by Connie Mason
"Is there a doctor in town?"
"There is, but he's worthless," Conner spat, surprising Jess with his sudden ferocity. "The man is always drunk. Had he been worth his salt, my Elsie might be alive today. That's one of the reasons for my offer. You seem to be a responsible young man, one a body could trust with their loved ones."
Conner stopped before a neat little cottage located at the end the business district, far enough away from the saloons to escape the noise and rowdiness.
Jess smiled as he looked over the clapboard cottage with a critical eye. The two-storied white house sat on a large shady lot surrounded by a fence. Jess swung open the gate, making a mental note to fix the squeaky hinges. Conner dug a key from his pocket and unlocked the door.
"Go right in, Doctor. I'll light a lamp so you can take a look around and see if it will suit your purposes."
Jess stepped inside. Conner struck a match to a lamp and led Jess through a rather large parlor that would serve nicely as a waiting room. Off to the side was another, smaller room. Beyond was a kitchen. Conner opened the door to a pantry, and Jess was pleased to note that it held a full compliment of dishes, utensils, and cooking pots. There was even a shiny black cookstove.
"The stove was Elsie's pride and joy," Conner said wistfully. "Everything is just the way she left it. Would you like to see the upstairs?"
Jess nodded and followed Conner up a closed staircase to the second floor. There wasn't much to see. Two fairly large bedrooms with the usual compliment of furniture. Colorful quilts covered the beds and cheerful curtains hung at the windows. Everything was clean and neat as a pin.
"One of Elsie's friends came in to clean after Elsie... Conner's voice cracked. "The outhouse is in the back, well away from the house, and we have our own well. There's even a lean-to for your horse. What do you think, Doc," Conner asked as he led the way back downstairs. "Will it do?"
"Quite well," Jess said, excitement thrumming through him. "The anti room off the parlor will make an excellent examining room and private office. One of the upstairs bedrooms can be used for seriously ill patients needing intensive care. Indeed, your house will suit my purposes extremely well. How much rent are you asking?"
Conner grew thoughtful. "Before tonight and that blasted poker game, I hadn't even considered renting. Let's see," he said, tapping his chin. "Would twenty dollars a month be too much? It's hard to find a decent place these days, you couldn't do any better. A six month lease sounds reasonable to me. And if it's possible, I'd like the first six months rent in advance. I wouldn't ordinarily ask such a thing but I'm desperate for money and collecting it monthly would be nearly impossible with me so far away."
Jess had won six hundred dollars tonight, and a good share of that money was Conner's. If luck was with him, he'd have six months, maybe longer, before anyone suspected he was a wanted man. He could conceivably live here forever if business was good and his past didn't catch up with him.
"I think that's a reasonable request, Conner. Can I move in tonight?"
Conner nodded. "I intended to remain at the station with Elsie's coffin tonight anyway."
Jess counted out one hundred and twenty dollars from his poker winnings and handed it to Conner.
"I'll write out a lease so there will be no question about the legality of our deal," Conner said, moving to the small desk sitting in the corner of the parlor.
He set the lamp down, found what he needed in the desk, and wrote out a document giving Jess a six month lease on his house, making the notation that the rent had been paid in advance. Then he handed it to Jess and they shook hands.
"Should I decide to sell, I'll let you know. Your six months rent can go toward the sale price, if that's all right with you."
"Sounds fair," Jess said, pleased with the deal. "Good luck to you, Mr. Conner."
"And to you, doctor."
Conner took one last look around the pleasant parlor, then quietly departed. Jess felt sorry for the man, but meeting him tonight had been a stroke of luck. In fact, his luck tonight had been phenomenal on all accounts.
Jess led his horse around to the lean-to, unsaddled him and rubbed him down. He made a mental note to stop by the feed store tomorrow when he purchased food for the larder. He also needed to replenish his medicinal supplies, and order what he couldn't find. He supposed a cot would do for an examining table for the time being, until he found something suitable.
Jess still had four hundred and eighty dollars left from his winnings, and that had to pay for food and supplies and hold him over until money started coming in. Hopefully patients would arrive soon after he hung out his shingle. Perhaps a few handbills wouldn't be remiss, he thought as he returned to the house and chose one of the bedrooms for his own.
Jess undressed, doused the lamp, and went to bed. Of all the incredible things that had happened today to make it memorable, the singular thing that stuck out in his mind was holding Meg in his arms and kissing her. He knew she had enjoyed his kisses. She wouldn't have kissed him back or melted in his arms if she'd been repulsed or angry. How could she profess to love Zach and still respond passionately to his kisses? The longer he thought about it the more that relationship puzzled him.
Meg was different from any woman he'd ever known. She was brave, passionate, independent, and thoroughly exasperating. She resisted taking orders and refused to comply with any but her own edicts. For her sake he hoped Zach could convince her to leave bounty hunting to men who were cut out for that kind of work.
Jess awoke early the following morning, ready to begin drumming up business. He strolled down the street and ate breakfast at the Railroad Cafe. Then he visited the nearest newspaper office and ordered a dozen handbills advertising his services.
Jess was delighted to find an apothecary down one of the side streets and was able to find everything he needed for his office, from bandages to laudanum. He made sure the druggist knew he would be ready to receive patients in a day or two.
At the grocery store he introduced himself as the new doctor is town, bought a variety of provisions, and arranged to have them delivered to his house. He felt strongly that word of mouth worked almost as well as handbills in advertising his services. His next stop was the bathhouse, then the barbershop, where he had a shave and haircut, making friends with the customers and inviting them to seek his services when illness struck.
One place Jess steered clear of was the sheriff's office. It was his fervent wish that the local law never learned that he was a wanted man. Jess's final stop before returning home was the cabinetmaker, where he ordered a shingle to hang over his door. The sign was to read, Jess Gentry, M.D. The cabinetmaker promised to have it finished the following day.
Jess spent the rest of the day stowing away his provisions and setting up his office. The first patient arrived unexpectedly shortly after dark, before his shingle was up and he was fully prepared to treat anyone. The patient was a child who couldn't have been more than three years old. He lay whimpering and feverish in his father's arms.
"Are you open for business, Doc?" the man asked. "I'm Ben Dunn, and this here is little Bobby. He's terrible sick, Doc. Mr. Coleman over at the apothecary told me you were the new doctor in town. Can't find old Doc Holloway."
"Bring him in, Mr. Dunn," Jess said, ushering the man into his office.
Jess took the child from his father's arms and laid him down on the cot. He conducted a thorough examination before offering a diagnosis.
"It appears that Bobby has the mumps, Mr. Dunn. It usually runs its course in the young, but I can give him something to ease his symptoms. Does he have brothers and sisters?"
"Not yet, Doc."
"Keep him away from other children until the swelling subsides. "Have you and the missus had the mumps?"
Dunn scratched his thatch of dust colored hair. "Don't rightly know. Is it dangerous?"
"It can be in adults. Keep checking yourselves for swellings beneath the ears and in the groin area. If you or your wife ex
perience fever or any of the symptoms I just mentioned, see me immediately. Mumps is especially hard on adult men.
"If Bobby's fever rises, rub him down with alcohol or cold water. Give him plenty of liquids and keep him quiet. You should see an improvement in a few days."
"Thanks, Doc. Me and Bobby's ma sure were worried. This is our first and we don't want nothing to happen to him. How much do I owe you?"
"Can you pay?"
Dunn's chest puffed out. "I have steady work, I can pay."
"Very well. Is one dollar too much."
Wilcox dug in his pocket and pulled out a silver dollar. "It's not too much, Doc. Much obliged. It's about time Cheyenne had a doctor the citizens can depend upon. My wife will be over one day soon to welcome you to town."
Jess stared at the silver dollar long after Wilcox and his son had departed. It was the first dollar he'd earned at his profession, unless he counted his meager army pay. He'd joined the army right out of medical school, before he'd hung up his shingle. And when he'd tried to practice in Dodge City, the citizens shunned him. It felt damn good to earn money after all those dry years, even if it was only a dollar.
Business picked up daily. Jess was so busy administering to the sick he could only spare brief moments to think about Meg and wonder how she was doing. Jess's reputation grew until everyone in Cheyenne had either heard about or personally met young doctor Jess Gentry. His waiting room was usually filled with patients needing his services, and he was summoned often to make emergency house calls.
Within two weeks Jess had delivered a baby, sewn up dozens of wounds, both minor and serious, and treated various illnesses. He'd also captured the attention of several unmarried ladies who considered the handsome bachelor fair game. Invitations began to pour in. He accepted some, turned down others, but found no woman who could compare favorably to feisty, unconventional Meg.
The first morning Jess found no patients in his waiting room, he decided to visit the apothecary to replenish his supply of medicines. He had just finished his business and was returning to the office when he saw Zach coming out of the Railroad Cafe across the street with a woman on his arm. Thinking it was Meg and eager to see how she was faring, he hailed Zach and hurried across the street.
"Doc!" Zach greeted. "I was planning to visit you today. There's someone I want you to meet. Jess, this is Widow Dowling."
Widow Dowling offered her hand. "My friends call me Mary. I've heard a lot about you, Doctor Gentry. All of it good."
Jess must have made the appropriate reply but he was too dumbfounded to remember. What in the hell was going on here? Where was Meg? What was Zach doing squiring around another woman? Zach even looked different with his hair all slicked down and his beard trimmed.
"May I have a word with you in private, Zach," Jess said, his voice ripe with disapproval.
"Sure thing, Doc. You'll excuse me a minute, won't you, Mary?"
"Of course, Zach," Mary graciously allowed. "I wanted to step into the dry goods store a moment anyway."
"What in the hell is going on, Zach?" Jess demanded to know. "Where's Meg? Does she know what you're about?"
"Hell, Jess, a man's gotta socialize once in a while. Those pills you gave me worked wonders. I feel like a new man. Maybe my heart isn't as bad as I thought it was."
"I'm glad, but what about Meg?"
"Meg's doing just fine, Doc. Back to her old self again. I'm doing my best to convince her to give up bounty hunting."
"You have to do better than that."
"I'm trying, Doc. Got some good news to tell you. I got me a job. One that doesn't tax my leg or my heart. Mr. Henley down at the hardware store needs a clerk. It's a far cry from what I'm use to, but Meg and me need money powerful bad."
Jess sent a dark look at the woman who had just disappeared into the dry goods store. "What's that woman to you?"
Zach sent him a puzzled look. "Mary? We've been friends a long time. Hell, Doc, a widow has needs just like anyone else."
Gorge rose up inside Jess. How could Zach do this to Meg?
"Come out to the house sometime, Doc," Zach invited. "I know you've built up a busy practice in town, but that's no reason to make yourself scarce. Meg misses you. She hasn't said anything but I can tell. She needs to be around young people. Have you thought any more about what we talked about?"
"I'm in no position to marry anyone," Jess asserted. "I can't believe you'd even suggest such a thing, Zach. Don't you have feelings for Meg?"
Zach frowned. "You ain't making sense, Doc. You know how I feel about Meg."
From the corner of his eye, Jess saw Mary returning and bit back his caustic remark.
"Looks like Mary is done shopping," Zach said. "We'll talk later, Doc. Why don't you go out and visit Meg? Tell her not to wait supper for me tonight."
Jess stood with his mouth hanging open as Zach and Mary strolled off arm in arm.
Chapter Six
Jess whirled on his heel and strode away. Rage blinded him to everything but the grinding need to see Meg, to learn if she was aware of Zach's betrayal, and if she were badly hurt by it. Jess reached home in record time. He didn't bother checking to see if he had patients waiting, but went straight to the lean-to and saddled his horse. Meg needed to know about the man she claimed to love, he decided, spurring his horse down the road. Jess had come to like Zach, but this time he'd gone too far.
Jess galloped his horse all the way to Meg's house. He knew he'd ridden his poor mount hard but he was mad, damn mad. At Zach for betraying Meg, and at Meg for letting it happen. Did she have no pride? No sense at all?
He dismounted, tossed his reins over the porch railing and charged up the steps. He stormed into the house without bothering to knock.
"Meg!"
No answer.
"Dammit, Meg, answer me."
Meg came hurrying out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on the apron she wore around her middle. She looked beautifully disheveled and flushed.
"Jess? Whatever is wrong?" Suddenly her face turned white. "It isn't Zach, is it? He's been doing so well lately."
"You're damn right it's Zach, only it's not what you think. Do you know who he's with?"
She sent him a puzzled look. "No, but I can guess. He's with Mary."
Jess sent her a pitying look. "Doesn't that make you angry?"
"Why should it? Zach is a grown man. He's free to do as he pleases. So am I."
He grasped her shoulders and gave her an angry shake. "The man doesn't deserve your love."
"Don't ever say that! Zach saved my life."
"So you said. And you repaid him by becoming his lover. He doesn't deserve you, Meg."
"Zach is not now nor has he ever been my lover," Meg bit out. "You're dense as a doorknob, Jess Gentry!"
Jess stared at her. Her color was high, and her incredible green eyes glittered like brilliant emeralds. He could tell she was angry and he wanted to kiss the pout off her lush lips.
"You're denying you and Zach are lovers?" he hissed.
"Haven't I always denied it?" Meg charged. "You're the one who keeps persisting. Let me go."
He pulled her against him. "Zach said to tell you not to wait supper on him. Though he didn't come out and say it, he'll probably spend the night with the attractive Widow Dowling."
"Zach and Mary have been friends for years. Before I came into his life. Let me go," she repeated.
Jess couldn't explain why he didn't accept Meg's word and let things go at that. But a devil inside him wouldn't let the subject rest. He was like a dog with a bone, digging beneath her denial for the truth.
"If Zach can take another lover, why not you?"
Meg gave him a startled look. "You're not offering yourself, are you?"
"Why not? Lord knows I've tried to treat you as a patient, but I'm not made of stone. I know your body intimately, Meg. I bathed you, took care of your needs. Every time I touched you I forced myself to think of you as someone in need of my services, not as a beautif
ul woman with a body that would tempt a saint. I'm not too proud to admit that I want you, Meg Lincoln, and Zach be damned. Just thinking about you and me together makes me hard as stone."
Meg realized Jess was going to kiss her, and she wanted to turn and run. She didn't.
"You liked my kisses once, Meg."
"You just thought I did."
His gaze desire-darkened gaze settled on her lips. He stared at them for the space of a heartbeat before his mouth came down hard on hers. Her protest became a pitiful mewling sound, one that Meg scarcely realized had come from her own throat. His kiss was hot and intense; a searing mingling of tongues and teeth and unrestrained longing.
Jess broke off the kiss, the golden flecks in his eyes glowing like precious amber as he searched her face. "You want me," he crowed.
Meg expelled a shuddering breath. "No! I don't..."
"Don't deny it, Meg. "You want me as badly as I want you."
He grasped her hand and placed it on his erection. "See what you do to me?"
He grinned knowingly when she snatched her hand away. Then he kissed her again. He touched her breast, not as a doctor's impersonal touch, but that of a lover. Meg felt a coiling fear begin in his stomach and spiral upward. She'd known no man except Arlo and he'd been brutal. In all those years since, she'd sworn that no man would ever get close enough to hurt her again. Yet here she was, acting like a wanton in Jess's arms.
"Jess, I don't want..."
"Yes, you do." His disarming smile turned into a thoughtful frown. "You're not afraid of me, are you? Is Zach a brutal lover? Is that why you're so skittish? I promise you, Meg, I will give you nothing but pleasure. I'd never hurt you. You believe me, don't you?"