Conner's Contrary Bride

by Barbara Goss

  Elsie nodded.

  Conner continued. “Together, we’ll pick the lot best suited for a doctor and his wife. It’s just a half-mile from town, not too far for someone to carry a patient. Or, I could keep this place and drive in each day. What do you think?”

  Elsie tapped her chin. “We could do both. You could use this place during the daytime, and after you close for the day, use our home. We could build our home with a smaller-sized clinic at the side because I’d love a porch along the entire front.”

  Conner wiped his mouth with his napkin and stood. “Then, you shall have it, dear wife.”

  The buggy ride was rough since the dirt roads were full of holes, but Conner finally pulled off the road and brought the horse to a stop. “Well? What do you think?” Elsie looked around. “What should I be looking at?”

  Conner jumped from the buggy and came around to help Elsie. He held her tiny waist as he lifted her to the ground. Did it feel so good to lift Elsie because he missed Mary? He’d have to stop comparing the women because they were completely different.

  He helped her walk across the road and pointed. “See that yellow stake? That’s the first parcel. It’s two acres with a small creek running behind it. It has some beautiful trees bordering the property, and the land is good and flat for building.”

  Elsie nodded. “And the other parcel?”

  Conner pointed again. “Right where our buggy is parked, across the road. It’s four acres, but it would need clearing. As you can see it’s a small forest right now. Which one do you like?”

  Conner hoped she’d like the first one because it was the one he liked best, and they could begin construction immediately. The site on the other side of the road needed clearing, and it wasn’t as flat. He prayed silently as Elsie looked from one property to the next.

  Finally, Elsie asked, “Which direction is west?”

  Conner pointed to the land he liked. “That way.”

  Elsie tapped her chin as she seemed to do often when thinking. “I’ve decided on the one across the street.”

  Conner groaned inside and asked, “Why that one?”

  “Having a creek running through our property wouldn’t be safe for little children should there ever be any, and second, I want a front porch that faces the west so I can watch the sunset.”

  Marriage was supposed to be a partnership of give and take, but he thought Elsie was doing all the taking, and he all the giving.

  Conner scratched his head. “If we take the one you chose, we can’t start building until fall, and we might not get in until next spring.”

  “Why?”

  “Because the land needs clearing, and that’s not a one-day job. I’ll hire a crew to do it, but it will take some time. Then, the land needs leveling with topsoil brought in on wagons. All of this has to be done before the actual building can begin.”

  “I didn’t realize we were in a hurry,” Elsie said. “I should think the safety of our future children would be more important.”

  Conner turned and looked back at the property he had his heart set on as if to say goodbye to it. “All right. I’ll see the bank about it this week.”

  Upon returning home, Elsie sat on the steps watching Conner unhitch the buggy and put the horse in the shed. They walked into the clinic together to find the empty bed in which the bandit had lain.

  “Where did my patient go?” he shouted.

  Bertie came running from the kitchen. “All I saw were two men in a wagon and the patient lying in the back. I never heard a thing until the wagon sped away.”

  Chapter Nine

  Conner shook his head in puzzlement. “Who would take a poor man in that condition? He’ll die without proper medical attention.”

  Elsie stood beside him, staring at the empty bed. “His friends are in jail, aren’t they?”

  Conner shrugged and took Elsie’s arm. “Let’s walk down and talk to the sheriff.”

  They entered the sheriff’s office, and Babcock looked up from his paperwork. He stood to greet them and then resumed his seat after they sat in front of his desk. “What’s up? How’s your patient?”

  Conner nodded toward the jail cells. “Are the bandits still locked up?” When the sheriff nodded, Conner asked, “Can they hear us talking?”

  “No. I put them in the last cell. If we talk softly, they can’t hear. They’re so busy arguing about whose fault it was they got caught, they wouldn’t hear us even if we yelled, but to be sure, we should keep our voices down.”

  Elsie thought Conner looked embarrassed as he explained to the sheriff that two men had taken his patient.

  Babcock listened without saying a word. He looked thoughtful.

  “Who do you suppose took the patient?” Conner asked.

  “Dagnabbit!” The sheriff threw his pencil across the room, then lowered his voice. “I was hoping the patient would tell me where they’d stashed the bank money.”

  Conner shook his head. “I was hoping to save the man’s life. He’s still in critical condition.”

  The sheriff muttered, “Neither of my prisoners are talking. These fellows aren’t from Hays City, so I don’t know who they are or who may have taken the patient. I’ll send some wires with their descriptions to Russell, Salina, and some of the other nearby towns and hope I get lucky.”

  “Wait,” Conner said. “The patient told me his name while he was half unconscious. I can’t recall his first name, but his last name is MacDonald, and he’s nicknamed Mac.”

  “That’s great!” Sheriff Babcock stood. “I’ll go over to the telegraph office right away.”

  Elsie and Conner stood and went over to the door.

  “I’ll let you know if I find out more,” Babcock said.

  Conner and Elsie stood on the wooden walkway, watching Babcock lock the office door. Conner snapped his fingers. “Robert was his name. Robert MacDonald.”

  “You remembered it?” Babcock asked.

  “I did when I saw the sign above the office across the street: Robert Walker, Attorney at Law.”

  They waved to the sheriff and went back to the clinic.

  Before going into the house, Elsie asked, “Is there anything I can do or get for you?”

  He looked at her and smiled. She could be so irritating at times and then so sweet, he felt like holding her in his arms and squeezing her. Was it the way she looked at him or her smile? He wasn’t sure, but she was slowly melting the ice around his heart. Maybe a man could love twice in his life.

  He gave her a warm smile. “No, you’ve been wonderful. Thank you. Fortunately, there are no appointments or patients right now. I have some paperwork to do. If we get a patient, I’ll call you.” He watched her tiny figure slip into the house.

  Elsie sat at the kitchen table, helping Bertie peel potatoes. “So, the sheriff plans to wire the nearby towns to find out who the fellows in jail are, and who took our patient.”

  “I hope he finds out.” Bertie snapped her fingers. “I forgot to mention that you had a few patients while you two were gone. Both were minor problems, and I took care of them. Mrs. Mullins needed her regular pills, and Judge Bailey twisted his wrist, and I made him a bandage and sling.”

  “You’re a gem, Bertie. You do everything so well. You keep this house clean, your cooking is out of this world, and you’re an exceptionable nurse.”

  Bertie threw her peeled potato into the pot and picked up another one. “I see you and Conner are still not... well… sharing the same room. What in land’s end is taking you two so long to see that you were made for each other?”

  Elsie felt herself blush at the mention of their sleeping arrangements. “I’m very fond of Conner, and I’m fairly sure I’d welcome it if the relationship grew deeper, but he’s... well... sometimes he’s warm and sometimes he’s cold. I can’t figure him out.”

  “He’s been through a lot.” Bertie patted Elsie’s hand. “He’ll come around. You’ll see.”

  Elsie tossed her potato into the pot and picked up a
nother one. She sat and toyed with the eyes of the potato, thinking. “Bertie, what’s Conner really like?”

  Bertie began detailing all of Conner’s attributes, while Elsie studied her. She was a strong woman with hair the color of salt and pepper mixed, always tied up in a neat bun at the back of her head. Bertie had a pretty face for a middle-aged woman, with large, round, rosy cheeks. Elsie suddenly realized that she was fond of Bertie. She also recognized that she’d been so busy studying the woman she’d hadn’t been paying attention to what she was saying, so she listened.

  “And, since we’ve moved to Kansas he seemed so lonely. He kept busy, but I could tell he was wishing for some companionship... other than that of an old woman, of course.” Bertie laughed. “So, I suggested the matchmaker and... here you are.”

  Elsie smiled. “I was thinking more along the lines of the future. What do you think he wants out of a wife and family... or just from his future?”

  “He’d be a loving father. He’s fantastic with the young patients. Oh, and he’s excited about a piece of land he’s been wanting for months that he finally saved up enough to buy. He fell in love with it. It’s about a half-mile from town. It’s already cleared, and it has a small stream flowing through the back. It’s all he’s been talking about lately. Has he taken you to see it?”

  Elsie felt as if her heart had dropped to her feet. Conner had his heart set on the land she didn’t want, but he’d agreed to take the one she’d liked. The realization made her feel like a selfish child. She had no idea he’d had his heart set on that lot. She also hadn’t realized that Bertie was still talking, so she shook off her guilt and listened.

  “Conner comes from a very wealthy family in Boston. His brother and sister still live there. His father remarried after Conner’s mother died, and now he is a banker in Colorado. He paid for Conner’s medical school, and Conner was lucky enough to find the position in Missouri right after he graduated. He met Mary almost as soon as he arrived in Jefferson City, and they married just months after that. Anyway, they hired me, and I’ve been with Conner ever since. Conner had a lucrative practice back in Jefferson City. He’s an honorable man, Elsie.

  “I think sometimes,” Bertie took the potato Elsie had been toying with and started to peel it, “a woman needs to give a man a bit of a push.”

  “A push?”

  “Yes. It’s been a while since Conner’s courted a woman. He’s been mourning what he’s lost, and I think he feels like he can’t... well, that the romantic side of his life is over.”

  Elsie shook her head in confusion. “How would I do that... push? If he’s convinced himself that he’s done with romance in his life, how can I change that?”

  Bertie laughed. “Silly girl. You have all the ammunition you need; simply release the safety and fire.”

  Elsie blushed. “Do you mean I should make advances toward him?”

  Bertie picked up the pot and put it on the stove. “Yes, I think you should. He needs to know he still has some romance inside of him.”

  Elsie watched Bertie light a fire under the pot.

  Bertie laughed and pointed at the pot on the stove. “We peeled the potatoes, threw them in the pot with water, and now we’re lighting the fire. If we didn’t light the fire, the potatoes wouldn’t cook. Child, you need to light a fire under that man.”

  “Bertie, I get your point, and I agree with it, but my problem is that no one has ever courted me, and I’ve never flirted with a man in my life. I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

  “You could start with subtle things like moving close to him, or looking up at him and blinking your eyes. You could suggest a picnic or a walk after dark. Use all of your feminine charms.”

  Elsie sighed. “I’ll try.”

  Bertie winked. “I’ll keep an eye out for an opportunity to help.”

  Each night after dinner, Conner quickly excused himself to go into his small den and close the door. That night, Elsie made sure she got up from the table first.

  Conner gave her an odd look.

  “Conner, it’s a beautiful evening. I’d love to go for a walk, but I’ll need an escort. I hear the streets of Hays City can be dangerous for a woman to walk alone.”

  Elsie watched his mouth drop slightly, and then he hesitated. Was he thinking up an excuse for why he couldn’t walk with her? Finally, he stood up and put an arm out. “I could use a walk myself, and you’re right—the streets of Hays City are dangerous for unescorted women, even in the daylight.”

  Elsie knew they couldn’t—or at least, shouldn’t—walk near the saloons at the end of the street. She could already hear glasses tinkling, a cheap piano playing, and men laughing. So, when they reached the barbershop’s bench, she suggested they sit.

  “I need to talk to you.” Once they sat on the bench she said, “I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the land you showed me, and I’ve changed my mind. I think I’d like the one that’s cleared with the little stream.”

  Elsie could tell her words pleased him because his eyes grew larger, and he smiled.

  “Are you certain?”

  “But Conner, if we have children someday, I’d want the creek or stream somehow fenced off for their safety.”

  “Hmm,” he said thoughtfully, “I was planning to build a fence around the whole backyard to keep the critters out of our garden. I could put a gate in it so we could go to the creek if we wanted to. It’s not a deep creek—more like a babbling brook. I never had children on my mind when I picked out the land.”

  Elsie nodded.

  “We finally agree on something,” Conner said. He stood to help Elsie up. “Also, I’ll have you know that Taffy woke me up this morning by kneading my chest.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Elsie cried. “I’m not sure how she gets out.”

  “It’s all right. Taffy and I sort of bonded. She can have the run of the house.”

  “Really?” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek without thinking. She felt his arm go around her back and he gave her a light hug.

  It was a start.

  They meandered back to the house. Elsie asked, “What if the bandit patient dies?”

  “That worries me. If they don’t change his dressing or keep it clean, he could die.”

  “It wouldn’t be your fault, Conner.”

  “I know, but men who rob banks don’t think the way we do.”

  Chapter Ten

  When Elsie came into the kitchen for breakfast, Conner wasn’t there. She gazed at his half-eaten breakfast and wondered where he’d gone.

  Bertie set Elsie’s breakfast down before her.

  “Oh, Bertie, it looks so delicious. I’ll soon be gaining pounds on your meals.”

  “You could use a few, so just enjoy it. When we move into the new house, I’ll teach you some of my recipes, just in case I retire or something.”

  Elsie waved Bertie’s words away with her hand. “I plan on keeping you around forever. By the way, where’s Conner?”

  “He had an injured man come banging on the clinic door while he was eating. Such a shame—he didn’t get to finish his breakfast.”

  “Was it a bad injury? A gunshot wound, maybe? I heard a lot of shooting last night.”

  “Land sakes, yes—there was a lot of shooting last night. The cattlemen must have ridden in. They tend to make a ruckus. After herding cattle for weeks on the trail, they get rambunctious when they finally reach Hays City.

  “I don’t think this new patient has a bullet wound, though. I thought I heard the man say he broke his arm. Conner must be putting plaster on it.”

  By then, Elsie had finished her meal. “I’ll go to see if I can give him a hand.”

  She opened the connecting door and went into the clinic. “Conner!” she called out, but the clinic was empty. Elsie walked out and around to the horse shed to find the horse still in his stall and the buggy and buckboard still parked beside the building. She ran back inside.

  “Bertie!” she called, ru
nning into the kitchen. “He’s not here.”

  Bertie put the dishes she was holding into the sudsy water and ran out to the clinic, wiping her hands on her apron. “Let’s see...” She scoured the room. “His medical bag! It’s gone, too.”

  That worried Elsie. Where could Conner have gone without his horse and with his medical bag? Had someone picked him up in a carriage to take him to a patient?

  “Bertie, the man who came this morning, did he come in a buggy or carriage?”

  “No. From the kitchen window... well, I had only a brief look as I had eggs frying, but I think it was a horse because whoever it was rode by so quickly.”

  Elsie paced the clinic floor. “I’m going to the sheriff’s office.”

  “Wait,” Bertie said, taking off her apron, “I’m coming with you.”

  “Are you certain?” Sheriff Babcock asked.

  “Sir,” Bertie said, “I’ve worked for Dr. Van Gates for six years now, and he’s never disappeared without letting me or his wife know where he was going.”

  The sheriff sat, tapping his pencil on the desk. “I’m wondering if this has something to do with the missing patient.”

  Both Elsie and Bertie drew in a breath. Elsie started thinking about the wounded patient. The man—or men—who had taken the wounded bandit must have also taken Conner. Of course, the patient would probably take a turn for the worst, being jostled around like that.

  Elsie asked, “Did you have any luck finding out who the three men are and where they’re from?”

  “I planned to swing by later today to let you know. The sheriff in Salina knows of this MacDonald family. They live in an abandoned farm on the outskirts of his town. There are five brothers and several cousins living in an old house. He thought they’d moved on because no one had seen them around lately, but he checked the house, and their things were still there, so he’s fairly sure they plan to return.