The Doctor's Lady
Page 33
They traveled with the caravan to the Rendezvous meeting spot at Green River and discovered that Parker had left them without any instructions except one letter. McLeod of the Hudson Bay Company led them the rest of the distance to Fort Walla Walla, although they did split into two parties before crossing the Blue Mountains.
Many of the incidents of the trip—Narcissa picking up the prickly pears, Marcus offering her the cup of milk, Marcus building the shelter out of their saddle blankets, eating the stale buffalo meat, sitting in the fleas, leaving Narcissa’s trunk behind—are all historic facts and are penned in fascinating detail by Narcissa herself in her diaries.
Richard and John, the Nez Perce Indians, were real people who traveled east with Marcus from his first exploration trip. And they were a great help to the missionaries during their seven long months of traveling to Oregon Country. Because cholera was often a significant problem for those who traveled west, I added it to this story, along with John’s death.
Was Narcissa infertile? Probably to a degree, but not to the extent to which I’ve portrayed. We do know that she went on to have one daughter, Alice, who tragically died in a drowning accident outside their mission home when she was only two years old. Narcissa never had any more children of her own. But she did open her arms and home to many orphan children, possibly one very much like David, whom I placed in her life for the purposes of this story. She adopted Indian children as well as immigrant children whose parents died in the overland journey. God filled her heart and life to overflowing with children.
Both Narcissa and Marcus were willing to give their lives for the people they’d come to love. When he said these words to Richard, “Maybe I’ll die in my efforts to save your people. I’m willing to do that. To sacrifice my very life if need be,” little did he know that eleven years after starting the mission, a band of disgruntled Nez Perce would murder him and Narcissa in their home.
Narcissa and Marcus’s marriage may have started out as one of convenience, but in a letter to her mother Narcissa says this about Marcus: “If I had looked the world over, I could not have found one more careful and better qualified to transport a female such a distance.”
Most inspiring are these words she wrote: “I have not one feeling of regret at the step which I have taken but count it a privilege to go forth in the name of my Master, cheerfully bearing the toil and privation that we expect to encounter.”
May you be encouraged and inspired by her bravery to know that in whatever path you are traversing, no matter how difficult, the Master will walk alongside you, helping you each step of the way.
Acknowledgments
While the writing of a book may be a solitary endeavor, getting a book ready for publication is a team effort. There were many, many people who worked on The Doctor’s Lady, and I am deeply grateful for each person who helped at one stage or another.
I must give special recognition to my Bethany House editors Dave Long and Sharon Asmus for their dedication to me and this story. They believed in me, went above and beyond the call of duty, and pushed me hard (sometimes painfully so) to make this story the best it could be.
I’d also like to thank my critique partner and talented historical romance novelist, Keli Gwyn. She deserves a medal of honor for thoroughly critiquing my book not once but twice (and in some places even three times). Her attention to detail and her suggestions were an enormous blessing, not to mention her faithful and loving encouragement in everything I do.
Last but not least, I’d like to thank my husband. Without his daily support and help, I would not be able to accomplish nearly as much as I do. He’s willing to pitch in and do anything that needs to be done so that I have time to fulfill my dream of writing amidst the very busy life of mothering and homeschooling our five children.
Thank you, Readers, for taking the time to join me in this adventure west with Priscilla and Eli. I would love to hear from you! In fact, hearing from readers is one of the best things about being an author. Here are several ways you can connect with me:
Mail: Jody Hedlund
P.O. Box 1230
Midland, MI 48641
Website: JodyHedlund.com
Email: jodyhedlund@jodyhedlund.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJodyHedlund
Twitter: @JodyHedlund
JODY HEDLUND is a historical romance novelist and author of the bestselling book The Preacher’s Bride, which won the 2011 Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers. She received a bachelor’s degree from Taylor University and a master’s from the University of Wisconsin, both in social work. Currently she makes her home in Michigan with her husband and five busy children.
Books by Jody Hedlund
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The Preacher’s Bride
The Doctor’s Lady