That Certain Spark (27 page)

Enoch finally looked up. “I can’t make any promises, Valmer. They’re both in a bad way. Saving even one will be a miracle. With that flank wound, the guts could be infected and any effort to save it would be for naught. Even with the best of repair work, that kind of hindquarter damage could render a horse a cripple.”

“I’ll take the one on the right,” Taylor said, solving the dilemma.

Word got out, and farmers came to lend support to Valmer as he waited during the surgeries. A man ought not have to face such disaster alone. The dam made her presence known, racing around outside the barn and trumpeting her fear. Her babies, having been given occasional whiffs of chloroform, didn’t answer—which made their mother all the more desperate. Valmer sat between the foals, able to touch each one’s muzzle. He’d spoken to them a little, but as badly hurt as they were, that didn’t make much difference. He looked up, saw his friends, and nodded.

Taylor lost track of time when she did surgery. In terse phrases, she and Enoch exchanged information as they each tried to save the foals. On both, the jugular had been laid bare, yet not punctured. Taking that as a heartening sign from heaven, they worked with feverish determination. When she’d finished entirely, she went and knelt beside her twin, assisting with the remainder of the repairs.

“I’ll get these last few sutures,” Enoch told her. “Go ahead and stand up.” He didn’t say more, but she was grateful. A well-made corset worn at a sensible tightness ought not be uncomfortable. One of her secret indulgences was in buying the very best. Even so, the garment wasn’t designed to permit a woman to fold over double.

Hovering and assisting as he had, Karl scarcely waited for her to sit back on her heels. Helping her up, he murmured, “Millie’s cook just put hot water and soap in Enoch’s sleeping room. She brought you a change of clothing, too.”

The men noisily started the task of moving the foals to stalls and making sure they wouldn’t damage their incisions while Taylor made her way to the boardinghouse.

The warm water felt heavenly. Taylor relished the few moments washing up and moving to ease the aches her odd positions had caused. Using Enoch’s comb, she stood by the mirror and disciplined her hair, twisting the sides first and gathering it all in the back for a sensible chignon. The black wool skirt fit well, but she paused for a moment when she saw the shirtwaist. Before medical school, she’d often worn that exact shade of deep green because it brought out her eyes. Would Karl notice?

I want him to.
Taylor buttoned up the shirt, fluffed the sleeves, and emerged back into the main part of the barn.

Karl’s eyes flared and smoldered. Then a teasing smile tugged at the side of his mouth. “You were both wrong and right, Taylor.”

“I think you search for reasons to tell me the first part of your sentence.”

He stalked toward her. “That day you came to have me take you on your first house calls, you asked, ‘What difference does the outside make? Man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart.’ The second part is from the Bible, so of course it was right. But the first part?” He gently tested the silk sleeve between his fingers. “The outside does make a difference. It is not just what flows in veins that deserves your concentration, but what beats in the heart and radiates from the soul.” He took hold of her hand. “The color has come back to your life.”

“A very colorful man brought it back.”

“That does it, gentlemen.” Enoch’s voice held relief.

Taylor wished she and Karl had left and had this discussion elsewhere so it wouldn’t have been interrupted.

Valmer walked up and stuck out his hand. “Thank you.”

Enoch shook his hand. “They’re not out of the woods by a long shot. We did our best for them, but it’s still chancy.”

“I didn’t think even one’d be alive by the time the school bell rang,” Toomel stated. “You and your sis did fine work.”

“It’s because of my sister that we got so much done.”

“That’s right.” Mayor Cutter swaggered over from a knot of men. “Everyone wants to give credit where it’s due. And it’s the perfect solution to our little difficulty. Dr. Bestman can become your assistant—or partner,” he quickly corrected himself when he saw Enoch’s thunderous expression.

“No,” Enoch and Taylor said in unison.

“The town will still appreciate Dr. Bestman’s contract has been kept in spirit, and she could continue to treat some of the women and children if they want her to.”

“She saved my life.” Karl stared at the mayor. “I’m not a woman or a child.”

“At least not most of the time,” Piet said. A few people laughed. He walked out and jabbed his finger in the air. “You, Toomel. Just fine your shoulder works, ja?”

“Yep, and I’m neither a woman nor a child,” Toomel agreed emphatically.

“Don’t forget Tim Creighton,” Karl said, standing behind Taylor and slightly to the side, cupping her shoulders. “On the very day his daughter was born, Dr. Bestman didn’t just deliver the baby, she staunched the bleeding and stitched his head from that fall.”

As he spoke, Karl scanned the barn and realized most of the men who liked and supported his beloved weren’t present. Oh, she’d won over plenty, but in the middle of a working day, once they were convinced things were going well, many had gone back to work. White was there. Smith, too. The mayor and a few of his cronies—coincidentally, men who shared his low opinion of Taylor.
I was a fool. I should have been on guard for her.

“Now that we’ve established that Dr. Bestman’s practice is inclusive of all human beings, I’m ordering you all out of my barn.”

“It ain’t your barn,” White drawled.

“Shut up, White,” the mayor growled. “The town deeded him the land, and he paid for the lumber. It’s his free and clear. But we’re not leaving.”

The men all sat on hay bales at once, proving Karl’s suspicion. Like vultures, they’d gathered and swooped in to take advantage of this misfortune. Enoch obviously sensed it, too. Immediately he headed for his sister.

The mayor continued, “The complaint comes up that ladies are present whenever we talk frankly. It’s just us here now.”

“There. Is. A. Lady. Present,” Karl bit out.

“She’s always parading around in her red shirtwaists and dress,” the mayor sneered. “Everyone knows exactly what that means.”

“What it means is that I’m practical.” Taylor’s steady voice didn’t show a hint of concern. “Blood doesn’t show on my clothing.”

Piet loomed over the mayor. “Which will come in handy when she treats your broken nose.”

“No. No violence.” Clasping her hands at her waist, she looked around at the men. “If we must have a difference of opinions, then please—let’s be civil.”

“You can all talk about how she fixed up a few folks. She didn’t fix up Lila.” Lloyd Smith’s accusation cut through the undertow of conversation.

“You cannot fault her, boy,” Piet said gently. He left the mayor and approached Lloyd. “Your father . . . I was there. With my own ears I heard him tell the doctor she could not return to your home.”

“I’m not a boy. I’m a man. Dad didn’t let her treat Lila because he couldn’t put his trust in a hussy.”

Karl shook his head vehemently. “Your father’s judgment was wrong. Still, you can’t blame Taylor.”

“Taylor,” Mr. Smith said in a mocking, bitter tone. “If that’s not proof of how familiar she is with men, I don’t know what is.”

“The girl has no modesty. No shame.” The mayor leaned forward and leered. “How many naked men have you seen?”

Karl bellowed, “Enough!”

Enoch had been moving toward his sister’s side. He jerked toward the men and snarled at the same time.

Ignoring them entirely, Taylor looked directly at Smith and Cutter. “Counting the corpse I had to work on in dissection class, there’s been one, Mr. Cutter. All other men have been either fully dressed or have been draped by an assistant, and that assistant remained present in the room at all times.”

Reaching the mayor, Enoch stood close and said something.

Cutter shot him a vicious grin. “Confidentiality.” He was so self-assured that he didn’t bother to drop his volume much, and he’d said it with the same obnoxious way he had the night he’d destroyed the ugly swan sconce his wife treasured.

Enoch said something more, and the mayor’s grin melted and he went pale.

Unaware of the quick exchange that had occurred while she’d paused to allow the men to absorb the arrangements she’d used for decency, Taylor continued, “Mayor Cutter, in interviewing a male physician, would you ask how many naked women he’d seen?”

“Or any man for any important public position, for that matter?” Enoch inserted.

Thrusting back his shoulders, Cutter blustered, “Of course not. That’s . . . that’s different.”

“I’d hope not!” Taylor gave him a shocked look. “You’ve been entrusting your wives and daughters and mothers to male physicians, allowing them to render the most intimate of care. Ascertaining that those men haven’t conducted themselves in an untoward manner or shown a licentious nature would have been wise.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lloyd stood. “Doc Wicky wasn’t like that. You can’t deny it.” Shaking his finger at Taylor, he half shouted, “You in those red shirts. You know what they mean, and they’re all you wear. It’s your fault no one trusts you.”

Taylor inhaled sharply. Karl braced her and murmured, “Ignore him. He’s being a dumb kid.”

She looked up at him with suspiciously moist eyes. “I’m afraid,” she said softly. “I’m afraid it’s far more than that.”

“Sit down, kid.” Toomel sounded bored, but he looked livid.

Taylor said, “Lloyd, I’d like to have a private word with you, please.”

“You ain’t corrupting my son, woman!”

“Mr. Smith, I’d welcome you to be part of the conversation.”

“Nope.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Anything you gotta say, you say in front of everybody.”

Suddenly pale, Taylor sighed. “If you insist. I want to ask Lloyd one simple question. Will you all agree to remain quiet?”

“Just that one question?”

When they agreed, Taylor’s shoulders rose and fell as she steeled herself with a deep breath. “Lloyd, what color shirt am I wearing?”

“Red.”

Her hand covered her mouth and her head dipped as a pained sound curled in her chest. Sheltering her against himself, Karl bit out, “Green. Her shirtwaist is as green as her beautiful eyes. Don’t take my word for it. Ask any of these others. They can tell you.”

“What’s all this nonsense about color for?” Smith asked, standing by his son.

Enoch put all the pieces together. “The inability to distinguish between red and green is a medical problem for a very select number of males. It’s called color blindness and is inherited.”

“Can’t be. None of my kin nor Daisy’s—”

Lloyd turned on Smith. “I’m not your son. Grandma dragged me out here, but you’re no kin of mine.”

Grief over losing Lila had already carved lines in Smith’s face. Betrayal now twisted it into a mask of pain.

“Karl, he couldn’t have done this alone.” Taylor looked into Karl’s eyes and could see that he, too, was putting all the pieces together.

“I know. I also know you wish me to walk you over there so you can be in the midst of this discussion.”

“Because you know I’m going no matter what, and we belong together,” she told him.

He groaned, “Of all times, you pick now to tell me we belong together, when I cannot be joyful?”

She squeezed his hand. “ ‘Come to me. Come to me, good or bad, right or wrong, day or night.’ She repeated exactly what he’d said to her last night. “We have the good and right. Let’s face the bad and wrong.”

Lloyd was getting an earful from White about how ungrateful he was for all Smith had done. When he and Taylor walked up, Karl saw no trace of worry on the boy’s face. “The doctor has something even more important to say,” Karl told them.

“Nothing’s more important!” came at him like a chorus from all the men.

Taylor ignored them. “Lloyd, didn’t you realize when you mixed the medications that it could be deadly?”

“No, it couldn’t.”

“How could you be sure?”

“Hold on here a minute.” Smith grabbed Lloyd by the collar. “What’s this about mixing medicines?”

Karl wasn’t about to let Lloyd get a chance to wiggle out of any responsibility. “He mixed the medications in the doctor’s jars. Only he couldn’t tell the difference between the red and the green—and that is how he just gave himself away.”

“But what made you certain the mixtures weren’t dangerous?” Taylor persisted. “They were. Depending on the disease and dosage, it could have been deadly.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. He told me—”

“
Who
told you?” Smith gave the kid a good shake. “You mixed up drugs? Someone tells you to do something so stupid and you just do it?”

“You’re making me quit school! That’s stupid! All you care about is having me help with the farm.”

Taylor reached out. “Lloyd, just as you were blind to color, you were blind to how someone was using you—”

“He’s not using me. He’s teaching me! I’m going to be a doctor just like my dad was.”

Karl said, “Doc Wicky.”

“Doc Wicky?” Smith dumped the boy. “That quack?”

“You’ve cast your lot with a charlatan we ran out of town?”

Folding his arms across his chest, Lloyd sassed, “You really didn’t run him out of town after all, did you? We made a plan. Soon as you figured out the new doctor wasn’t any good, you’d ask Doc Wicky back. Then I could be his apprentice.”

“Wicky’s an idiot.” White spat. “We wouldn’t take him back no matter what.”

“He’s smarter than all of you. We almost made her leave on her own. You shoulda just stayed outta it. Doc and me, we were doing you all a big favor. See? Toldja he’s smart!”

“Sure he’s smart,” Karl agreed in a carefully leashed voice. “He had a thirteen-year-old do all of his dirty work. What did it cost him?” Karl noted how the boy’s coloring changed slightly. “He paid you nothing but empty promises. He would teach you to be a fine physician as your father was. How could Wicky do such a thing when he is a failure when it comes to medicine? Now you’re the one in trouble. You did the wrongs—and he did nothing.”