Francis just shrugged. He handed her the flowers he still held in his arms. She cradled them all in one arm, and accepted the arm he offered her. They walked further from the house.
"Tell me about your girls. All I really know is they don't have a mother, and Mallie has a broken arm. I know there's a lot more to them than that."
Francis thought about it, not making light of her question. "Mallie is too serious in my opinion. She feels like she needs to be a mother to her younger sisters, and she's only ten. I worry that she doesn't know how to play. She only has very vague memories of her mother, and that upsets her. But she was only four when Katherine died." Francis stared off into the horizon. "Ettie… How do I describe Ettie? She has a lot more playfulness in her than Mallie, but she's still not as playful as I think she should be. I think they all feel like they have to grow up too fast, just because they don't have a mother. Tracy has done her best, but she doesn't live with us. She can't truly be a mother to them."
Iris frowned. "I feel bad for them. I'm not saying you're doing a bad job with them of course, but they seem to need more than what they've got. I'm really surprised you didn't send off for another mail order bride."
Francis shook his head. "My first mail order bride was not happy. She just never — seemed to adjust to life here." He wished he could explain the moroseness Katherine had always lived with. She'd married him. She'd done her duty as a wife and mother, but she'd never been truly happy.
"It's not that way with all mail order brides. Tracy seems perfectly happy. I know my aunt and my sister are both happy as well."
"Oh I know that. I guess I just worry that there's something wrong with me, that no one can be happy with me." He gave a harsh sounding laugh. "I know that probably sounds silly to you, but it's how I feel." He'd once thought he'd make a good husband.
Iris shook her head. "No, I understand. When something doesn't turn out the way you think it should, it's hard to try it again. And truly? I'm glad you haven't remarried." She knew she was being forward by saying that, but it was the truth. And she'd already announced to him that he had a penis, what more could she say?
He stopped walking and turned to her. "You're not just agreeing to go for a drive with me for the girls are you? To keep them from being upset?"
"Not at all." Did he have no idea how handsome he was? "I don't want to go for a drive with the girls. I want to spend time with you. I like your girls, but they're not the main attraction." Was she being too forward by admitting it?
He looked into her blue eyes for just a moment, his hand reaching out to stroke her cheek. "May I kiss you?"
Iris nodded slowly. "Do you always ask first?"
"I've only ever kissed my wife. I don't know." He took a step closer to her, pulling her into his arms. Lowering his head, he brushed his lips across hers. It was no more than a butterfly kiss, their lips barely meeting.
Iris stared up at him as he pulled away. She wanted more from a kiss than that. Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a deeper kiss. She pressed her lips against his, hoping desperately that he'd take control of the kiss from her, because she had no idea what she was doing. She'd never been kissed before.
Francis was startled when Iris pulled him down for another kiss, but he didn't waste the opportunity. He wrapped his arms around her, his tongue tracing her lips until she opened her mouth for him. His tongue immediately stroked inside.
Iris dropped the flowers that she'd been holding against his neck, moving as close to him as she could. As a doctor, she knew about the technical aspects of passion and intercourse, but she'd never imagined that she could feel so much for a man. Her stomach fluttered and she wanted his hands on her body in ways that would shock her mother.
When Francis finally lifted his head, they were both out of breath. He stared down at her. Nothing he'd done with Katherine had ever made him feel like he felt at that moment with Iris in his arms. He swallowed hard. He couldn't tell her that, of course, but he wanted to. He wanted to scoop her up in his arms and carry her off to his bed. Hell, he wanted to lay her down in the field of flowers and make love to her right there. What had she done to him?
Iris stroked Francis's cheek. Her sisters had alluded to how much they enjoyed their marriage beds, but she'd always assumed she wouldn't be able to have those feelings. She was wrong. "I liked that," she whispered.
Francis let out a choked laugh. "You did, did you?" Katherine had tolerated his touch. It seemed odd that Iris would enjoy it.
Iris nodded. "It made my stomach tingle. Do it again!"
Francis shook his head. "You are some woman, Dr. Sullivan." Would he be able to walk away from her if they kept kissing?
"If I'm going driving with you, you need to call me, Iris...Francis."
"Iris. It suits you somehow."
She pulled his head down for another kiss, letting out a disappointed sigh when he pulled away. "I don't want to stop kissing you."
He grinned. "I don't want to stop either, and that's the problem. We have to." He took a deep breath and forced his body back under control. "Let's finish our walk."
Iris nodded, feeling like she was in a daze. How could he make her feel a way that no other man had? Some of the men in medical school had tried to kiss her, but she'd always pushed them away...or stomped on their feet when necessary. She'd never wanted to kiss a man.
As they walked, he asked her about medical school. She explained about the courses she'd had to take, and how everyone had looked down on her, assuming that she'd never be able to keep up. She'd known there were medical schools just for women out east, but she wasn't willing to go that far. She wanted to stay close to home, so she kept her grades up and studied with the men.
"What really makes me crazy is when people assume I'm just a midwife. I can do anything a male doctor can do except relieve myself standing up. Why is that a prerequisite for being a good doctor?"
Francis was once again startled by her earthy speech. "Does your mother know you talk to men in that way?"
Iris had the grace to look ashamed. "I never talked to men that way until after medical school. We dealt so much with the human anatomy and different functions of it, that nothing seems to faze me now."
Francis smiled. "I'm sure I'll get used to it, and I promise not to tell her. Even if I meet her."
Iris looked at where the sun was in the sky. "We should probably get back. I need to get home and fix my supper." She wondered if Edna Petunia would be there before her, or if she'd be in after bedtime.
Francis hated for the day to end. "I'll take you home."
"You don't have to sound so sad about it. I'm sure your brother will take me home if I need him to." Iris wasn't sure what his problem was now. She thought they were doing well.
He shook his head. "I'm just not ready for my time with you to end." He had never been so frank about his feelings, but she'd been honest about hers, and he felt he owed it to her. He'd never particularly wanted to be around Katherine. What was it about Iris Sullivan that made him want to spend every waking moment with her?
"I'm not ready for it to end either. I have to open my office in the morning though. And I know you need to get home with your girls." She sighed. "I'd invite you to stay for supper, but I don't know if Edna Petunia will be home or not. She's off somewhere." Iris was still worried about Edna Petunia's sudden friendship. She hoped the older woman wasn't off getting into some sort of trouble.
Iris thanked Tracy for lunch and hugged the three girls goodbye. "I'm sure I'll see you at church next week," she told them. She wished it could be sooner, but she didn't feel like she had the right to suggest that.
Francis watched Iris with the girls. They looked sad to see her go. "Why don't I pick you and Edna Petunia up for dinner tomorrow night? You could come out to the house. I'm sure Edith wouldn't mind."
Edith, standing across the room listening, shook her head. "I'd love to cook dinner for you."
Iris considered the
offer for a moment before nodding. "I'd like that a lot."
On the drive into town Iris sat closer to him than her mother would've thought appropriate. As soon as they were out of sight of the house, Francis put an arm over her shoulders. "Do you mind?"
Iris smiled. "Not at all."
When they reached the house, he helped her down from the wagon and walked her to the door. He touched her cheek with his forefinger. "I want to kiss you goodbye, but anyone could be watching. I don't want to ruin your reputation."
Iris nodded. "I'm just glad you want to."
He laughed. "At this moment, I can't think of anything I want more." Well, he could, but he wasn't going to be that graphic.
Iris squeezed his hand goodbye and turned and went into the house. The house was devoid of sound, making her assume that Edna Petunia was not home.
She cooked a meal for the two of them, not knowing whether or not Edna Petunia would arrive home in time to eat it. She needed to have a talk with the older woman to find out what she'd been up to.
*****
Edna Petunia had breakfast ready when Iris woke up the following morning. Iris sat at the table looking at her companion. "You were out late. I was already asleep by the time you came in."
Edna nodded, blushing. "I'm here now."
"What did you do all day?" Edna Petunia had blushed. Really? The woman was the queen of saying whatever came into her head, no matter how inappropriate it may be. What was going on?
Edna just shook her head. "I was with a friend."
Iris could tell she was going to get no more information out of the woman. "I had lunch with the Harveys yesterday. They've invited us to dinner tonight. Would you like to go?"
Edna Petunia shook her head. "I have plans."
"All right then. Are you seeing your nieces?" Iris knew that Edna had three nieces who lived not far away in Dalton, Texas.
"No." Edna Petunia said nothing else, putting breakfast on the table. "Do you have any appointments today?"
Iris let the matter drop. "Not really any appointments, and I'm going to stop in and see Francis's sister. She's expecting and not feeling well. She doesn't know we're coming, so I'm not sure what kind of reception we'll receive."
Edna shrugged. "Should be interesting. I thought you weren't here to play midwife."
Iris sighed. "Doctors take care of pregnant women as well. I'm not being a midwife; I'm being a good doctor."
Edna Petunia just grinned. "Whatever you say, Dr. Sullivan."
After breakfast they headed into the office. "I want to go out and see Mattie after lunch. Would you write up a note to put in the window saying 'Out on Call?'"
"I'd be happy to. How will I spend the rest of my morning though?"
"We're going to have lots of patients this morning. You wait and see." Iris knew it wasn't likely, but she needed to remain positive.
Edna just grunted as she made the sign.
They'd been in the office for a little over an hour when someone came in. "I'm looking for Doc Sullivan."
Iris wandered into the waiting area. "I'm Dr. Sullivan."
The man, obviously a cowboy, looked her up and down. "I heard you was a woman."
Iris refused to be intimidated. "Yes, I am. How can I help you?"
"I got thrown from my horse. Banged my head. Boss man said to come to you." He took off his hat, and Iris could see a lump forming at the top of his forehead.
"Follow me." She turned and led him to one of the examining rooms. "Who's your boss?"
"Andy Harvey. He said you fixed up his niece real good." He sat on the table she indicated.
Iris was thrilled to hear the Harveys were spreading word about her services. "And what's your name?"
"I'm Bob. Bob Taylor."
"Well Bob, you did a real number on your head here." She looked into his eyes. "It looks like you may have a concussion."
"Is that serious, Doc?" Bob didn't look terribly concerned.
"It can be. Do you live alone?"
He shrugged. "I live in the bunkhouse with ten other men."
"You need to be woken up periodically through the night," Iris told him. "If you can't be woken up, someone will need to get me immediately." He wasn't bad enough for her to keep him in her clinic overnight, and she was thankful. She didn't want to have to cancel her plans with Francis.
Bob shrugged. "I guess I can get one of the guys to do that."
"In the meantime, go to the ice house and get some ice to put on it. You want the ice broken up into small chunks and wrapped in a towel."
Bob jumped down from the table. "Boss man said he'd pay you."
Iris nodded. "That's fine."
After he was gone, Iris rushed into the reception area. "Edna Petunia!"
Edna looked up at Iris like she was crazy. "What?"
"We're starting to get patients! Patients who aren't pregnant!" Iris took Edna Petunia's hand and pulled her to her feet. She proceeded to dance around her office with her.
Edna shook her head. "Girl, if anyone comes in here and sees us dancing around this way, you're going to be the one going to see a doctor."
Iris ignored her. She was going to celebrate having patients, whether Edna Petunia liked it or not.
After lunch Iris made the drive out to Mattie's house alone. Edna had begged off, claiming she had a headache. She still wasn't certain what kind of reception she would receive, but she grabbed her medical bag and went to the door. She knocked and waited for someone to come to the door.
A tiny blond woman with a huge belly who looked to be around Iris's age opened the door. "Can I help you?" The woman's hair hung in limp ringlets around her face. She looked tired and sick.
"Are you Mattie?" Iris asked.
The woman nodded. "I am. Who are you?"
Iris smiled. "I'm Dr. Sullivan, the new doctor in town. Your brother, Francis, told me you were sick. I told him I'd come check on you."
Mattie sighed. "My brothers worry too much. I'm just pregnant. Women get sick when they're pregnant." She opened the door wide. "Come in and I'll fix you a cup of tea while you're here."
Iris stepped inside, noticing that the house was not nearly as neat as Tracy's had been. "You sit down, and I'll fix the tea." She rolled her sleeves up, making it clear she wasn't taking no for an answer.
Once Mattie was seated at the table, Iris asked, "Do you mind if I fix you my special blend?" She had a ginger tea that she kept with her for expectant mothers. It tended to calm their stomachs.
"Not at all," Mattie responded.
While the water was boiling, Iris washed the dishes that were in the basin. She picked up a few other things around the house as well. "You don't have any children at home?"
Mattie shook her head. "My youngest is the same age as Katie. They're all in school." She patted her stomach. "This one came as something of a surprise."
Iris smiled. "They have a way of doing that, don't they?"
Mattie nodded. "They all surprise me every day."
"How many children do you have?"
"I have four. Joseph, my oldest, is ten. Alex is nine. Benjamin is eight. Matthew is six. We're really hoping for a girl this time."
Iris poured the tea she'd made into cups. "Then I hope you get your girl. My mama had eight girls. She never did have a boy."
"I'm not sure why Francis told you to come out here. I already have a midwife." Mattie took a sip of her tea, watching Iris over the rim.
Iris shook her head. "I'm not a midwife. I'm a fully qualified doctor. He said he was worried about how ill you'd been, and asked if I had anything that would help you."
"So you're a doctor who can take care of broken bones and other things?" Mattie seemed to be shocked by the very idea. "I didn't know women could be doctors."
Iris smiled sweetly. "If they can get a medical school to accept them and do all the work, then they can be doctors. The hard part is to get a medical school to admit that women can be doctors. Often they simply don't accept them because th
ey don't think they're smart enough no matter how well they do in school."" She shrugged, trying to act as if it didn't matter to her.
"I had no idea a woman could be accepted to medical school no matter how hard she tried."
"I had the best grades of anyone in my college class, and I still had to apply three times to get a school to accept me." Iris shook her head. "If a man had the kind of grades I had, there would've been no question. He would've been accepted automatically."
Mattie made a face. "Well that's not fair. I guess it all worked out in the end though, because they finally accepted you."
Iris nodded. "Yes, and I was at the top of my class all through med school as well. I still had a hard time finding a doctor who would teach me as his intern." And an even harder time finding actual work, but she didn't mention that.
Mattie patted her stomach. "If this is a little girl, I sure hope she doesn't go through the same problems trying to live out her dreams."
"Every woman who fights the way things are like I did, will make it easier for the next." Iris took the last of her tea. "While I'm here, would you like me to examine you?"
Mattie seemed to think about it for a moment. "My brother Francis sent you?"
Iris nodded. "Mallie broke her arm last week, and I set it for her. He's telling everyone what a wonderful doctor I am. Andy even sent one of his workers to me with a concussion this morning." She hoped that because Mattie's brothers trusted her, Mattie would trust her as well.
Finally, Mattie nodded. "I guess that would be all right. Will you leave delivering babies to the midwife, or will you be available to deliver babies as well?"
"You can choose to have me or the midwife. Midwives are great for simple uncomplicated births. If there's something wrong with you, then you should see a doctor. A midwife would never be able to perform a cesarean." Iris didn't want to frighten Mattie, but things did sometimes happen, just as they had with Francis's wife. If she were present, and something did happen, she may be able to save Mattie.
"What's that?" Mattie asked.
"Sometimes when the birth is too complicated, the best way to get a baby out is to make an incision in the woman's abdomen to remove the baby. As a doctor, I could perform the operation, and possibly save the life of mother and baby."
Iris (Suitors of Seattle Book 8) Page 5