Chapter 20
Doctor Sullivan’s piercing green eyes held Lily’s gaze with such intensity that she squirmed under his scrutiny. He could see clear through to her soul, she knew he could. And, from the look on his face, he hesitated to state what he saw.
The man’s shoulder length dark hair and beard sprinkled with gray made him appear kind, but she sensed steel beneath the friendly exterior. Being a doctor in these parts wouldn’t do for anyone without an unbendable backbone or stomach impervious to the sights and smells he must witness. Her current ailment must seem tame to him, although a calamity for her.
Now, he stroked his beard with a thoughtful sigh.
Violet had insisted on sending for him and she felt so miserable that she’d agreed. Now, she wished she’d resisted.
Whatever came from this man’s mouth would surely change her life.
Time to take the upper hand.
“I shouldn’t have let my sisters ask you to come. It is, as you very well see, totally unnecessary.” She smoothed down the front of her skirt with a firm hand. No fire burned in the hearth but the air in the parlor warmed her cheeks. Drawing a deep breath took effort, as well. The sooner she got the man to leave, the better. She needed to lie down. “I do thank you for coming and apologize for taking up your time.”
A knock sounded on the door. It opened slowly and Violet poked her head in.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” She glanced from one face to the other, then looked at the doctor. “Will my sister recover? I am concerned, as you can imagine.”
The man’s southern charm put Lily at ease, even when her situation did not. It seemed he did the same for her sister, who joined them when he waved a hand for her to enter. She closed the door and crossed the room.
She did not appreciate being looked down on, so she patted the cushion beside her. When the other woman sat, the air seemed even warmer but hopefully it would only be for a moment. Surely, the doctor would take his leave soon.
“Sister, did the doctor tell you he’s from the south, too? He served in the war, same as our father and brother did.” She clasped her hands near her heart and glowed. “It is such a comfort to have a southern gentleman here in Wylder to look after us all.”
It hit her that her sister and the doctor were cozy. How well did they know each other?
Time to throw the focus off her and onto another spot. “Tell me, have you been unwell since moving here?”
Violet shook her head. Her smile diminished a little. “No, of course not. Why do you ask?”
“It seems as if you and the doctor are well acquainted. I merely wondered if you’ve been ill, and perhaps reluctant to worry the family. You’re sure you haven’t kept something from us?”
She pulled her features into what she hoped showed worry. Hard to tell its effectiveness when the warmth suffocated her, and she dreamed of escaping the room.
“Nothing of the sort, I assure you.” She shot the doctor a tiny smile. “Doctor Sullivan and I are acquaintances. This is a small town, you know. Everyone knows everyone, almost.”
He returned the smile and ran a slow hand over his beard again. It seemed habitual, and she got the impression the man didn’t realize he stroked the facial covering so often.
“Well, as we’ve known each other for nearly as long as you’ve been in town, I would hope we’re friends by now, instead of merely acquaintances.” He shrugged, and his broad shoulders stretched the fabric of the dark jacket he wore. “Actually, I think of you as family, if I’m not making you uncomfortable by sayin’ that. I stood shoulder to shoulder with your kin in the stand against the north and in my book that makes us more than friends.”
Violet reached out and placed her hand on the arm of the chair he occupied. Her eyes glistened and her voice came hardly above a whisper. “I feel the same, Coyote. You were one of the first people I met in town and you were so kind to me when I could barely remember my name. I will be forever grateful for that compassion.”
Enough with the reminiscing! The man must leave—quickly, before all this sentiment turned her stomach over again and made her ill.
“So you were unwell when you arrived? Like my ailment, I imagine.” She waved a dismissive hand. “I’m sure this will pass, the way it did for you. A matter of time, is all.”
The doctor’s eyebrows shot up. “I met your sister after she nearly froze to death in a snowbank several months after her arrival in Wylder. I admit, I should have attempted to make her acquaintance earlier but there are so many who require my care that sometimes it’s hard to do so.” He tugged on his beard and shook his head. “I’m getting sidetracked. But Violet did not show any signs of distress, other than being deep chilled and in need of rest when I first called on her.”
“That’s true, Lily. I did not have any stomach sickness, the way you do now. Not at all.”
She took a deep breath. “Well, then I suppose it’s a matter of time before I recover. Right, Doctor? Some rest and time will settle this?”
Now he inhaled deeply. He steepled his fingers, his elbows on the arms of the chair, and sat back. They looked at each other for what felt like an hour. Only a few heartbeats, she knew, but the man’s penetrating gaze made her wriggle again. She did not like feeling like a worm on a hook.
“Miss Bloom, I suppose you might say that yes, it is a matter of time before this is taken care of.” He glanced at her sister, then met her gaze again. “And I’m going to assume that you sisters are close enough for me to speak freely. There’s really no way to hide the truth, anyhow. Violet will learn of your condition as the weeks pass.”
Her sister grabbed her hand and held it in a death grip. “Oh, no! Whatever is wrong with Lily, we will find a way to cure her. I don’t have much in the way of funds, but I can sell this house to pay for specialists. What do we need to do? Coyote, help us, please!”
He leaned forward and put out a hand to stop her but when a schoolteacher gets a head of steam under her, it’s near impossible to interrupt. Violet had been that way even as a child, so Lily shook her head and waved the doctor’s hand away.
“You’ve got to let her run herself out.” She twisted her hand from her sister’s tight grasp. “You’re hurting me. The doctor will have to treat me for broken fingers if you don’t leave off.”
“I didn’t mean to do it.” She turned her attention to the man sitting across from them. “What’s wrong with her?”
He offered a kind smile. “Your sister is expecting a child. I’d say she’s a couple of months along—and in perfect health. The sickness should leave off soon. It’s perfectly normal for a woman to feel queasy when she’s in the family way.”
“Expecting!” The other woman’s head whipped around so fast a hair pin went flying. “Lily—you’re with child?”
The air in the room grew warmer. Now, a buzzing noise pushed its way into her head, as if a swarm of honeybees danced beside her ear.
She did not feel ill. In fact, for the first time since she’d journeyed westward, calmness swept over her. A welcome sensation given the turbulence of the past few months. She settled into the sticky, noisy ocean of serenity, sliding beneath its surface without a care.
And then, her eyes rolled up and she fell forward.