When the shotgun rider grabbed Eliza’s chair, he stumbled a step, and Laura feared it would fall. “Be careful with that!”
He recovered in time and maneuvered it to the ground. “What in the dickens is this thing?” he grumbled.
Laura checked the chair over. Sixteen hundred miles by train and stagecoach had only caused a few scratches. “It’s my sister’s bath chair.” She rolled the wheels, which enabled the chair to move to the carriage. After she scooped her sister’s light form in her arms, she placed her in the adjacent chair.
“We’re in Plymouth.” Eliza spoke when she regained her breath from the transition into the chair. A light wind lifted her brown hair, drawing attention to her sparkling hazel eyes.
“And Aunt Minnie is waiting for us. Her home shouldn’t be very far from here.”
It felt so good to be free of the stagecoach. Laura’d hated being squished between Eliza and a large man. Every time they hit a bump, Eliza quivered. Not surprisingly, none of the men offered to help. She peered up and down the street, but the doctor Aunt Minnie had promised would meet them was nowhere to be seen.
Nebraska. Aunt Minnie had fallen in love with the place in her two short years in Plymouth. So far it surpassed Laura’s expectations. The land was not as flat as she’d expected. The sky seemed a deeper blue than the skies above the ocean at home. Bright yellow flowers dotted meadows she had seen between fields of waiving grain.
Eliza breathed deeply and sighed as Laura tucked a blanket over her lap. “It even smells wonderful.”
Laura wasn’t so sure. So far the dust and other odors of a western town appealed to her less than the salty, fishy air of her home in Maine. The stagecoach driver had finished his discussion with the storekeeper and headed out of town on his route.
The storekeeper saw Laura and Eliza in the middle of the street and smiled. “Welcome to Plymouth, ladies. I’m John Carter, the owner of this fine establishment. How may I assist you?” He tugged at his chin. “Let get you and your things onto the boardwalk and then we’ll figure out what to do next.”
He reached for the bath chair handles but Laura grabbed them first. “I’d appreciate your help with our trunks.”
She’d known that two trunks and a bath chair were a lot to manage during their journey, but they couldn’t do with less, not with the equipment Eliza needed. By the time Laura had tugged Eliza onto the boardwalk, the storekeeper had moved the two trunks. “Thank you, Mr. Carter.”
“My pleasure.” He climbed the steps into the store before he looked back. “You must be Miss Bell’s nieces. I’ll have one of my clerks help you.”
Laura looked up and down the street. Aunt Minnie had promised that Dr. Andrews would pick them at the stage stop. Where was he? In such a small town, Aunt Minnie’s house couldn’t be far away. But Laura couldn’t manage the trunks as well as the chair, and she had no idea where to find the house. She probably should accept Mr. Carter’s offer.
Before she spoke, a long shadow fell across the boardwalk. “Miss Evans? Miss Laura Evans?”
As she was turning around, the man said, “And Miss Eliza Evans?” The shadow bent over the bath chair.
“Dr…” Laura completed her turn. The tallest, handsomest man she had ever seen towered over her, even though she was standing a step higher than he. “—Dr. Andrews?” Her voice wobbled. She moved her foot to regain her balance, but instead stumbled forward.
Into his arms. “Whoa there, Miss Evans.” He made sure she was steady before releasing her. “You must be exhausted after all that travelling.”
Laura managed to drag her eyes away from her rescuer to a wagon waiting in the street.
“I brought the wagon for your luggage. Your aunt’s house is only a short distance away, and I thought you might enjoy the walk, but of course you’re tired. I can get a carriage here shortly.” He moved away.
“No.” Don’t leave. “I mean, by the time you return to the carriage, we could be at her house.” She didn’t want to lose sight of the doctor.
“If you say so.” His smile was as broad as he was tall. “I’ll push Miss Evans’s chair, unless she objects?” He looked Eliza in the eye, which pleased Laura no end.
“Why, yes, Dr. Andrews.” Outside of the house, Eliza rarely spoke, and her voice sounded as raspy as the dust whirling down the street.
“Call me Jay. My father is Doc Andrews.” Jay placed the trunks in the wagon and nodded to the young man with the horses before he turned the bath chair around. “I recommend taking the boardwalk when you come downtown. It’s a little bumpy, but the street itself is worse.” He grinned. “You can’t predict when ruts and cow patties will appear.”
Laura enjoyed the walk more than she’d expected. With the doctor’s long legs, he could easily have made her walk two steps to his one. Instead, he kept to a reasonable pace. The store took up a lot of space on the street. “I didn’t expect such a big store here in Plymouth, almost big enough to supply the whole county.”
“Part of it is their home. The literary society meets there, stage hands eat there when there’s a need, and the Friends hold their services in their parlor. Carter also serves as the postmaster, if you need to post any letters.”
Dr. Andrews—Jay—kept Eliza’s chair rolling smoothly. Aunt Minnie’s assurances that Eliza would receive excellent care in the relatively new town took on reality in his presence. Once, a long time ago, Laura had considered medical school, as Elizabeth Blackwell had, before she had to put her limited knowledge to practical use caring for her sister. As hard as it had been, she’d accepted her new role as God’s will.
“Where did you train?” Laura asked. “Did you attend a medical school or learn from your father?”
Jay’s cheerful expression turned sour. How could Laura’s innocent question have caused such a reaction?
~
Where did you train? Jay hated the way that one question could upset his equilibrium and break his rhythm. The bath chair jolted, jostling Eliza. He shook his head at his unprofessionalism. How long would his memories of the war return to haunt him?
“I went to school, and I trained under some excellent physicians.” The one who had taught him the most had died at Shiloh. Jay didn’t share those memories with anyone. Especially not the Evans sisters, who had endured enough personal tragedy themselves.
Mizz Bell—what he called the sisters’ aunt—had described Laura’s kindness and her desire for a new beginning in Plymouth. Anyone who took care of her invalid sister must have strength of body and character. But Mizz Bell hadn’t warned him about her beauty. In spite of the days on the road, her ash-blonde hair shone with beauty. Light beamed from cool blue eyes, the way he imagined the sea might look on a stormy day. Cool eyes and sunny hair—she was a bit like a summer day.
After their trip through the small downtown, they passed a couple of houses before they turned a corner. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a boardwalk along this part of the town.” His work with wounded soldiers had taught him how to seek the smoothest spots to roll the wheels, but he couldn’t prevent a few bumps. “I’m sorry, Miss Evans.”
“Call me Eliza. It’s easier.” Laura’s younger sister smiled up at him. With darker hair, and hazel eyes, she looked like her big sister’s shadow. “Don’t worry about it. It happens whenever I go out.”
According to Mizz Bell, they rarely went anywhere. He hoped to change that while they were in Plymouth. “And here we are.”
Laura gasped when she saw the house, which came complete with a ramp convenient for Eliza’s chair. Jay allowed himself a self-satisfied smile. “This way, at least you can get in and out of the house without too much trouble.” He tilted the chair on its back wheels and smoothed Eliza onto the ramp.
“A ramp.” Laura’s feet practically danced beneath her. “I never expected—Aunt Minnie never said—”
“I’ve had some experience.” After the war, at a hospital that specialized in finding ways to help veterans who had lost limbs. �
�There is a lot more we can do.”
Laura stared at him like he had lost his mind. “I’ve never had anyone go to so much trouble. We changed things around in our own house, of course, but no one else did much of anything.”
So many veterans had said the same thing. Here, at least, Jay could make a difference. “After you’re settled, I’d like to visit with you. Learn what activities interest you, and see if we can make the places accessible to you.” That probably meant making a deal with Carter, but Jay hoped the storekeeper would be reasonable.
“You first.” He nodded to Laura. Eliza offered a timid thank you, but Jay’s attention was fixed on Laura’s back. Her hand trailed along the railing, which he had smoothed himself. Her hips swayed ever so slightly, as if rocked by a gentle wind.
The door burst opened, and Minnie Bell hobbled through the frame leaning on her crane. She had made great progress since her fall a couple of months ago, and she managed to wrap her right arm around Laura’s body. “Laura, as I live and breathe.” Keeping hold of Laura, she turned around and bent over far enough to hug Eliza around her shoulders. “And Eliza. I never thought to see the two of you again.” She looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you, Jay, for all your help.”
The delight and joy on the faces of all three women made all of Jay’s efforts worthwhile. He couldn’t wait to examine Eliza, to see if he could help her. Even more he wanted to see Laura again, but for now, the ladies needed time for a private reunion. The wagon driver, a young lad named Hugh, had used a dolly to pull the trunks up the ramp. When Jay tipped him for his service, he grinned. “Anytime, Doc Jay!”
“Take the wagon and horses to our barn,” Jay said. He returned his attention to the scene in front of him.
Laura was rolling Eliza up the ramp Jay’d built. Hoping for one last chance to say goodbye to the lovely Laura and her hopeful sister, he hesitated on the porch, whistling, hands in his pockets. Glory, glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
When Jay realized the tune he’d chosen, he stopped moving. Laura pushed the chair into through the door and turned around. “Dr. Andrews—Jay—I want to thank you again for meeting us at the station, and for everything you have done to make Aunt Minnie’s house convenient for Eliza. You are a miracle worker.”
No, a miracle worker could heal the limbs so the adaptations wouldn’t be necessary. Only God could do that. “Our local carpenter did most of the work. He’s the expert at working with machines. You should have an opportunity to meet him soon.”
Laura’s smile faltered a bit. “Nevertheless, once we are settled, you must return so that we can thank you properly.”
“Laura?” Eliza’s voice floated through the air, a call she must hear many times a day.
“Coming.” Laura bobbed in an imitation of a curtsey. “My sister needs me. I must bid you good day.” With a smile that beamed like a lighthouse during a storm, she disappeared behind inside.
Jay walked a short distance before he stopped to look back. Now that the Evans sisters were no longer an abstract problem but a flesh-and-blood reality, he was more eager than ever to assist them in any way he could.
In fact, he wanted to help both of them.
CHAPTER TWO
Eliza screeched.
Laura ran in the direction of her voice, fearing some dreadful accident had happened. Instead, her sister was sitting on the staircase.
Aunt Minnie laughed. “There’s no need to be frightened, Laura dear. Jay installed a seat a trolley system so that Eliza can go upstairs if she wants to. It’s simple, really. For the seat to move, you crank the handle.” At that, her aunt’s frail arms turned the wheel, and the chair inched up from the floor to the first step.
Laura’s breath hissed through her teeth. “I’m sure the doctor has tested it,” she said, though her hands trembled as she watched her sister hovering anxiously. Laura had to test it herself before she’d risk her sister on it. “Let’s get some rest before we experiment with it.” She pasted on a confident smile. Don’t be afraid and don’t be discouraged. God is with you, even in Nebraska. God had said the words to Joshua in the Promised Land, and He spoke them today to Laura. She struggled to believe it.
“If you insist.” Aunt Minnie cranked the wheel in the opposite direction, and the chair slid down. Laura reached for Eliza, but her sister held onto the railing and slid her bottom into the bath chair by herself.
Laura fell back into the nearest chair. Only Eliza’s legs had been paralyzed in her accident, so she still had the use of her arms. Ever since, she had done less and less for herself. Laura might have encouraged that by assisting her with everything. She hadn’t thought her sister was able to scoot over like that anymore. “Well, I’ll be.”
“It’s all thanks to Doc Jay. That man can do the most remarkable things.” Aunt Minnie placed her hand on the newel for support. “And best of all, girls, he’s single.” She winked.
At that, Laura’s mouth fell open. “I didn’t come to Nebraska to find a husband.”
“Why not?” Eliza said. “As long as we’re here …”
Humph. The tall, handsome doctor had both of them thinking foolish thoughts. “Aunt Minnie, are you running a matchmaking service you haven’t told us about?”
Her aunt threw back her head and laughed. “Let’s rest in the sitting room. We’ll continue the tour of the house later. All the excitement has tired me out a wee bit.” She pushed harder on her cane than before as she limped into the sitting room.
Laura pushed Eliza’s chair, delighted to find they could get the chair through the door easily. “Did Jay fix the doors? Or was it someone else?”
“Mr. Cook. He does odd jobs for me.” Aunt Minnie sat in a chair with a straight back and high arm rests that looked uncomfortable, leaving a comfortable spot for Laura on the sofa, where she could keep an eye on Eliza, who stayed in her chair across the room.
“You don’t have to take the hard seat for me.”
Her aunt laughed. “This chair is the easiest for me to get up and down from. Why, I can just push on the arm rests and stand right when I have a mind.”
She tried to stand, but Laura hurried to stop her. “What can I get for you?”
“I have a jug of sweet tea and sugar cookies ready, as well as several sandwiches. Would you be a dear and bring the tray out here to the coffee table?”
The heavy tray tilted a bit in Laura’s hands, but she brought it to the sitting room without mishap. “This looks delicious. I didn’t realize how hungry I was. We ate at the way stations, but …” Another table had materialized beside Eliza’s chair. Laura examined it. It folded into a thin panel that slid behind the sofa, but was supported on crossbars. “This is interesting.”
“Aunt Minnie says Jay had it made for me. It’s sturdy.” Eliza pounded on it. “I want to cut my own sandwich, if I can.” She turned her hands over, as if questioning their strength. Laura handed Eliza the plate without a word. Aunt Minnie poured glasses of tea and passed a bowl of cut up apples. Laura kept glancing at Eliza, who managed to cut the sandwich with uneven lines.
“Roast beef.” Laura chewed every precious morsel.
“It tastes so much better, here where it is grown.” Aunt Minnie ate another bite. “I keep finding more reasons to love Nebraska.”
“This house alone makes me love living here.” Eliza bit a bite of the sandwich before she rolled her chair a couple of inches forward then back in place. “The floors are so smooth, I might be able to wheel myself from room to room.”
“That’s wonderful! See, Nebraska’s air is already doing you good.” Aunt Minnie laughed.
The breath caught in Laura’s throat. Eliza wheeling herself around? She considered the possibilities while she polished off two sandwiches. Aunt Minnie and Eliza chattered nonstop. At the end of the meal, they toasted their new home, the place of new hopes and new loves. Doc Jay, the miracle worker—the thoughts blurred into a single mass, and her head nodded. Must stay awake, help Eliza to bed …
“Laura…” Eliza’s voice raised slightly before dropping to a whisper.
Laura looked from under her lashes. What a mess she must look. Her head had dropped on her chest, her arms dangling over the sides. Her legs had parted but at least modestly covered by her skirt. She didn’t move, however, wondering what her sister was saying about her.
“I’m so glad we came out here … smothering me … not meeting men …” Eliza’s words surprised and hurt Laura at the same time.
Aunt Minnie said, “We’ll fix that here … Jay … others …he’s the best catch.”
Laura had heard enough. When her feet landed on the floor, their conversation ceased. She walked to the kitchen, where Eliza met her in her chair, which she had maneuvered with her own hands. A dish towel was draped over her arm. “You’re awake.”
“You were drying the dishes.” Eliza had done it a few times before but Laura found it quicker to do it herself.
“It was good to have help. We’ve taken care of almost everything. Are you tall enough to put the tray atop the cabinet?”
Laura stood on her tiptoes and put it away. She marveled at the countertops, which were low enough for Eliza to reach.
Her sister yawned, and Laura felt guilty for resting while her sister worked. “You shouldn’t have let me nap while you were so hard at work,” she said. “Eliza, surely you must want some rest.”
Eliza frowned, and Laura waited for her sister’s argument. Instead, she acquiesced. “I must confess I am tired after today’s travel.”
When they got out of Aunt Minnie’s hearing, Laura whispered in her sister’s ear. “Is Aunt Minnie determined to play matchmaker?”
Love's Sporting Chance: Volume 2: 5 Romantic Sporting Novellas Page 7