though not exactly wealthy, was comfortable enough financially to provide for her niece. But she had found that Aunt Mabel was reluctant to give her money or buy her new clothes.
“Greg, Aunt Mabel was kind enough to give me a home with her, and to feed me, but that’s about all. I—I’m trying to find some sort of work here in town, but so far, no one seems to be hiring young ladies with no experience.”
Greg rubbed his chin. “Cassandra, I—I don’t want to embarrass you. Please don’t be offended at what I’m about to offer. Would you let me supply you with some money until you can get a job?”
As he spoke, he pulled a money clip out of his pocket, removed several bills of currency, counted them, and extended them to her. “Here’s two hundred dollars.”
Cassandra blushed, putting on a false face of humility. “Oh, Greg, I … I really shouldn’t let you do this.”
He took hold of her hand, placed the bills against her palm, and closed her fingers over them. “I want to help you. Please accept it.”
She looked down at the bills, then back at him. Tears flowed freely again. “I—I don’t know how to thank you.”
“No need. It’s my pleasure. And when you need more, I want you to let me know, okay?”
“Oh, I could never—”
“Cassandra, promise you will let me know when you needmore. It may take time for you to get a job, so I want your promise.”
Her heart was thumping her rib cage. Putting a look of humility in her teary eyes, she nodded. “All right, if you say so.”
Greg smiled. “I say so.”
“You will never know what this means to me.”
“I’m just glad I can do it.” He looked up toward the moon. “Well, we’d better go. I don’t want your aunt to be upset at me for getting you home late.”
Moments later when she was seated comfortably in the buggy and they were headed back toward town, Cassandra gloated within herself at her success in winning Greg over. Soon she would get him to propose.
NINE
E ric Cox stood on the opposite side of his wife’s bed from Dr. Dane and Tharyn Logan as Tharyn held Nelda’s hand and the doctor gave them the details of their upcoming trip to Denver next Monday, July 18.
Dr. Dane explained the details of the surgery, making sure they both understood the use of the ivory ball.
When the doctor had finished his explanation, Eric said, “Then we’ll plan on leaving at seven o’clock on Monday morning as you said, Doctor.”
Dr. Dane nodded. “That will get us to Mile High Hospital by about one o’clock in the afternoon. Nelda will be given a nice room and bed so she can rest until surgery time Wednesday morning.”
Eric smiled. “It was awfully nice of Dr. Carroll to make reservations for you two and myself at the hotel. I’m going to pay for your room, too.”
Dr. Dane shook his head. “You don’t need to do that.”
“Oh yes, I do. It is part of your expense so you and Tharyn can perform Nelda’s surgery. That’s the way it’s going to be.”
“But—”
“No ‘buts.’ I said I’m paying for your hotel room.”
Dr. Dane grinned. “Well, if you insist.”
“I insist.”
“No sense arguing with my husband, Doctor,” said Nelda, her face contorted with pain. “He’s stubborn as a mule.”
The doctor grinned again. “I just found that out. Well anyway, Nelda, I know this will be a long ride for you, so I’ll be renting a special carriage from Central City’s stable for the trip. I’ve rented them before when taking patients to Denver to do surgery on them at the hospital. These carriages have a flat, padded place in the center where you can lie at least reasonably comfortably during the trip. But I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.”
Nelda looked at her husband and back to the doctor. “Yes, sir?”
“I’m going to give you a good dose of laudanum just before we pull out on Monday morning. It will ease the pain that you most surely will experience on the rough roads. The laudanum will
“Greg, Aunt Mabel was kind enough to give me a home with her, and to feed me, but that’s about all. I—I’m trying to find some sort of work here in town, but so far, no one seems to be hiring young ladies with no experience.”
Greg rubbed his chin. “Cassandra, I—I don’t want to embarrass you. Please don’t be offended at what I’m about to offer. Would you let me supply you with some money until you can get a job?”
As he spoke, he pulled a money clip out of his pocket, removed several bills of currency, counted them, and extended them to her. “Here’s two hundred dollars.”
Cassandra blushed, putting on a false face of humility. “Oh, Greg, I … I really shouldn’t let you do this.”
He took hold of her hand, placed the bills against her palm, and closed her fingers over them. “I want to help you. Please accept it.”
She looked down at the bills, then back at him. Tears flowed freely again. “I—I don’t know how to thank you.”
“No need. It’s my pleasure. And when you need more, I want you to let me know, okay?”
“Oh, I could never—”
“Cassandra, promise you will let me know when you needmore. It may take time for you to get a job, so I want your promise.”
Her heart was thumping her rib cage. Putting a look of humility in her teary eyes, she nodded. “All right, if you say so.”
Greg smiled. “I say so.”
“You will never know what this means to me.”
“I’m just glad I can do it.” He looked up toward the moon. “Well, we’d better go. I don’t want your aunt to be upset at me for getting you home late.”
Moments later when she was seated comfortably in the buggy and they were headed back toward town, Cassandra gloated within herself at her success in winning Greg over. Soon she would get him to propose.
NINE
E ric Cox stood on the opposite side of his wife’s bed from Dr. Dane and Tharyn Logan as Tharyn held Nelda’s hand and the doctor gave them the details of their upcoming trip to Denver next Monday, July 18.
Dr. Dane explained the details of the surgery, making sure they both understood the use of the ivory ball.
When the doctor had finished his explanation, Eric said, “Then we’ll plan on leaving at seven o’clock on Monday morning as you said, Doctor.”
Dr. Dane nodded. “That will get us to Mile High Hospital by about one o’clock in the afternoon. Nelda will be given a nice room and bed so she can rest until surgery time Wednesday morning.”
Eric smiled. “It was awfully nice of Dr. Carroll to make reservations for you two and myself at the hotel. I’m going to pay for your room, too.”
Dr. Dane shook his head. “You don’t need to do that.”
“Oh yes, I do. It is part of your expense so you and Tharyn can perform Nelda’s surgery. That’s the way it’s going to be.”
“But—”
“No ‘buts.’ I said I’m paying for your hotel room.”
Dr. Dane grinned. “Well, if you insist.”
“I insist.”
“No sense arguing with my husband, Doctor,” said Nelda, her face contorted with pain. “He’s stubborn as a mule.”
The doctor grinned again. “I just found that out. Well anyway, Nelda, I know this will be a long ride for you, so I’ll be renting a special carriage from Central City’s stable for the trip. I’ve rented them before when taking patients to Denver to do surgery on them at the hospital. These carriages have a flat, padded place in the center where you can lie at least reasonably comfortably during the trip. But I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.”
Nelda looked at her husband and back to the doctor. “Yes, sir?”
“I’m going to give you a good dose of laudanum just before we pull out on Monday morning. It will ease the pain that you most surely will experience on the rough roads. The laudanum will
Similar Books
