Hattie felt herself drifting. Perhaps Tess was right. She had run herself to the point of exhaustion. A nice nap is what she needed. Or perhaps, Tess viewed this as an opportunity to spend the afternoon with Robert without her around. The jealousy wracked her. Normally she would talk to Tess about this, but she couldn't do that now. Instead she just stamped those feelings back down and went to make a cup of tea.
Kijab was still with Victoria and she had a couple of hours before she would need to relieve her, might as well take advantage of it.
She then entered the kitchen to start the water. That's odd, she thought. The kettle was on the wrong side of the stove. Perhaps she put it there this morning when she made tea. She knew one of the symptoms of exhaustion was forgetting things. But she could swear it was on the left burner. Shaking off the thought, she stoked the fire and put the range kettle on to boil. She went to grab her blanket from her bedroom, so she could rest in the sitting room. She went to grab her cover from the chair in the corner, but it wasn't there. Hattie could have sworn it was there when she left in the morning. Grabbing one from the closet shelf, she took that to the sitting room and placed it on the sofa instead. She noticed a photograph of her with her adoptive parents and brothers was no longer on the end table.
While the water was boiling, Hattie collected Kijab's scattered toys and took them down to his room. Placing them in the box on the floor she noticed the missing blanket folded nicely on the dresser. A chill went up Hattie's spine. She only used that blanket in the chair in her room or if she was going to nap on the sofa. She never brought it in here, and Kijab certainly wouldn't know how to fold and put a blanket away.
Tess was right. She really was exhausted. She probably carried the blanket into Kijab’s room and placed it there after the laundry was done. Maybe it never made it back to her bedroom. Feeling a little better, she returned to the kitchen to prepare her tea.
As she waited for the water to heat to the perfect temperature, she reached for two cups and a jar above the stove and placed them on the table. Grabbing a muslin sack from the bowl next to the sink she placed a spoonful of the jarred tea into the sack and pulled the drawstring tight before placing it in one of the cups.
She reached for a tin and shook it to find it empty. She was out of willow bark. She was hoping to make the tea and allow it to steep long enough before giving it Pete, but now it looked like she couldn’t waylay her trip to the woods for any longer.
The steam from the boiling water started to sing, signifying the water was at the correct temperature. Hattie took a towel from the rack in the kitchen and lifted the kettle, pouring water over the flower buds in the cup she prepared for herself. Steam curled up from the cup and the liquid turned a light yellow. Chamomile flowers were one of her favorites for its relaxing properties.
Cupping her hands around the cup, she allowed the warmth to permeate her fingers. Inhaling deeply, she sighed and took in another deep breath, holding it to allow the fragrant flowers to fill her senses.
Hattie carried her cup into the sitting room and took a seat on the parlor sofa. Her mother would have never allowed her to slouch on the sofa. “Harriet, sit up straight,” her mother’s voice played in her ear. Harriet sank lower into the cushions, sipping her tea and allowing her mind to relax. She missed her momma, and her brothers too.
Her mother’s voice continued to play, but then it merged into a higher octave. Tess. Replaying the conversation from earlier she continued sipping her tea and tried to force the unwelcomed thoughts from her mind. When her tea was gone she put it aside and swung her legs up on the sofa. Covering herself with a blanket she settled down closing her eyes, thinking of what Tess’ and Robert’s children would look like.
She frowned. When did she start thinking of him as Robert instead of Dr. Childs? She knew the answer and she didn’t like it one bit. Dismissing that thought, she drifted as the vision of Tess and Robert playing with their children morphed into one where she stood next to him and the children were now dark-haired instead of blonde. Yawning, she pulled the blanket closer to her chin and let sleep take the day away.
Robert and Alexzander managed to kill three deer and were taking a break on a low outcropping of rocks. Alexander just finished reading the letters Robert had handed him. He let out a low whistle as he folded the pieces of paper and handed them back to Robert. “I certainly don’t envy you.”
“But can you help me?”
“I would rather face a cougar on the mountain than go against Charlotte Daniels alone. When she gets something in her mind it takes a mighty powerful force to get it to go in a different direction. But yes, I might be able to.”
“The key here is the second letter. She tells you that all you need to do is present that letter to the Town Council and you will be set up as a doctor and allowed access to Doc Hamilton’s dwelling and office. Well, most of the members of the council were killed in the quake, so, I guess we will need to get a new one set up in the interim until some of the new grooms come out west.
“I’ll start building the new council because there is some other business to discuss along with this matter. You realize that Mrs. Daniels, and maybe even Tess, will need to be there?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Well then, this is what I suggest we do,” Alexzander said, and he started laying out a plan that, by the time he was finished, Robert looked at him in disbelief.
“You know, that might actually work.”
“I think it will. Give me a couple of days to get everyone together, but you can start putting the plan in place. I’ll talk to Hattie about the fact you can’t stay at the hotel forever.”
Robert shook Alexzander’s hand. “I don’t know how I’m going to thank you.”
“An invite to the weddin’ would be nice. Let’s get these to the wagon and head back to town.”
Chapter 5
The Marshal managed to catch Hattie just as she was closing the apothecary and heading back to the saloon. She lost three more patients during the night and was on her way to tell Marty to retrieve the wagon, so the bodies could be taken to the undertakers for burial preparation.
“How are you holding up this morning, Doc?” Alexzander said softly, noting the dark circles under Hattie's eyes.
“Feeling better, since I could nap yesterday,” Hattie lied, looking down the street as to not meet his gaze.
Alexzander let the lie slip. “I came to talk to you about the new doc in town. The one that arrived last week.”
“Dr. Childs? What of it?”
“How is he working out?”
Hattie turned abruptly, leaving the Marshall on the sidewalk. “Walk with me, I have to deliver a message.” She paused to wait for Alexzander to catch up to her quick steps. “He is doing excellent, very skilled in surgical procedures. Those are the things I've not had practice in for a few years, so it is an immense help. More so than I expected, since I thought I was receiving a first-year residency student. He doesn't complain about having to do some of the more unpleasant things, such as changing bedpans and dressings, which I appreciate.”
“Tell me something non-clinical.”
“What do you mean?”
“Since the disaster you have been very clinical. Almost shut down. What is going on with you?”
“Nothing.”
“You can't lie to me, Hattie,” he said. “I deal with liars for a living. You are going to need to rest soon, and really rest before you fall down. A nap simply doesn’t cut it. Tess told me you were back four hours after she sent you home yesterday.”
“Why is Tess informing everyone what I’m doing?”
“That isn’t it, Hattie. She is concerned…”
“Actually, there is something I want to talk to you about.” She paused, thinking it silly for even bringing it up. “I’m noticing things happening around the apothecary.”
“Things?”
“I know I’m not here a lot because of being between the saloon, Inn and next door,”
she said pointing to Doc Hamilton’s old clinic. “However, when I come back to the apothecary, I’m noticing things are moved. Or just can’t be found.”
“How so?”
“Yesterday I went to make tea and I noticed the contents of the containers were switched. The Lavender was in the Hyssop tin. Not a huge thing, but for example, if I went to use the Willow bark to make tea, and a nightshade plant was in there, it could be deadly.”
“That is alarming. Did you ask the girls that are coming to help you?”
“I mentioned it, but no one recalled going into the main area. In fact, there wouldn’t be a need to be blending teas at all. I make whatever they need before they arrive, so it is cool when they get there. Several of my oils have disappeared, as well as my diploma.”
“Hmmm. Anything else?”
“Just that I’ve noticed things in my apartment too… it seems silly.”
“No, you are better off telling me about it now, so if there is something I can do I’ll know what I’m dealing with.”
“I went to take a nap yesterday and my blanket was moved.”
“Are you sure you just didn’t forget to put it back where it was?”
“No. I thought that at first, but then I noticed the teakettle was on the wrong side of the stove, a picture of my family is missing. And one of my shawls had disappeared.”
“I can see how all those together might make you nervous. Are you keeping your doors locked at night?”
“I am. I’ve even locked the area into the apothecary, so the girls have to enter from the side entrance.”
“Keep me posted if anything new arises, and just remember to be safe. There are a lot of strangers in town right now.”
“Thank you. Now, what did you want to talk about, because I doubt it was about Dr. Childs' bandaging techniques?”
Alexzander let out a hearty laugh, “No, it wasn't. Actually, it was about letting Dr. Childs use Dr. Hamilton's apartment and clinic.”
“Both the clinic and the apartment have patients in it. The only room that doesn't is Dr. Hamilton's private bedroom. I haven't touched that.”
“Would you object to him staying there?”
“I don't see why not. It would need to be cleaned.”
“I can make arrangements for that.”
“Are you thinking that he will take over as the town’s new doctor?”
“I’m not saying that, however, I do think that he is very good for the town.”
Hattie frowned and stopped in the street, looking at the Marshal before continuing. “Marshal, there is something you should know before you allow Dr. Childs to move into that building and possibly set up a practice there, if that is what you are thinking.”
“What do I need to know?”
“Let's continue our walk and I'll fill you in on a visit I had a few days before the first earthquake.”
The smell was heavenly. Hattie felt her mouth water as she watched Fannie, Betsy and Tess enter the saloon carrying baskets. Whatever it was, it was a change from the broth with vegetables in it that had become most of the mid-day meals for the past month.
“What is all this?” Hattie asked as she watched Betsy pull platters from the box she was carrying. Tess pulled out several mason jars of a deep brown liquid and placed those next to the platters.
“Alexzander and Robert shot several deer yesterday, so we made meat pies and broth for your patients. Fannie Pearl took what was left of the apples and made applesauce. Isn’t this a treat?” Betsy said, beaming as she organized the platters on the bar top and removed the towels covering the precious cargo.
Hattie looked at the platters piled high with hand pies, small enough for a person to hold and eat without using utensils. She pressed her palms to her cheeks and a wide smile formed as she let out a holler. Leaning in she savored the aroma of the pies, feeling the heat radiate off them. “They just came out of the oven?”
Betsy nodded. “Just a few minutes ago. I figured they would cool on the wagon ride over.”
Hattie pulled her friend close. “Thank you, Betsy. Thank you so very much. And you too, Tess and Fannie Pearl. Meat pies and applesauce, this is a treat!”
Fannie patted her cheek, “Don’t thank us, Hattie. Thank your handsome new doctor. It was his idea to go hunting with Alexzander because he knew you needed better nourishment for your patients.”
“Dr. Childs, you said?” Hattie turned to look at Robert with newfound appreciation. He was still tending to Mr. Wilson and looked over at her with hooded eyes. Her heart quickened and she felt a tingling radiating from her belly to her toes. Fannie, Betsy and Tess faded into the background as she walked over to where he stood. “Thank you. Is this where you were yesterday?”
Robert reached and touched Hattie’s cheek. “Yes. I did this for you. And the patients. But mostly for you.”
She leaned her face slightly into his hand. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“After the lovely reception you gave me when I returned yesterday afternoon, I didn’t think that was the best time to say anything.”
“I apologize, I didn’t know.” She leaned in closer and watched Robert’s lips part slightly. It would only take a moment to indulge in her fantasies. Just one moment.
She heard Fannie Pearl cough behind her and shot her eyes up to meet Robert’s. The light blue irises turned to a dark gray.
“I know, Hattie.” He removed his hand, but not before tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. Looking away to break the spell, his eyes went to the group of women waiting at the bar.
Hattie turned and saw Tess looking intently at Robert. The tingling faded, and her throat grew thick as she realized her inappropriate thoughts.
Robert must have recognized her embarrassment as he shouted to the patients, “Who wants a meat pie?” Cheers went through the crowd as the patients shouted their encouragement. He turned back to Hattie and pushed her towards the bar. “How about we get our patients fed?”
Hattie felt the most alive in one of two places. First, her apothecary, surrounded by her herbs and books. Her garden was an extension of that and she could get lost for hours tending to the plants that provided her the medicines for her clinic. The second was where she was right now. Surrounded by the woods, with the sunshine warming her shoulders, and a cool breeze drifting through the pines.
After the treat of the meat pies and applesauce, Hattie felt a renewed energy. Fannie Pearl even tucked an extra pie away for her so she could take it into the woods as she searched for the few items that would hopefully replenish her apothecary and provide relief to her patients. Our patients, she corrected herself. She smiled as she continued walking down the path that led her deeper into the woods.
Time was running out for many of her patients and supplies were in demand. She didn’t have a lot of money put aside. The supplies that Marty brought back from New Hope were nearly gone and even if she could make it over there to get more, the prices were double or triple that of what she could get from the harbor merchants.
She prayed along her walk and soon found herself in an area of the woods that wasn’t familiar. It could have been somewhere she had been many times before, however, with most of the trees down, and a huge part of the ground still covered by mud, it was difficult to recognize.
She was fortunate to find a silver willow, which she stripped the bark from the trunk to make a tea that would help with pain. She didn’t like having to use spirits but had to admit Miss Flora’s stock was a blessing to have for impromptu surgeries. Venturing a little further she saw leaves pushing their way through the soil. It would be a bit before she knew what those new plants would be.
Selecting the wrong plant could mean death for her patient. Her excitement grew as she recognized a large patch of green in a small clearing. The sunlight was shining through the trees and the plants here were five times the size of the ones pushing through the ground. She recognized the plants as one her father reached for regularly when he was the Tribal Medicine
Man.
The plants had large leaves that reminded her of hands – they were cut as if each leaf had 10 fingers. She identified them as Solomon’s seal. She needed the roots of the plants and found when she tried to pull it out of the soil, the soil gave up the plant rather easily. Breaking off the leaves, she brushed as much dirt as she could and stuffed the root in the bag around her waist. She continued the process until her bag was full of the roots and bark.
Hattie knew that the small amount she gathered wouldn’t be enough. She took her hair ribbon and marked the tree next to the plant patch, so she could send Marty back to dig up some additional roots, then proceeded on her trek back to the apothecary.
She had just returned to the main trail and was tying a ribbon around another tree for Marty when the ground around her darkened. She looked up and realized it was the silhouette of a large man on a horse casting his shadow over her. She couldn’t see who was on the horse, but a sudden chill crept over her skin and settled in her bones. Shielding her eyes from the sun behind the rider, she stood up straighter and with a confidence she didn’t feel she walked past the rider to continue the path.
“How’s my brother, Miss Hattie?” the voice growled. Hattie froze and held her breath. Who would know she was out here? She turned and faced the man, the breath leaving her in a sigh. The rider was brother to Sneaky Pete in the apothecary. He was dressed in black pants, a white shirt with a dark overcoat. He had a black hat on his head that was pushed down so Hattie couldn’t see his eyes.
“He’s still recovering.”
“Did you save the leg?”
Hattie swallowed before answering. “Yes. It won’t be any use to him, however, as most of the muscles are gone and the knee cap shattered, but, yes, I did save the leg.”
The rider pushed the hat back further on his head and crossed his hands over the saddle horn, leaning down closer to her. His lips curled, revealing tobacco-stained teeth. She wrinkled her nose, forcing herself not to recoil in disgust.
Wanted: Medicine Man (Silverpines Book 5) Page 5