"Yes, doctor."
His mouth tugged at her sassy reply, but he didn't answer as he left the room.
Miriam's fingers fumbled with the paper until she found the slit. The flexibility of the bundle meant it had to be fabric, right? As the wrapping fell away, she gasped. A cream-colored shirtwaist lay folded on top, with beautiful crocheted lace gathered in rows across the front and back. It was one of the most gorgeous creations she'd ever seen.
When she held the blouse up for a better look, a dark mossy green material peeked out from underneath. More? Lifting the wool material out, it unfolded into a long ready-made skirt. Pleats across the front gave the waist a tapered look while allowing the hem to hang full.
Together, the two formed a lovely outfit. And just her size from the look of them. Had Alex picked them out? She bit her lip. Hopefully, he'd put them on the Bryant Ranch's tab at the store, not paid out of his pocket. Surely.
Raising the blouse again, she examined every detail. The lace was exquisite. She hugged it to her chest. Oh, thank you, Lord.
It was much harder than she'd imagined to wash and dress while sitting in bed, and with her left hand wrapped in a bandage. But Miriam took her time, indulging in the sweet bliss of being clean again. And the clothes—even the slight scratch of the wool where it brushed her leg was a welcome nuisance. She took the time to unbraid her hair and wrap it in a knot at the top of her head. With only the ribbon to secure it, her wild tresses probably wouldn't stay in place for long. But at least she could feel stylish for a little while.
About a half hour passed before a knock sounded again on her door.
"Come in." Miriam straightened the blankets across her skirt.
Alex's face appeared as he cracked the doorway. "Just popping in to see if you need anything." His eyes widened and he stepped into the room. "You're…it's… beautiful. I mean…"
Miriam couldn't quite meet his gaze, so she glanced down at the dainty lace. "It's lovely, Alex." Forcing herself to look at him, she let her smile show. "I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have clean clothes. New clothes, I mean." She was making a mess of this. "Thank you."
At first he didn't answer, but the Adam's apple in his throat bobbed. "You're welcome." What was going on behind those glistening brown eyes? Did he regret the purchase? Was he disappointed in the way she looked in the clothes? Why did she even care what he thought?
At last he spoke, his voice thick. "I've never seen anything so lovely." He turned and strode from the room.
Chapter Twelve
Alex watched Miriam from the doorway of the front waiting room as she poured coffee into cups for the two men waiting. She'd healed quickly over the last few days, especially after they removed the stitches and she started strengthening exercises. Now, she moved around with the crutches like she'd used them all her life. It still unnerved him to see her so active, especially with her knee injury only two weeks old. But trying to keep her still was like taming the wildcat that attacked her. Not worth attempting for long.
"Here's coffee poured for you, sirs. I'm sorry I can't carry the cups."
"Not a problem, missy." The burlier of the two men rose from his simple wooden waiting chair and clomped toward the sideboard. "I can do the totin' fer ya."
As the man took both tin cups in his massive hands, he leaned close to Miriam and mumbled something under his breath. Alex stiffened. Anything that couldn't be said out loud was likely not proper to speak in a young lady's ear.
The burly man chuckled as he carried a mug to the frail man hunched in another seat. Miriam's face flushed pink, and Alex's fists clenched before he could stop them. This man was a patient. He had to remember that. But if the lout laid a finger on Miriam for any reason…
"Whoever's next can follow me." He never took his eyes from the burly miner, as the man turned and ambled toward him.
"Need an elixir, doc."
Alex ignored him until they were both in the examination room and he'd closed the door. "What's the trouble?" His words came out sharper than they should have. Warmth, sympathy and understanding, Donaghue. Remember your Hippocratic Oath. Inhaling a deep breath, he tried to force his face into a pleasant expression. "And what's your name, sir?"
The miner already had one boot on the edge of the exam table, and was rolling up his pant leg. "Baxter. My leg's botherin' me somethin' fierce."
And it was soon clear why. A deep red mark gouged the back of the fellow's calf at least the width of a man's hand. As Alex peered closer, it seemed to be a simple cut that had become quite infected. "How did this happen?"
A heavy cough drifted through the wall from the waiting room, pulling Alex's attention as he waited for Baxter to reply.
The man only shrugged. "Couldn't say."
"How long's it been red like this?"
Another lift of the shoulders. "'Bout a week."
Alex turned to the cabinets over the work table and gathered ingredients to make a poultice. He'd need a silver nitrate elixir for the infection, too.
While he worked, the cough from the miner in the next room continued to sound every minute or two, spurring Alex to move faster. He could still picture the man's thin shoulders. Did he have the same lung illness they'd been seeing?
In less than five minutes, he'd cared for Baxter's wound and given him instructions for the next few days. A niggle of remorse pricked his chest as he escorted the man back to the waiting room. He didn't usually rush in his care of a patient. He'd certainly done everything necessary with Baxter's wound, but his bedside manner may have been hurried.
Still, from the few glimpses he'd had of the frail miner, the man's condition could be a case of life and death. And he would not lose another patient.
~~~
Miriam released her pent-up air when Alex appeared in the hallway with the giant of a man. The frequent labored coughs of the poor miner in the chair tightened her nerves more than the cinch on a saddled horse. If only there was something she could do to help this poor man. Alex would have something, though.
Alex strode straight toward him, bent down so he was eye-level with the slumped figure, and extended his hand. "I'm Doc Alex. Let's get you back to the examination room and see what we can do."
The man was weak enough that he allowed Alex to wrap a supporting arm around him as they hobbled down the hall.
Miriam's gaze followed until both men disappeared around the corner. Alex was so good with his patients. The care and passion with which he doctored each left no doubt he'd found his calling. God had created this man to be a physician.
A shuffling sound brought Miriam's attention around. The big burly miner. What was he still doing here?
"Can I help you, sir?" Had he left and come back?
But as he approached, something about the squint in his eyes and the curve of his mouth under the trim beard made the little hairs on Miriam's neck rise.
He didn't answer, but she found herself moving a step backward with her crutches. The solid mass of the sideboard stopped her retreat.
"Do you need the doctor again?"
He released a soft chuckle. "No, ma'am. But I have a powerful need for a purty thing like you."
"I, um, I'm afraid I can't help you." Her voice came out a high squeak. Could he smell her fear the same way horses did? She had to get a handle on her emotions. Clearing her throat, she spoke more forcefully. "If you don't need the doctor, you should leave, sir."
He stood close now, towering no more than two feet away. His lower lip protruded in a fake pout. "What fun would that be?" And then a twinkle lit his black eyes. "Unless yer comin' with me."
"No." She pushed back against the solid wood behind her. "Please go."
"Come now, missy. We'll just have a little fun." He leaned close enough for his nauseating breath to cloud her face.
Miriam fought to hold in a cough. When his rough hand touched her jaw, her whole body went rigid.
"I'll make it pleasant for you." That snarly grin sent goose bumps down
her back. "Very pleasant. Even with yer bum leg." His eyes lowered as if motioning to her crutches. But they landed on her chest and held several seconds.
Past the high neckline of her blouse, heat surged into Miriam's face. "Leave, sir. Or I'll call the doctor." With her left hand tightly gripping one crutch, she pushed hard on his chest with her right. Hopefully that would knock him off balance and she could scoot under his arm. But he didn't even sway. What a giant of a man. Lord, help!
Miriam opened her mouth to scream, but his coarse hand clamped tight over her lips. The foul odor of unwashed body convulsed her stomach.
His other hand clamped around her waist, jerking the air from her lungs. Both walking sticks clattered on the floor, and she fought hard to free herself from his grasp. She needed her good leg to support her and her burned wrist was almost worthless, so she pounded against his chest with her single strong fist.
The blighter had her body pressed tight to his, and started dragging her toward the door. Curses mixed with his disgusting breath.
Terror welled up in Miriam's chest like a wild animal, clawing for escape. She pummeled his face and chest for all she was worth, but this man was more than twice her weight. What could she do?
~~~
Alex pressed the chest piece of his stethoscope against Frank's lungs again. Yes, the inhalation was easier now that he'd given the man elecampane. But he'd need to keep him here a few days to stabilize his temperature and breathing.
Pulling back, he met the man's weak gaze. "Frank, we're going to do our best to get you better. I need you to spend a few nights here at the clinic, though. All right?"
The weary pale blue eyes of the old miner dropped to the floor as he nodded. "If you say so."
Settling a gentle hand on the frail shoulder, Alex rose. "Let me get a bed ready for you."
Slipping out the door, he headed toward the waiting room. It might be best for Frank Macgregor to stay in his and Bryan's personal quarters during the day, so they could keep the front examination room open to see patients. It'd be hard to keep the back room warm enough, though. But he hated to infringe on Miriam's chamber. Especially since she still needed to rest throughout the day. Maybe she'd have a better idea.
"Miri—" His words died when he rounded the corner. Miriam. In the clutches of the big thug.
Rage boiled through him, and his fists crept to his right pocket. "Release her."
Baxter looked up, and surprise flashed in his eyes before an ugly sneer spread across his face. "Not fair you get all the fun, Doc."
Alex's hand closed over the ebony handle in his trouser pocket. Raising the revolver he kept there, he pulled the hammer and aimed the gun. The click filled the air, leaving behind a deadly silence. "Release. The lady."
Alex's gaze slipped to Miriam's face, and it was almost his undoing. Her wide green eyes shown fear, just above the grubby hand that covered her mouth. He couldn't let anything happen to her. God, help me.
He tightened his grip on the trigger, aiming for the man's head. "Let her go, Baxter. Miss Bryant is a patient here, and will be treated with the utmost respect and propriety. If you don't want a bullet in your thick skull, release the lady. Now."
Uncertainty flickered in the bully's eyes. Then he spat a long dark stream, shoved Miriam away from him, and whirled toward the door. The glass window rattled as the door slammed.
Alex leaped forward and barely caught Miriam as she stumbled to balance herself with one good leg. She fell against his chest, and he gripped her tight. Miriam buried herself against him, and he wasn't sure which of them trembled more. He inhaled deeply, savoring the rich feel of her soft curls against his face. How had she become so important to him? More than any patient had ever been. So what to do with that knowledge? He let out a long breath. He could start by keeping her safe.
"I'm sorry, Miriam." His voice cracked on her name. "I never imagined that would happen."
She shuddered, taking in a long breath. Then she pulled back, her hands still resting on his chest. Teary green eyes met his, and Alex swallowed down the burn in his throat.
"It's not your fault, Alex. It was his." Her lips wobbled into a shaky smile. "Thank God you came to save me."
He wanted to take her face in his hands, to stroke her cheeks, touch those full lips. But his arms still supported her. He swallowed down his emotions. "Let's get you back to bed."
Chapter Thirteen
Miriam stood over the large pot on the stove to wring out the last of the bedding Mr. MacGregor used while he stayed at the clinic these last three days. The man had looked much better when he left this morning. He stood up straight now, had a little more meat on his frame, and didn't cough nearly so much. As she draped the blanket over a tall ladder-back chair, she kept one ear tuned to the male voices in the other room.
Alex would call if he needed her to assist, which was becoming more regular over the past few days. He'd not left her alone with a patient for even half a minute. Instead, he'd started allowing her to help with minor operations. He'd taught her how to prepare medicines, sanitize his supplies, anything that wouldn't tax her physically or strain her feminine sensibilities. As if she hadn't killed and plucked chickens, helped birth calves, and plenty of other gory things. Still, it was nice to be treated as both a lady, and partner. Able to really help make a difference. These last few days had been the most fulfilling she could remember.
The one piece of it all that tied a knot in her stomach was Alex. Not him exactly, but the worry lines that marred his forehead when she caught him looking at her. He hadn't left the clinic once since that ruffian attacked her. And as wonderful as it was to be working beside him, she didn't like being the cause of the worry he tried so hard to cover.
A knock sounded, and Miriam glanced over her shoulder at the open doorway.
Alex gave her one of his off-kilter grins that always sent her stomach into flips. "Do you mind if I bring Mister MacGrath in here? Looks like he'll need a tooth pulled. I could use your help if you're up for it." He eyed her, as if searching for any sign of doubt.
She flashed a pleasant smile while she dried her hands on her apron. "What all do you need?"
He stepped to the wash basin and poured clean water from the ewer. "The dental key and a dozen tiny bandage strips dipped in whiskey, about the size of your little finger."
Miriam adjusted the crutches under her arms, then swung to the cabinets. A dental key? Hopefully she could remember which tool that was.
Alex left the room, then returned with his patient trailing him. "Have a seat there on the table, Mister MacGrath, and we'll get you feeling better soon."
The man stood about Alex's height and had a thick shock of orange hair. That, along with the spray of freckles covering his nose and cheeks, confirmed what she'd suspected by his name alone. Irish or Scottish ancestry ran strong in his blood. Seemed there were a lot of people with that lineage in Butte these days.
"Aye, kill me now." With one side of his jaw swollen to almost twice the size of his other, the words came out sounding like "Ah, kew we na." But the brogue was still there. This man had to be a first generation immigrant.
After giving him something to help with the pain, Alex peered inside MacGrath's mouth. The man moaned.
She eyed Alex and their patient as she placed the tray of tools on the table where Alex could reach them.
Straightening, his gaze found Miriam's. "I'll need to pull the tooth. You may want to leave the room."
Miriam swallowed. If Alex could handle it, she could too. Right? She straightened her shoulders. "I'll be fine." Lord, please let me be fine.
Alex's lips pressed. Would he make her leave? He released a breath. "All right, but at least turn away for a minute."
Nodding, Miriam hobbled over to the stove. "Call if you need anything."
She busied herself drying the clean surgical instruments, but her mind assigned images to all the sounds coming from the examination table. Poor Mister MacGrath. His moans were pitiful. How
bad must his pain be to bring such a strapping miner to this miserable state?
"Hold tight, man." Alex's murmured words barely registered before a mighty cry sounded.
Miriam whirled in time to see blood spurt from the man's mouth and Alex withdraw his hand and the dental key. He reached for the tiny bandages she'd prepared, then stuffed them inside MacGrath's mouth.
The man coughed, gasped, and then moaned again as he sunk back against the bed.
Miriam jerked a clean cloth from the washstand, soaked and wrung it quickly, then hobbled forward to wipe the crimson liquid dripping down their patient's chin and neck.
"There, there, Mister MacGrath. You'll be feeling better in no time now." She kept her voice soothing, as she wiped the last remnants of sweat from his forehead.
The man's shoulders lay slack against the bed now, his head lolled to the side, eyelids drifting closed.
"The laudanum should be helping now, too. I'll let you rest a few minutes, then be back to check on you."
MacGrath only grunted.
Alex caught Miriam's eye and nodded toward the door. With a final glance at their resting patient, Miriam tucked her crutches under her arms and swung along behind him.
Once in the hallway, Alex stood uncertainly, hands out in front of him. "Do you, uh, mind if I use the washbasin in your room? My hands are bloody still."
"Of course."
She followed him into the chamber where she'd slept the last few weeks. Her eyes scanned the bed and table. Good thing she'd straightened it this morning. "What was wrong with Mister MacGrath's tooth?"
"Abscessed." Alex scrubbed the bar of lye soap over his blood-spattered hands and arms until it formed a pink lather. "Infection gets under the tooth. If it's not treated right away, the toxin becomes so bad the only way to cure it is to pull the tooth." He dipped both soapy arms into the basin of water. "I'll treat him for the infection when we go back in."
Mountain Dreams Series: Books 1 - 3: Mountain Dreams Box Set 1 Page 34