Iris (Suitors of Seattle Book 8)

by Kirsten Osbourne

  Mattie shook her head. "That doesn't sound safe."

  Iris sighed. "It's the only option if a woman can't safely deliver vaginally. A natural birth is always best, but I think it's best to have a doctor present just in case."

  "So you think for most women, it's better to have a midwife deliver?"

  "Usually. It's just safer if a doctor is standing by." Iris wasn't trying to change Mattie's mind about using a midwife. She just wanted her to understand that sometimes a doctor could make things safer.

  Mattie stood up. "The midwife usually examines me in the bed. Do you want to do that too?"

  Iris nodded. "That's fine." She picked up her bag, and followed Mattie into her bed. "When are you due?

  "I have another month or two."

  After the examination, Iris gave Mattie some of the ginger tea she kept with her. "Some women are just sick throughout their entire pregnancy. I think you'll find if you drink this tea three times a day, you'll feel a lot better."

  "But the baby seems healthy?"

  Iris patted Mattie on the shoulder. "You both seem very healthy."

  Mattie instantly looked relieved. "Would you mind if I send someone to get you when my time came?"

  Iris smiled. "I'd be delighted."

  As Iris got into her buggy to drive back to town, she thought about how thrilled she was that she'd gotten to know the Harvey family.

  Chapter Five

  Francis arrived to pick Iris up and take her to his house in the early evening. "I could have driven my buggy out there." She liked having the time with him without the girls, but she hated that he had to waste so much time to come and get her.

  Francis helped her into the wagon, and climbed in beside her. "I don't mind coming to get you. It gives us some time alone." He looked around. "Is Edna Petunia coming?"

  Iris shook her head. "She said she had plans again. I have no idea what that old woman is doing, and I'm really kind of afraid to find out."

  Francis looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Did you bring her here with you?"

  "Yes. Edna Petunia is from Seattle as well."

  "If you're afraid to find out what she's doing, didn't you know how she was before you moved here with her?"

  Iris shrugged. "Yes, I knew. She was my sister's traveling companion before Violet married. She kind of made herself part of the family after that. My mother didn't want me taking my first assignment alone, so I hired Edna Petunia as my nurse. Mama was really frightened at the idea of me living alone."

  "Does she know Edna Petunia? I don't know that I'd have let my daughter move somewhere with only Edna as a companion."

  Iris laughed softly. "Oh she's usually harmless. She's just a bit — odd."

  Francis thought calling Edna Petunia odd was putting things extremely mildly. "She is that." He didn't want to offend her by insulting her nurse and companion.

  "She's been a really good friend to me. I don't know that Violet would have been nearly as happy on her trip to New York without Edna Petunia either."

  Francis really didn't want to spend the entire evening talking about the old woman. "Do you have any idea who she's seeing?" He really needed to know the answer to that before he moved on. He'd heard rumors, and he wondered if they were true.

  "I have no idea. I've only seen her with someone that I don't know one time. That's when we were in the wagon together heading out for me to treat Mallie's broken arm. Did you know the man with her?"

  "That was Cletus Sanders. He lives in the woods year-round. No one's quite sure what he does and why he does it, but he comes into town every couple of weeks to stock up on chewing tobacco. He is a strange one." They were out of town, and Francis pulled over to the side of the road. "Why are you sitting so far away?"

  Iris smiled, scooting across the seat to sit next to him, her thigh against his. "I didn't want anyone in town to get the wrong idea."

  "What wrong idea? That I'm courting you? That wouldn't be the wrong idea."

  Iris smiled. "You are?"

  He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I thought we settled this last night."

  Iris shrugged. "I wasn't sure how you'd feel today." She'd always had a lot of confidence in certain things, but her ability to be in a relationship was not one of them.

  He cupped the base of her neck with his hand, leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. "I feel like God was smiling down on me when he sent you to Nowhere, Texas."

  Iris smiled. "I feel the same way."

  When they reached his house, the girls were all waiting for her. Mallie was bouncing up and down on her heels. "It's so good to see you, Dr. Sullivan." The girl rushed forward and gave Iris an awkward one armed hug.

  Iris waited for Francis to come around and help her down. "Nice to see you too, Mallie. How's the arm feeling?"

  "Better."

  Ettie and Katie came close as well. Katie threw her arms around Iris. "I'm glad you came to eat supper with us, Dr. Sullivan."

  Iris hugged the youngest girl back. "What are we having for supper?"

  Katie shrugged. "Edith said it was something special, and I would like it. I was afraid to ask too many questions, or she might not let me eat it."

  Iris laughed. "I'm sure Edith lets you eat everything she cooks."

  Katie smiled sweetly. "But I never know what she's going to do next time." She leaned forward and whispered, "She's sneaky."

  "You're a silly girl Katie."

  Katie nodded. "Sometimes being silly is fun."

  Francis offered his arm to Iris. "This is a silly way to court. With three little girls following us everywhere."

  "I wouldn't have it any other way. I need to get to know your girls too." She stepped into the kitchen, which was a great deal cleaner than it had been the first time she'd seen it. "Dinner smells wonderful Edith."

  Edith turn from the stove with a smile. "I just hope it tastes as good as it smells."

  Iris wondered what Francis had told the girls about why she'd come to dinner. Had he admitted that they were courting?

  Ettie answered the question before she could even ask it. "Are you going to marry our pa?"

  Iris blushed, wondering how she should answer that question. "I don't really know. Would you like me to?"

  Ettie nodded silently. "Yes please."

  Mallie moved over beside her sister. "We all want you to marry Pa."

  Francis walked over and shook his head at the girls. "Wash your hands before supper."

  Iris looked at Francis with a smile. What could she say to him now that his girls had tried to get her to be their mother? "I like your girls."

  "I'm not certain, but I think they like you as well." He winked at her.

  When they sat down at the table, Iris couldn't help but think about the family dinners that they'd had in the Sullivan home back in Seattle. Right about this time, Jasmine would have had to throw some food at someone else, and then she would have immediately blamed it on someone else entirely. Her sister had always made family meals interesting, and sometimes unpleasant. She waited for a biscuit to be lobbed across the table, but when it didn't happen, she began eating.

  Edith had made a roast, mashed potatoes, carrots, biscuits, and there was a pie sitting on the worktable for dessert. "This is wonderful, Edith." Iris had learned from a young age that she should always compliment her hostess.

  Edith smiled. "My ma has been teaching me to cook for years."

  "She's done a good job."

  "Thank you." Edith seemed pleased. She turned to Francis. "Uncle Fwansis?"

  Iris looked at Edith in surprise. She'd spoken perfectly until she said Francis's name. Why was that?

  "Yes?" Francis looked at Edith.

  "I...um...well I have a young man coming by to take me for a drive this evening. I didn't think you'd mind since Dr. Sullivan will be here to help you." Edith seemed nervous to broach the topic with Francis.

  Francis frowned. "Who is it? Where are you going? Does your pa know about this?"

/>   "Samuel Garrity. He goes to our church. He's a ranch hand. Yes, Pa knows. We're just going for a drive. Probably along the river for a bit." Edith held her breath, waiting for an answer.

  "Samuel Garrity? Is he new to town? I don't know him." Francis shook his head slowly. "I don't know if this is a good idea."

  Edith sighed. "Pa likes him. We've been courting for a few weeks now."

  "Then why hasn't he been by yet? If he cared, he'd have come by." Francis knew he was being unreasonable, but he felt like Edith was practically his child. Besides, he needed practice for when his girls thought they were old enough to court.

  Iris tried not to laugh at the way Francis was reacting to his niece courting. She could only imagine what would happen when Mallie started going on drives with men.

  "He didn't come by, because I left a note for Pa to give him asking him not to when he went by to pick me up last Monday. I told him I needed a little time to settle in here, and that I'd contact him soon."

  "How did you contact him then?"

  Edith shook her head in exasperation. "Pa took him a note for me last night after you said you were having Dr. Sullivan over for supper tonight."

  "We can't ask our guest to do the dishes!" Francis knew he was grasping at straws, but he couldn't let her go. He'd feel as if he'd failed as an uncle.

  "Ettie and Katie are perfectly capable of doing the dishes. They've been helping me with them since I got here." Edith finished her dinner and stood up, walking around the table to her uncle. She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "I'll be back before nine. Can you wait until then to take Dr. Sullivan home?"

  Iris bit her lip, still fighting laughter. When Francis didn't answer right away, she said, "That would work fine for me, Edith. And please, call me Iris."

  Edith made a face. "Oh, I couldn't do that. You're a doctor!"

  Iris felt like she was destined to never hear her first name again at that moment. "Your mother said the same thing. Do I need to call you Miss Harvey?"

  Katie smiled, reaching over and taking Iris's hand from the table. "I like it when you call me Miss Harvey."

  Iris laughed, reaching out to tap Katie's nose with her index finger. "Then I will call you Miss Harvey. It would be terribly confusing if I called your cousin that as well, wouldn't it?"

  Katie nodded, giggling.

  Edith nodded. "I'll call you Iris." She looked at Francis. "Don't worry about me Uncle Fwansis. I'll be fine. I'm a big girl."

  "I just don't like it. I want to meet him before you go anywhere with him." Francis frowned at Iris as if he blamed her for his niece wanting to court someone.

  Iris just smiled at him. "Four of my sisters were married by the time they were her age. Three had given birth. I think you need to let her go for a drive." She winked at Edith. "I'll help get the girls in bed. You have a good time with Samuel."

  Edith rushed around the table and kissed Iris on the cheek as well. "Thank you, Dr...I mean Iris."

  Mallie bounced in her seat. "Dr. Iris! I like that!"

  Iris grinned. "I guess that works for me. Dr. Iris."

  Iris watched as Edith slipped her shawl over her shoulders and hurried out the door. Francis stood up and followed her. Iris rolled her eyes and started to clear the table with the two younger girls.

  Mallie looked down at her arm with frustration. "I wish I could help."

  Iris laughed softly. "I'm sure you'll do your share of dishes when your arm is healed. Don't worry."

  Francis looked at the younger man in the wagon. "I'm Francis Harvey."

  Samuel got down and rushed to the house, holding his hand out. "I'm Samuel Garrity. It's nice to meet you, sir."

  "What are your intentions toward my niece?" Francis asked, his voice harsh.

  "Tonight, I intend to take her for a drive along the river. When I have enough money saved to buy my own spread and build her a house, I intend to make her my bride, if she'll have me."

  Edith rushed to Samuel's side, taking his arm. "You know I'll have you, Samuel."

  Francis sighed. His intention to drive them apart seemed to be backfiring. "Have her home not a minute later than nine. You hear me?"

  "Yes, sir. I'd never do anything to hurt her reputation." Samuel helped Edith into the wagon. "We'll be back soon. I'll take good care of her."

  Francis watched as they drove off before stomping into the house. He couldn't believe his brother was letting his baby girl go out with men that way. What was he thinking?

  Iris was sitting at the table talking quietly to Mallie while his younger girls were taking care of the dishes. Ettie was washing while Katie dried.

  He walked to the table and sat beside Iris, gripping her hand under the table where his girls couldn't see.

  Mallie quit talking as soon as he sat down. She looked down at her lap.

  "Is something wrong?" Francis asked, looking between Mallie and Iris.

  Iris smiled, shaking her head. "Just girl talk." Mallie had asked her about a boy she had a crush on at school, listening intently to Iris's advice to just keep playing together at recess.

  "What kind of girl talk?" he asked, frowning. Had Mallie been hiding something from him? "What did you ladies talk about while I was out on the porch trying to frighten Mr. Garrity?"

  Mallie's eyes were wide as she looked at her pa. "Why were you trying to scare Edith's beau, Pa?"

  Francis shrugged. "Why won't you tell me what you were talking about?"

  Mallie frowned, looking down.

  Iris shook her head at Francis. "I can't tell you. I was having a private discussion with my patient. I can't betray her trust in me."

  Francis looked between his oldest daughter and Iris. What kind of secret could a ten year old girl be having that she was afraid for her father to know? Was Iris teaching her to use her feminine wiles? "Would you tell me if it was something I needed to know?"

  Iris nodded. "If I thought she could be hurt in any way, I would tell you immediately."

  He was fortunate to have Iris as the woman his daughter confided in, and he knew it. She was a good friend to his daughter and a good...lady friend to him. He knew he wanted her in his life for as long as he could have her. He couldn't say that he loved her, because he'd known her for such a short time, but she was definitely good for him and his children.

  "I trust you," he finally said, making it clear that he wasn't suspicious of her. He didn't want her to think that she had to be careful to guard her words around him.

  Iris squeezed the hand that held hers under the table. "I'm glad."

  Mallie's eyes lit up as she watched them. "Pa, shouldn't you have brought flowers to Dr. Iris? Isn't that what a man does when he courts a woman?"

  Iris hid her grin, looking at Francis and waiting for his answer. She knew Mallie was making him uncomfortable, but she didn't care. She wanted to know his answer.

  "Well, um, I don't know what her favorite flower is," Francis said, running a hand along the back of his neck. Courting was hard enough when it was just a man and a woman. How was he going to be able to make it work with three young girls always around?

  Mallie looked at her father as if he'd lost his mind. "Probably irises."

  Francis closed his eyes for a moment, feeling like the biggest oaf alive. Iris's next words didn't help. "What did you think it was? Marigolds?"

  "I feel like an idiot for not just knowing that," he mumbled.

  Iris laughed, leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder for a moment. "Don't. I could prefer roses or lilies or daisies."

  "You could, but I can see why you don't." He looked at her, trying to remember which flower was an iris. He had no idea. "I don't even know what an iris looks like," he finally admitted.

  "Well, I'm not an artist like my sister, Violet, but I can draw an iris easily enough. Do you have paper and a pencil?" Violet had loved art so much that if Iris wanted time with her sister who was closest to her in age, she had to be willing to do something that had to do with art.

 
Mallie jumped up to get the paper and pencil, bringing it to the table and placing it in front of Iris with her good hand. "I like to draw," Mallie said shyly as she watched Iris pick up the pencil.

  "I'll have to introduce you to my sister then," Iris said as she made swift strokes on the paper with the pencil. When she was finished, she moved the paper over in front of Francis. "It's a purple flower. Very pretty actually."

  Francis nodded as he looked at the drawing. She was a better artist than she let on. "I think I know the flower you're talking about."

  Iris shrugged. "My sister could have done a much better job. Violet is so good with a paintbrush. She's been painting since we were both tiny. I think I was three when she got her first easel. She hasn't stopped painting since."

  Mallie smiled. "I would love to have an easel." She looked at her father. "Maybe for my birthday, Pa?"

  Francis looked at Mallie, surprised by her words. He'd had no idea his oldest daughter was interested in art. "Maybe." He wouldn't even know where to find an easel. Maybe there would be one in the Sears and Roebuck catalogue he could order. "Your birthday isn't for several months anyway."

  Mallie nodded. "I know, but it's nice to think about it."

  Iris smiled at Mallie. "What else would you like for your birthday?"

  Mallie tilted her head to the side and thought about it. "A new dress! One that I get to go to the store and pick out the fabric for. Aunt Tracy always makes my dresses, but she doesn't like to go to the store on Saturdays, because it's too busy. So she goes during the week while I'm in school. I've never picked out my own dress before."

  Iris nodded. She couldn't sew at all, but Edna Petunia could. She could even make her a nice hat to go with the dress, since she'd been a hat maker most of her life.

  "Pa's birthday is next," Mallie told Iris. "It's next week."

  Iris looked at Francis. "It is? What do you want for your birthday?"

  Francis had been watching Iris and how well she handled Mallie, thinking that all he wanted in life was for this woman to marry him, be a mother to his girls, and a good wife to him. He could picture waking up next to her every morning. He knew it was too soon to ask, but he didn't really want to wait.