Mail Order Brides and The Doctor (A Western Romance Book)(COMPLETED)

Chapter 06

It had been two days since Irene had come to stay at Theodore's house. Each day they had waited impatiently and somewhat anxiously for Theodore's Aunt Erma to show herself. This morning was no different.

"Do you have any patients for today?" Irene asked over breakfast.

She had prepared bacon and eggs for them. It was the last of his bacon, he knew, but he did not mention it. He wasn't sure the store that supplied him with it would allow him any more credit, and he did not want to alarm her over it. He could do without bacon well enough if he had to. Or he would find a way to get some if absolutely necessary.

He thought of the bride token money he'd sent her to come to Elmwood with and wondered if she might have any left. He quickly shook the thought out of his head though. That money was hers to do with as she pleased; it was none of his business whether she even had a penny of it left. It had been almost the last of his money, and if he had not been so desperate, and guaranteed of seeing its return, he never would have parted with it.

"One patient only," he told her. "But not until later in the day."

She looked at him with soft lips. The kiss they had shared in Lucille's living room had driven him nearly mad with passion. He had not been able to sleep the last two nights because of it. Each time when he laid his head down on the pillow and closed his eyes, he could feel only Irene's lips on his, warming his toes, his thighs, his chest. He wanted more of her, and he was beginning to think that he needed her. But she had said nothing of it to him since, and so he assumed she had not felt the same things he had.

It was too bad. If she had felt even one tenth of what he had that day, he suspected he would not be sleeping alone in his bed for the next month, or indeed ever again.

"One patient is better than no patients," she said. "Is it not?"

"It is," he told her and almost added that this one patient was coming in to his offices, which were down the street not far from his home, for nothing other than a simple removal of some stitches which another doctor had given him. The only reason he was not returning to his first doctor was because the man had gone out of town and would not be back for another two days.

When the knock on his door came, it was with both relief and trepidation that he went to answer it. He was expecting to find his aunt on the other side and was surprised to find Deputy Leonard Overton standing there instead.

"Morning," Leonard said politely, tipping his hat to him.

"Morning," Theodore replied.

Lately, it seemed like every time Theodore saw Leonard, the man appeared to be in better shape. He'd lost weight, muscled up, and seemed to have a better outlook on life then he had just a year ago. No one in town knew what to make of the change, but everyone agreed it was for the better.

He heard Irene's chair slide back in the kitchen and a second later she was standing behind him. "What a lovely surprise Aunt–" she began and then started upon seeing Leonard. "Oh, I thought you were Theodore's aunt," she said with a slight laugh.

Leonard smiled at her and extended his hand. "Mrs. Harcourt," he said nodding his head. She smiled and took his hand, shaking it gingerly. "It's nice to see you again," he said to her.

"You've met?" Theodore asked.

Irene nodded. "Yes, when I was here in Elmwood the last time."

Leonard looked at Irene and smiled warmly at her. She returned his smile just as warmly. Something very much like jealousy picked at the corner of Theodore's heart. He pushed it away and motioned for Leonard to come in.

"I was hoping I might have a word with you in your study," Leonard said.

"Certainly," he said, closing the door and excusing them from Irene's presence. Once alone, Theodore turned to him and said, "What can I do for you? Are you having a problem which requires a doctor's attention? I'm happy to look at you here as well as my regular office." He would never have wished any ill upon Leonard, but he admitted to himself that it would be nice to have a patient who actually needed his help.

Leonard sighed unhappily. "Maurice Greene was released from jail a couple nights ago. I wanted to let you know in person. Amos would've come himself to tell you, but Victoria's been real sick this morning. She says that child in her belly is kicking up a storm."

Theodore's lips parted slightly, and his heart began to palpitate, but it had nothing to do with Sheriff Amos Hanson or his wife. "Released?" he said, incredulous.

He nodded gravely. "I'm sorry to tell it to you, but I thought you ought to know as soon as possible in case you... wanted to take some precautions."

"But how is that possible? He had at least another two years, I thought."

Leonard let out a heavy sigh. "The jails in Jefferson City are crowded, and Leonard got involved with some sort of rehabilitation program. Supposed to take criminals and make them right again." He shrugged.

Theodore's throat felt dry. He shook his head and let out an anxious laugh. "If he's lucky enough to have gotten out, he won't take any chances by trying to hurt me. Besides, he has no reason to," he said, busying himself with some items on his desk. There were some papers that needed shuffling, and his pen was just lying there instead of in its drawer where it should have been. He began to move everything around, trying to distract himself.

"That's not what he said at his trial, as I recall," Leonard said.

"But that was months ago now. Surely he's forgotten about me since then."

Leonard shrugged which did nothing to instill him with confidence. "A lot of people in town still think you were in on that robbery with him."

The paper Theodore had been holding in his hand suddenly ripped in half. "I did nothing of the kind," he said. "I saved Maurice's life that day because that is what doctors do, not because I was in on any sort of robbery with him. When he claimed that in court... it was only because was hoping to lessen his own sentence."

Leonard held up his hands in an attempt to placate him. "I'm on your side, Doc. I never thought for one second you had anything to do with that robbery in town. Everyone who knows Maurice knows he's bad news, and I don't blame you for what you did saving him." He let out a breath. "Though if you see him again, and he should need some help, you might want to think about looking the other way." He headed for the door then paused. "You might also want to think about telling your wife about Maurice, just in case he comes looking for you."

Theodore thanked him and walked into the door. When he was gone, Irene asked whether or not everything was okay.

"Everything's fine," Theodore said. "Leonard only wanted to talk to me about... a personal issue."

She smiled at him. "That's a good sign. If the town's head deputy has trust in you with his issues, whether medical or otherwise, then it follows that the rest of the town will come back around to you as well."

Theodore nodded and tried to put on a smile for Irene's sake. Things between them were still tense, and he did not want to make them worse. He had not lie to her just now, not really. Leonard had wanted to speak to him about a personal issue; Irene had not asked whose issue it was.

"I think I'll go out for a while," he told her. "We don't have many autumn days left before winter strikes." He hesitated. "Would you care to come with me?"

She looked as though she were considering it for a moment then shook her head. "Thank you, no. I have some things to do here in the house." They stood awkwardly together for a moment then went their separate ways.