sip of tea and said in an offhand way, “It’s just all the news back east.”
“What news?” Mrs. Hosmer asked.
“About the sickness, of course,” Sally began delicately. “The news sheets are full of the accounts. Pioneers on the trail catching cholera and other horrible diseases from Indians. Whole families have died. It’s tragic. Children are apparently the most susceptible.”
Mrs. Staroselsky’s gaze flicked over to the quiet cradle, and the cabin seemed to hum with fear.
“Physicians are recommending limiting contact if possible.” Sally paused deliberately, turning to me. “I seem to recall hearing your father mentioning something similar.”
I stared at her. That had been Papa’s opinion. He never let me near patients who had cholera or smallpox.
“Jane,” Mrs. Hosmer began in a nervous voice, “wasn’t there an epidemic last year? Isn’t that how your little friend Sootie lost her mother?”
All eyes were on me, and my tongue seemed to swell in my mouth.
“But it wasn’t their fault, and this is the frontier. If we’d had proper medical …” I let my voice trail off.
There was an uncomfortable moment of silence as all the women looked down at their laps.
All except Sally, who smiled at me and said, “That’s precisely what I’m saying. You’re so
very
brave, Jane.”
I remained behind a few moments to help Mrs. Staroselsky tidy up, and by the time I left for the hotel, the rain was simply pounding down. I had no sooner placed my foot onto the walkway when my boots hit a slippery bit of wood and went out from under me, and I found myself tumbling into the muddy road. I sat there for a moment, too stunned to move.
“You all right there, Miss Peck?” Red Charley shouted from across the street.
I most certainly was not all right! I looked as if I had bathed in mud!
Gathering as much dignity as I could muster under the circumstances, I hefted my heavy, sodden, muddy skirts and made my way down the walkway to the hotel. As I drew nearer, I saw a broad, dark-haired man carrying a lady across a broken bit of plank.
The man looked suspiciously like Jehu.
I squinted hard through the pounding rain. It
was
Jehu!
And the lady he was so gallantly carrying was … Sally Biddle!
“Why, hello, Jane!” Sally said, linking her arm comfortably around Jehu’s tanned neck. Her eyes took in my muddy dress. “Oh dear, did you take a fall?”
Jehu shifted his weight and set her on the ground. Was it my imagination, or did his strong hands linger on her shoulders for a second?
“Isn’t he the perfect gentleman?” Sally tittered, patting her hair with exaggerated care. “There I was on the other side of the street, and there was nothing but mud before me! I couldn’t risk muddying this skirt. And this kind man came to my rescue! I can’t thank you enough, Mr. Scudder,” Sally finished, looking adoringly at Jehu.
Jehu swallowed and nodded.
“I do hope we have the opportunity to meet again,” Sally said, holding out a dainty gloved hand.
Jehu looked at it in confusion for a moment and then shook it.
“Have a lovely day, Jane,” Sally said smugly, and walked up the steps of the hotel.
CHAPTER TEN
or,
The Gathering Storm
Like an unwelcome guest , the rain came and stayed.
Fierce summer storms battered the bay. Front Street turned into a river, with the planks from the walkway floating by on the current. The tides grew so high that returning oystermen could sail right up to a tavern and have themselves a drink. Mrs. Woodley’s home was set adrift one morning when her husband was out, and Mr. Frink and several other men went after it in boats. In order to rescue the cabin, they finally had to tie it to a piling. By this time, poor Mrs. Woodley and her girls were perched on a table, waist-deep in water and perfectly terrified.
The most popular topic at the supper table was the upcoming elections. Of the three races, the position of justice of the peace was the most hotly
“What news?” Mrs. Hosmer asked.
“About the sickness, of course,” Sally began delicately. “The news sheets are full of the accounts. Pioneers on the trail catching cholera and other horrible diseases from Indians. Whole families have died. It’s tragic. Children are apparently the most susceptible.”
Mrs. Staroselsky’s gaze flicked over to the quiet cradle, and the cabin seemed to hum with fear.
“Physicians are recommending limiting contact if possible.” Sally paused deliberately, turning to me. “I seem to recall hearing your father mentioning something similar.”
I stared at her. That had been Papa’s opinion. He never let me near patients who had cholera or smallpox.
“Jane,” Mrs. Hosmer began in a nervous voice, “wasn’t there an epidemic last year? Isn’t that how your little friend Sootie lost her mother?”
All eyes were on me, and my tongue seemed to swell in my mouth.
“But it wasn’t their fault, and this is the frontier. If we’d had proper medical …” I let my voice trail off.
There was an uncomfortable moment of silence as all the women looked down at their laps.
All except Sally, who smiled at me and said, “That’s precisely what I’m saying. You’re so
very
brave, Jane.”
I remained behind a few moments to help Mrs. Staroselsky tidy up, and by the time I left for the hotel, the rain was simply pounding down. I had no sooner placed my foot onto the walkway when my boots hit a slippery bit of wood and went out from under me, and I found myself tumbling into the muddy road. I sat there for a moment, too stunned to move.
“You all right there, Miss Peck?” Red Charley shouted from across the street.
I most certainly was not all right! I looked as if I had bathed in mud!
Gathering as much dignity as I could muster under the circumstances, I hefted my heavy, sodden, muddy skirts and made my way down the walkway to the hotel. As I drew nearer, I saw a broad, dark-haired man carrying a lady across a broken bit of plank.
The man looked suspiciously like Jehu.
I squinted hard through the pounding rain. It
was
Jehu!
And the lady he was so gallantly carrying was … Sally Biddle!
“Why, hello, Jane!” Sally said, linking her arm comfortably around Jehu’s tanned neck. Her eyes took in my muddy dress. “Oh dear, did you take a fall?”
Jehu shifted his weight and set her on the ground. Was it my imagination, or did his strong hands linger on her shoulders for a second?
“Isn’t he the perfect gentleman?” Sally tittered, patting her hair with exaggerated care. “There I was on the other side of the street, and there was nothing but mud before me! I couldn’t risk muddying this skirt. And this kind man came to my rescue! I can’t thank you enough, Mr. Scudder,” Sally finished, looking adoringly at Jehu.
Jehu swallowed and nodded.
“I do hope we have the opportunity to meet again,” Sally said, holding out a dainty gloved hand.
Jehu looked at it in confusion for a moment and then shook it.
“Have a lovely day, Jane,” Sally said smugly, and walked up the steps of the hotel.
CHAPTER TEN
or,
The Gathering Storm
Like an unwelcome guest , the rain came and stayed.
Fierce summer storms battered the bay. Front Street turned into a river, with the planks from the walkway floating by on the current. The tides grew so high that returning oystermen could sail right up to a tavern and have themselves a drink. Mrs. Woodley’s home was set adrift one morning when her husband was out, and Mr. Frink and several other men went after it in boats. In order to rescue the cabin, they finally had to tie it to a piling. By this time, poor Mrs. Woodley and her girls were perched on a table, waist-deep in water and perfectly terrified.
The most popular topic at the supper table was the upcoming elections. Of the three races, the position of justice of the peace was the most hotly
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