she watched Anika get up and leave the room. Was she really being unfair to Dan? Respectability was as much a part of Elaine as the color of her hair. So much so, that the very hint of a lack of virtue was enough to fill her with horror. Her decision to believe Dan when the rumors had first started had surprised her as much as anyone else. She’d had little experience with men and, even when she was a young girl, had never fancied herself in love. And now, the possibility that she’d been foolish in her defense of him, especially since the whole town knew she’d agreed to let him call on her, sent waves of embarrassment through her veins.

  But what if he was innocent?

  The banging noise wouldn’t go away. Dan threw the pillow off his face and sat up, groaning. The pounding continued, but now he was awake enough to realize it came from the front door.

  “Coming!” He pulled his pants on and limped into the front office, carrying his boots. As he yanked the front door open, Joshua Dillinger dropped his fist, which had obviously been ready to pound on the door again.

  “I’ve got a miner in the wagon. He’s unconscious and burning up with fever.”

  “Let’s get him into the examining room.” Dan followed the rancher to the wagon and looked at the man lying there. Immediately he recognized the sick miner from the hotel. They carried the limp figure inside and laid him on an examining table.

  “How long has he been like this?” Dan ran a practiced eye over the unconscious miner and stuck a thermometer into his mouth.

  Dillinger swiped a hand through his hair. “I’ve no idea. I found him like this on my property early this morning. A pack-laden mule was grazing nearby. The miners have been filing across our land headed for the mountains all week. This one, obviously, didn’t make it.”

  “His temperature’s raging.” Dan laid the thermometer down and opened the man’s mouth with his fingers. He gazed at the white-coated tongue and red throat, then probed the man’s neck. “I remember seeing him in the crowd around the general store one day. And he was staying at the hotel—which means others have been exposed.” Dan spoke quietly, reflectively, to himself and was surprised when he heard Dillinger’s voice.

  “Exposed to what?” The man stood in the doorway to the outer office, frowning.

  “I can’t say for sure until I examine him more thoroughly, but I’m afraid it may be influenza.” He dipped some water into a glass and managed to get a trickle down the man’s throat.

  “That’s serious, isn’t it?”

  “It can be if left untreated. Hopefully we’ve caught it in time.”

  “But if it should become an epidemic?”

  Dan’s lips tightened, and as he spoke, he could hear the grimness in his own voice. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  Dan sat silently for a moment. What should he do first? He made a sudden decision. “I’m going to get someone to stay with the patient while I go up in the hills and check for signs of the sickness among other miners.”

  “I wish I could stay, Doc, but I have pressing matters at the ranch.”

  “One of the women from the Indian camp helps me out occasionally. If you could stop by there on your way home, I’d appreciate it.”

  “Consider it done.” The two men shook hands, and the rancher left.

  Dan lifted the miner and placed him on a cot against the wall. He took a bottle from a cabinet in the corner and managed to get a spoonful of medicine down the man’s throat, then dipped a cool cloth in water and washed the hot, red face.

  Sighing, he spread a blanket over the man’s body and stood. He washed his hands, then went into the main office. His packed suitcase, in the middle of the floor, caught his attention. He’d forgotten he planned to leave this morning. It seemed the right thing to do yesterday, but now, with a patient in the other room, his plans would have to wait. He carried the bag to his quarters and stowed it, then made a pot of strong coffee. It seemed as though he wouldn’t get to run from his troubles this time. At least not yet.

  When he rode into one of the miners’ camps a couple of hours later, he found no sign of sickness. As he went from site to site, he breathed a sigh of relief as no more cases of influenza appeared. Perhaps it was just an isolated case.

  He went back to town to discover the miner awake. His fever had broken and he appeared to be recovering. Perhaps he’d get to remove himself from his place of torment after all.

  Elaine’s face crossed his mind, and he hesitated. Maybe he wouldn’t leave just yet. This time he had something to stay and fight for.

  “Miss Elaine, wake up.” The insistent voice penetrated Elaine’s sleep-fogged brain, and she opened her eyes to see Jane bending over her bed.

  “What is it, Jane? Have I overslept?” She yawned and looked at the girl, who still wore her nightdress with a shawl thrown over her shoulders.

  “No, ma’am. It’s only three o’clock. Two of the children are sick, miss. Mrs. Jacobson says you need to come now.”

  Wide-awake, Elaine got up and dressed quickly. When she got downstairs, she could hear coughing coming from the small infirmary. Martha Jacobson was bending over Rainsong, wiping her face with a wet cloth.

  Elaine hurried to her side, glancing at the next cot, where Grace was holding Pedro’s hand as he moaned in his sleep. “What seems to be wrong with them?” She reached over and brushed the little girl’s damp hair back from her forehead.

  “I’m not sure,” Martha answered. “They are running fevers and coughing. Maybe it’s merely a summer cold. But I really think we need to send for the doctor and have him check them over.” She glanced at Elaine with an apologetic little smile. “With George in Tucson picking up the new wagon, I’m afraid you’ll have to go, dear.”

  A knot formed in Elaine’s throat, and she forced herself to relax and swallow. Her heart sped up. Stop it, Elaine. He is the only doctor in town. You can do this. For the children.

  Hastily twisting her hair up, she grabbed a shawl and headed down the dark street. As she neared the doctor’s office, she heard voices raised in what sounded like an argument. Peering ahead in the darkness, she gasped. The young woman, Lila, stood with her arms tightly around Dan’s neck.

  His eyes met Elaine’s, and he jerked away. “Elaine, this isn’t what it looks like. I prom
ise you.”

  The Lila creature cast an amused glance at Elaine. “Don’t believe a word he says, honey. Trust me.” With a laugh, she sauntered off down the dusty street toward the café.

  Dan took Elaine’s hand. “Please let me explain.” The pleading in his voice made Elaine’s heart race, and a sick feeling clutched at her stomach.

  She jerked her hand away and stood stiffly, speaking through tightened teeth. “Dr. Murphy, what you do is of no concern to me. We have sick children in the infirmary who need your assistance.” She turned and hurried toward the orphanage. As she neared the sheriff’s office, she crossed the street and broke into a near run.

  Before entering the orphanage, she brushed away the tears that flooded her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. This time she had seen the truth with her own eyes. There was no denying now that the only man she’d ever fallen in love with was a scoundrel.

  Chapter 6

  Dan sat by Pedro’s bed and felt his pulse again. It was too fast—much too fast. He looked up at Mrs. Jacobson, who stood with a pan of water and some clean cloths. The worry on her face matched the concern on his.

  “I think I’ve done all I can for now, Mrs. Jacobson. Keep the children cool and give them the medicine every four hours. Try to get clear liquid down them.” He paused. “Pedro came and got me when the miner accosted Miss Elaine. Was Rainsong, by any chance, with him that day?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, she was. I sent them to tell Elaine to add white thread to her list. Why?”

  “One of the miners was ill. It’s obvious they were exposed at that time.” A sick feeling washed over him. “Has Elaine shown any symptoms?”

  She shook her head slowly, frowning. “No, none that I’m aware of.”

  “Do you know where she is?” He intended to find out for sure. Whether she wanted to see him or not.

  “Probably in the kitchen. Or perhaps in the toddlers’ room. She spends what time she can with Autumn.”

  He closed his bag and stood. “Thank you, ma’am. I’d better talk to her.”