“So, Dr. Rhodes suggested a change of scenery. Where I could start my own practice and not worry about the city politics. I was at the bottom of the pit looking up a few weeks ago. I might not have been able to save my wife and child’s life; but your letter, Mrs. Daniels, saved mine.
When he was done Clive came over and shook his hand. “I have to respect a man who admits he made a mistake and is looking for a new beginning.” He turned to Tess. “Miss Daniels, I know I wasn't here before the earthquakes. However, based on what the Sherriff asked us to do, which is determine the validity of the claims in the letter, your mother promised you in marriage to this man in exchange for him coming out to Silverpines. He appears to be a man of honor and he kept his end of the agreement, coming out here in good faith. Earthquake or not, based on what I've heard, this makes this claim valid. I wish you both the best.” Clive said, grabbing his hat and walking out the door without looking back.
Tess let out a sob. “Hush,” her mother admonished. “You are making a scene.” She looked around the room at all the eyes staring back at her. She shrugged her shoulders, “I just thought that Hattie would need the help.”
“No, Mrs. Daniels, you didn't.” Alexzander said.
“You brought me here to replace Dr. Morningsong,” Robert spoke up.
“Who is Dr. Morningsong?”
“You know her as Miss Hattie. Her actual name is Dr. Harriet Shiézhidázi Morningsong Richards. She was adopted by a Christian family after her birth mother died and she went to a prestigious woman's medical school in Pennsylvania, where she specialized in general medicine, herbology, and she loves both children and animals alike. You know her but you don’t truly know her.”
“I don’t like where you are going, young man,” Mrs. Daniels spoke up.
“Did you know that Hattie hasn’t been paid for her services in nearly a year, and no one has paid her for any of the services or supplies that have been used during the quake? Prior to the quake she was being paid in chickens, blankets, jams and homewares. She has a shed full of things she can’t use, but accepted them because of the love she has for this town and the people in it. She even resorted to stealing sheets so she had enough bandages to take care of the folks in the saloon, hotel and the inn.
“This is a town that was making quite a bit of money before the disaster, and you paid her in chickens? You should be ashamed of yourselves. So ashamed, that Hattie is now looking to move to New Hope to start over.”
Everyone was silent. Tess sobbed silently looking down at her hands. She was so ashamed that she had never shared this information before. She wrung her handkerchief in between her fingers and wondered how she would ever make it up to her friend.
Alexzander coughed. “It appears to me like Hattie is the town’s true doctor, and she sounds like more of a doctor than your Doc Hamilton ever was.”
“Oh land,” Fannie Pearl said, wiping her own tears away. “How will she ever forgive us?”
“You convince her to stay with everything you have inside of you.”
“What about you, Doc Childs? You are already living above the clinic and per the letter it sounds like the town will give you the building if you stay. You’ll get your clinic, apartment and the building, so where is your incentive to walk away?” This was from Flora, who had been eyeing the proceedings rather intently.
Robert sat down in the chair and ran his hands through his hair. “I think the Marshall needs to address this.”
“I had a talk with Hattie a few days ago. Unfortunately, the buildings are not the town’s to give. Both buildings belong to Hattie. Right before the quake, she received a letter that Dr. Hamilton deeded the buildings to her upon his death. It is her choice to sell them, keep them and let whomever she wants live there.”
“Does anyone else have any questions before we move on?”
“I have one,” Fannie Pearl piped up. “Given the fact that you put her in that compromising position last night and in light of these facts here today, what do you plan on doing about Hattie?
Robert grinned for the first time since the meeting started. “I plan on loving her the rest of my days, if she will let me.”
Chapter 9
A week later, Hattie was still livid over Robert’s deception. He made a fool of her in front of the doves, Marty, Flora and Dr. Tory. She allowed him to stay in Doc Hamilton’s apartment and worm his way into her life and behind her heart. Well he was at the Inn now, and when she saw him in the streets, she crossed so she wouldn’t have to risk talking to him.
She couldn’t even believe that he too received a letter bringing him to Silverpines. After rejecting his excuses several times, she finally asked him to leave. He gave her one last pleading look before heading back to his apartment to pack his things. He mentioned something about the town council, but since it hadn’t been reorganized since the earthquake, she doubted they would be any help to him.
Dr. Tory took over the duties at the saloon and the apothecary. There were three patients left and those would be moving into the clinic. Hattie was sure Flora was thrilled to have her saloon back and her girls working again.
Hattie didn’t want to see anyone. Instead, she spent the past week under a blanket on the sofa in her sitting room, ignoring anyone who stopped by. She didn’t even answer when the Sherriff came by to tell her Pete passed. Dr. Tory thought it may have been a blood clot that travelled from his leg to his heart. Hattie knew that Pete dying from a heart attack would not appease his brothers or the threats they made to her.
She finally decided that she had to face the world, so she quickly washed her face and found an old dress before taking a glass of tea and sitting in the garden. She wanted the energy of her sacred space to fill her. To take the hurt away.
Stupid fool, she thought miserably as she drank her tea in the garden. The sweet mint drink did nothing to alleviate her anger.
“Hattie, are you back here?” She recognized Tess’s voice. She didn’t want to talk to her either. Instead, she was prepared to stew until she could figure out what to do.
She heard Tess let herself in the gate to the garden area and the crunch of the gravel under her boots as she walked to the table before sliding into the seat next to Hattie. Hattie stole a look at her from the corner of her eye. Tess looked terrible. Her beautiful complexion was red and splotched and her eyes swollen from crying. Her hair, normally kept neat in a chignon was removed from the bun and pulled back in a ribbon hanging down her back. Tess never went out without her hair up. Today it didn’t even look like she brushed it. No matter how angry she felt, Hattie didn’t like seeing her friend in distress.
“What happened, Tess? Are you having an allergic reaction to something?”
Tess sniffled. “No. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“I know the feeling. Want to tell me what happened?” she asked, placing her hand on her friend’s arm.
Tess blew her nose before placing the handkerchief in her pocket and patting Hattie’s hand. “Let’s just say I have an insufferable Momma and I lost the only man who I truly loved.”
“Well, I can’t do anything about your Momma, but I’m sure if Robert is still in town, you can explain how you feel, he’ll come around.”
“Robert? Why would I be concerned about Robert?”
“Well, aren’t you engaged?”
“Oh, heavens no. I don’t love Robert. Whatever gave you that idea?”
“What didn’t give me that idea?” Hattie sat back in her chair and took another sip of tea.
Tess thought for a moment. “I’ll be right back,” she said and disappeared into the side door, returning a few minutes later with a glass of tea for herself and the jar from which she refilled Hattie’s glass.
“Hattie, I need to apologize to you. I never loved Robert. I care for him deeply, but as a friend. As a brother. Not as an intended or a husband.”
“Then why did you lead him on? I saw the way you looked at him.”
Tess took
Hattie’s hand in her own. “Believe me, you were looking at me through envious eyes. I was hoping that if I got you to think that I was interested in him that you would admit your attraction to him. I hate seeing you alone, and here comes a handsome young doctor, who only has eyes for you. Even if I wanted him, I wouldn’t stand a chance. Plus, I was hoping that I would be able to turn the head of the one I love.”
“What do you mean?”
“Hattie, I’ve been in love with Clive Adair since he arrived in town. Unfortunately, with my Momma’s help he has now disappeared, and I’ve lost all hope of him returning my affections.”
Hattie softened. “I still don’t understand. What does your Momma have to do with all this?”
Tess took a few sips of her tea and explained to Hattie about the new Town Council and what transpired. Hattie was dumbfounded. It was as if someone had punched her in the stomach. Robert was telling the truth and she wouldn’t listen to him. She didn’t want to believe that there was a simple explanation for everything.
“I wouldn’t listen. He tried to get me to listen, but I wouldn’t.”
“Why do you say that, Hattie?”
“He tried to talk to me several times about him coming out here, but I just brushed it off. I didn’t want to hear what he had to say.” Tears started to fall down Hattie’s face and she wiped at them with the back of her hand. Tess handed her a clean handkerchief from her other pocket. Her voice came out in hiccups as she recounted the times Robert tried to speak to her. Nothing was as urgent as helping her patients and in the process, she put her pride first. Her chest heaved with the weight underneath it. Once the dam released, all her emotions from the past came crashing forward.
She cried for allowing Doc Hamilton to walk all over her. She cried for Doc Hamilton, Deputy Autry, and the others she lost when Charles Little let loose his reign of terror. She cried for her Momma, both of them – the one who gave her birth and the one who loved her once her own mother passed. She cried for everyone she lost in the earthquake and the landslide. She even cried for Sneaky Pete. Most of all she cried for Robert. She had fallen in love with him over the previous few weeks and now he was gone. This was why she didn’t ever want to fall in love. It just hurt too dang much.
Tess just held her hand and rubbed her back as Hattie let it all out. When she was done, she took big gulps of air and looked at her friend.
“Feel better?” Tess said, still rubbing circles on her back.
“Not really. I think I destroyed your handkerchief.” Hattie rolled the small scrap of fabric in her hands.
Tess laughed. “What a pair we make. Sitting here with mottled faces and crying over things we can’t control. Don’t worry about the kerchief. Worst case, I can always snag a sheet and make a bunch of them.”
Hattie looked at her friend with surprise and then laughed. “You knew?”
“Of course, I did,” Tess said, laughing. “Sheets have been missing around town and it doesn’t take a genius to know where they disappeared to. Did you really think that that many people were washing their sheets that often? People placed them out specifically for you. Judgement is a funny thing. The Bible teaches us not to judge, but we are so afraid of judgement from other people we do things in secret, so we don’t have to face that judgement.
“I do feel better now,” Harriet said, rising from the table. “How about we go inside, and I put together something for our puffy eyes? I was reading that the ladies put teabags on their eyes.”
Tess picked up the second glass and the jar and smiled at her friend. Hattie was happy that she had her best friend back.
The next morning, Hattie went downstairs to open the apothecary and was surprised to find a crowd outside the door. Dr. Tory was normally at the counter by now, blending up a new concoction with the herbs, but today she was headed to New Hope to meet with the Town Council there. Robert, she learned, had sent a telegram to the mayor explaining the situation and how Dr. Tory would be perfect to fill their need for a physician. As a bonus, Dr. Childs wasn’t too far away, so they could provide a rotation schedule if Dr. Tory needed assistance.
It took Hattie a moment to unlock the door and step back to allow people to enter. “What’s all this?”
Fannie Pearl pushed her way in first. “Dr. Richards, I cannot believe what fools we have been. I don’t think many of us, if any of us, knew you were a full-fledge doctor. Blast that Doc Hamilton for hiding that from us all these years.”
“You saved my boy, Miss… I mean Doc, I ain’t ever forgotten that,” said another woman, as she pressed some coins into Hattie’s hand. “He had the pneumonia, but you helped him. I know I couldn’t pay then, but I have a bit of cash right now.”
“I can’t take that,” Hattie stammered.
“Of course, you can,” said the woman, “I know you need more supplies to make those special remedies of yours, perhaps this will help.”
One-by-one folks entered the apothecary and offered apologies, some placing money on the counter while offering a story of how Hattie saved someone in their family. Some asked questions about the herbs lining the wall, others sat and visited in the waiting room. Several of the women cooed and fussed over Kijab who was taking it all in, hamming it up for his newfound audience.
Soon the counter was overflowing with money and meager supplies as the townsfolk offered their appreciation for saving as many folks as she could through the disaster.
Hattie looked around. Folks were nodding their heads in agreement and Hattie felt an overwhelming rush of tears form in her eyes.
“Can you forgive us, child?” Fannie asked. Everyone in the room nodded.
“Of course, I can,” Hattie answered, as several of the townsfolks came up to embrace her.
“I still don’t know where this is stemming from. What changed?” Hattie asked.
“Doc Childs let us know the errors of our ways, and we have come to make it right,” offered one person.
“Silverpines needs you,” said another. “I heard you were leaving and we can’t have that happen.”
One after another, folks shouted out words of encouragement and appreciation.
Finally, Hattie was able to speak.
“Thank you so much. You don’t know what this means for me, as a doctor, as a resident of this town.”
Robert stepped out from behind the crowd and walked up to Hattie, taking her hands in his own. His large hands encompassed her small ones and he rubbed his thumbs along the back of her hands as he looked into her eyes. “This is all you, Hattie. You gave so much of yourself to the town before the disaster and you’ve given the rest to the women after the disaster. Accept the generosity that you so richly deserve. I didn’t know what I was walking in to when I stepped off that stage, but I have learned more from you and your heart than I did in all my years of medicine back in Boston. And I have something I want to offer you too, Hattie, if you will take it.”
“What’s that?” she whispered, her lips slightly parting and her pulse quickening.
“I want to offer you the opportunity to fall in love. To know what it means to love someone with everything inside you. So much in love that you would do anything for them. I want to court you, Hattie, and when the time is right I want to marry you. Here, in front of all these people. This is your family now, Dr. Harriet Shiézhidázi Morningsong Richards.”
Hattie squeezed his hands and looked again at the sea of faces crowding the small area. Charlotte Daniels and Tess were conspicuously absent.
“Is this to take over as the town physician?”
“No, my dear, I would relinquish it all to you. I’m here as your support.”
“What about Tess?”
“I couldn’t marry one person when I love another.”
“You love me?”
“With all my heart.” Hattie giggled. Robert raised one eyebrow. “What is so funny?”
“It is just that I love you too.”
The room filled with hoots and hollers.
“Remember what I told you the other night?”
“Refresh my memory.”
“I said that I hadn’t even kissed the woman I claimed as mine, but when I did, there would be no mistake of my feelings.”
Hattie took in a short breath. “Oh. Yes, I do remember, Robert.”
“I’m going to kiss you now, Hattie. You are my woman. My medicine woman.” He leaned in and cupped her chin, lifting it up to meet his lips. It was a sweet kiss, full of promise, hope and love. He pulled away, but Hattie leaned forward, placing her arms around his neck, extending the kiss. His mustache and beard tickled her, but it didn’t detract from the emotions swirling in her head.
A loud cough broke the spell and Hattie hid her face in Robert’s chest, embarrassed that she kissed him in front of the entire town.
“Well, I never,” said Charlotte Daniels, now appearing from behind the crowd of people.
“Well maybe you should,” Tess said, walking forward to embrace Hattie in a hug.
Hattie heard the knock at the door and smiled. This morning she was going on a picnic with Robert. Yes, Robert. No more Dr. Childs except in the clinic. Robert was taking her back to the lake where they had their luncheon on the way home from the harbor. Kijab spent the previous night at Victoria’s house. He loved being there because she would make him cookies and he knew that Hattie was limiting his sweets. She was thankful her friend took him because it allowed her to take her time getting ready.
It was hard to believe that it was a week ago that Robert confessed his love for her inside the apothecary with most of the town watching. He promised to court her, and court her he did. He spent every day by her side tending patients and making rounds so she could properly train Dr. Tory. He spent every evening with her and Kijab, eating dinner, reading and playing with the small boy. It didn’t take any time before Kijab pointed at him and said “Da.”
Wanted: Medicine Man (Silverpines Book 5) Page 9