She searched him with those intense eyes. Their outer edge a dark emerald, but the main circle around the iris glittering a lighter shade. Like the green garnet brooch Mum treasured that had been passed down through three generations of Irish mothers. Now, in this woman's eyes, he saw that same treasure. A spirit so priceless, it was made to be cherished.
Disappointment stabbed when she looked away, but that was probably for the best. Her eyes found the window again, and her mouth pinched. He needed to distract her.
"I was getting ready to make up more arnica tinctures and salves. Would you like to help?"
She swiveled to face him, hope filling her gaze. "Yes, please give me something to do."
He almost chuckled, but held it back. Moving to the cabinet above the work counter, he pulled out a dozen small glass bottles, about the size of a small drinking glass. After placing those on the table beside Miriam, he brought over the tightly sealed jar of dried arnica leaves. "I picked and dried these when I first arrived in July. I'd never seen the arnica plants grow wild, just what we grew in the little gardens behind our shop."
As he showed her how many leaves to put in each tumbler, then the exact amount of gin to cover it with, Miriam's eyes studied his movements. "You have to be careful not to use too much of either ingredient. Arnica can be poisonous if ingested in high concentrations. And of course we don't want our patients intoxicated."
Her mouth formed a soft smile, and a twinkle flashed in her eyes.
After she crushed the remainder of the flower petals, he stirred them in a pot of oil and left it to simmer on the stove. "That will take several hours before it's ready, so I'll teach you how I add the new supplies into our inventory log."
As he showed her his method of adding and deducting medicines and materials in the ledger, she caught on within moments and quickly had the book updated. "I can handle all the recording if you'd like. That way you and Bryan don't have to worry about it."
He raised his brows. "You trying to put me out of a job?"
"You have more than enough to keep you busy. And I have nothing." She waved her hand over the bed, palm up. "You see any chores waiting? Please let me help."
Those eyes. He couldn't say no if he wanted to.
Chapter Nine
Finally a chance to help. Miriam sighed as she lay back against the cot. No matter that her efforts paled in significance compared to all the work the brothers did each day. Still, helping Alex infused her with a new sense of purpose.
Few patients came in that next morning, probably because of the impending storm. Only Mr. Crandall, and a miner's wife whom Alex said was expecting her first child in another month. After he brought Miriam a bowl of beef stew for lunch, Alex had said he had a quick errand to run. It was kind of him to ask whether she needed anything from the mercantile. She would have liked to give him a long list. Not the least of it being a few personal items—talcum powder, rose-scented soap, anything to supplement the sparse damp-cloth "baths" she'd been able to manage. But that would have to wait.
Now, flakes were starting to fall and both of the doctors traveled out in the weather. Surely Bryan would come home early today, wouldn't he?
And what of her own family? Would Gideon and Leah make it down the mountain before the storm hit? Did she want them to? No. As selfish as she was, she couldn't pray for them to be snowed in away from the ranch. What would the animals do without someone to break the ice for them daily? They'd die of thirst before they succumbed to starvation. It could mean total disaster for the ranch. Gideon wouldn't risk that. Relief washed over her shoulders. And maybe she could get used to the idea of being snowed in with her current company. A smile forced its way onto her mouth.
The squeaking hinges on the front door interrupted her thoughts. Her heart beat faster. At least one of the men was back.
"Alex?" Bryan's voice. So where was the younger Doctor Donaghue?
"He's gone to run an errand," she called.
Bryan's boots sounded in the hall, and his face appeared in the doorway. "He went out in this weather?" Twin lines creased his forehead. "The flakes are coming down thick. Does he know we could lose visibility if the wind picks up?"
A stab of fear pricked her chest. "He'll be back any minute."
Bryan looked uncertain. Would he go look for his brother? Surely Alex could handle himself in the snow here in town.
"How long ago did he leave?"
Miriam glanced outside. "I don't have a clock, but it's probably been an hour. I'm sure he'll walk in soon."
"We'll wait a few more minutes."
But Bryan had no patience. It must have been less than ten minutes before he donned his coat and gloves again. "I'm go—"
The squeak of the front door interrupted him. As Bryan stood in the hall outside Miriam's doorway, the thunder on his face gave away their visitor before Bryan spoke. "Have you lost your mind going out in this weather?"
"You were out, so it must not have been too bad." Alex's voice held a hint of challenge.
Bryan's face turned ruddy. "I've lived through a Montana winter. You haven't. With a strong wind, a heavy snow can turn deadly in minutes."
"I'm okay, Bryan." Alex came into sight as he spoke with a soothing calm. Nothing like the defiance from seconds before. He laid a hand on his brother's upper arm. "We're all safe. How about a mug of coffee? Feels like I should add wood to the stove, too."
Alex turned to flash a charming smile at Miriam. "Anything I can get you, Miss Bryant?"
"I'm fine, thank you." She murmured the words, but her gaze flicked back and forth between the brothers. Bryan stared at his brother with a stormy look in his eyes.
"All right then." Alex turned and retreated to the stove in the next room.
As Bryan watched him go, something about the slant of his jaw and the pinch of his lips no longer radiated anger. In this single unguarded moment, his mask split to reveal the fear that still clutched him.
~~~
Miriam's eyes flicked open, and she peered out the window beside her bed. A sheet of white greeted her, both on the ground and still falling from the sky. It seemed early still, but she studied the sky through the tiny holes in the curtain of flakes. Impossible to tell what time of day.
With a yawn, she stretched and pulled herself up to a sitting position. Scooting around, she finally found a comfortable situation that didn't press on the sore spot that had developed on her rump. If she never saw another bed, it would be too soon. Her eyes drifted to the Bible laying on the table. She should take time to read this morning.
The clank of iron sounded in the room next door. Were the men up already? Miriam quickly unfastened her braid, combed her fingers through the tangle of curls, and then rewove the plat. She was still tying the ribbon when a knock sounded on her door. "Come in."
Alex's face appeared as he eased open the door. The front of his hair was askew, and a shadow graced his jaw. Her stomach did a flip. The man was handsome at any time of day.
"Would you prefer coffee or willow tea this morning?" A hint of a smile touched the corners of his mouth.
"Coffee, please."
His brows rose. "Feeling better, are we?"
Miriam smoothed the covers with her hands, and turned her brightest smile on him. "Yes, I think I’m well enough to get up now."
One of his brows lowered, giving him a cockeyed look that properly conveyed his suspicion. "Out of bed, huh? We'll see about that."
Did that mean there was a chance? Miriam's heart soared and her hands clapped before she could stop them. "I'm ready. I know it."
He smiled, then disappeared from the doorway. Did that mean she'd be getting out of this infernal bed soon?
Alex reappeared with a mug of coffee, then left again without a word.
A half hour later, Bryan brought her a tray of dry biscuits and fried ham, along with a polite greeting. As she ate, the clinic stayed quiet. Eerily silent. Like the thick layers of snow outside had settled a dismal cloak over them all.
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Had Gideon and Leah stayed on the ranch? She had to believe they wouldn't risk traveling with the storm coming.
The soft thump of boots sounded in the hall and Bryan appeared in the doorway. "Miss Bryant, this is probably a good time to examine your knee again. Need to make sure it's healing right. Is that acceptable?"
"Um…yes. Certainly." She swallowed. Now that she wasn't in so much pain—and knew the doctors a little better—it seemed strange to bare her knee in front of them.
"All right, then. Let me gather a few supplies."
Maybe it would just be Doc Bryan doing the examination this time. Heat crawled up her neck anyway.
A few minutes later, Doc Bryan stepped into the room carrying a tray of supplies and bandages. Followed by…Alex. So much for just one doctor. He sent her a smile before turning to the work counter that lined the wall.
"Let's have a look. Shall we?" Bryan stood over her as Miriam pulled the cover off her wrapped knee. His forehead wrinkled as he unwrapped the leather strips holding the stiff rawhide splint over her joint. When the bandages were removed, he peered at the long gash in her pale skin.
Miriam sucked in her breath. It was the first time she'd actually seen the wound. The slash spanned longer than her fingers. And red. Too red? She glanced up at the men's faces. Alex had stepped over to join his brother in the examination. Their brows furrowed, but they didn't look too grave. Did they?
The suspense was enough to drive her mad. "So what do you think?"
Alex touched the skin around the incision. Then he fingered the thread and quills he'd used to stitch the wound together. His focus on the area remained intense. He didn't even look to be breathing.
His finger brushed a sore spot, and Miriam jerked before she could stop herself. His head popped up and his brows drew low. "Sorry."
"It's all right. I won't move again."
He scanned the wound. "I think we're done here. In another week we'll take the stitches out and I'll have you start exercises. But for now try to keep it still. The incision looks good. No infection or heat that I can tell."
Miriam released a long breath, and with it the tension that had been building for days.
His eyes creased at the corners as he started wrapping a clean bandage around the wound. "Glad that's over?"
Her heart felt ten pounds lighter, and she allowed a smile to bloom on her face. "Glad it's healing."
"All right then. I've some work to do next door." Bryan waved the direction of his and Alex's private quarters as he backed out of the room.
With the splint wrapped firmly, Alex gathered the used bandage and supplies. He surveyed the bed and the work counter, as if looking for tools he missed. "I'll be back shortly." And he strode out of the room.
The silence stretched as time crawled by. Hadn't Alex said he'd come back soon? At long last, the door separating their chamber from the clinic creaked, and boots thumped on the wooden floor. Alex entered with a small paper bundle under his arm. "Sorry for the delay. Bryan was working on something quite interesting." A twinkle flashed in his eyes. "I suspect you'll think so, too. Anyhow, I found this and thought you might think it worth your time." He held the package out to her.
Even before her hand closed on it, Miriam had no doubt what it contained. "A book?" She fingered the rough brown paper, then clutched it to her chest. "Thank you, Alex. Oh, thank you."
A chuckle reverberated in his chest. "Open it."
Her hands fumbled with the wrapping, then smoothed over the marbled vellum cover of the book. Emma was printed in large gold letters on the leather spine, and underneath it Jane Austen. She raised her eyes to Alex's face. "Where did you get it?"
He slipped his hands in his pockets and shrugged, but the excitement shining in his eyes gave him away. "Oh, just found it somewhere."
She raised both brows. "Found it? In an old trunk left over from medical school?"
He ducked, red creeping into his cheeks. "Something like that."
Miriam's gaze fell back to the book and roamed over it. "Leah and I read some of Miss Austen's other works, and Leah told me about this one. But I've never had the chance to read it." Her eyes crept back up to his, and moisture burned her throat. "Thank you, Alex. A thousand times, thank you."
"You're welcome." He met her gaze and his own eyes glistened. Then he cleared his throat. "I, uh, need to catch up on some case notes. Would you like me to work in here?" He glanced around the little room. "Keep you company?"
His kindness knew no end. "I'd love that."
While Alex went to get his work, Miriam opened the book and immersed herself in the world of Miss Emma Woodhouse and the easy life of the wealthy English upper class. She almost didn't realize when Alex came back in and settled at the table with his ledger, quill, and inkpot.
The relationship between Emma and Miss Taylor, her former governess and dearest friend, reminded her how close she and Leah had become. What she wouldn't give to have known Leah during her younger days. "And Highbury sounds wonderful."
"What's that?"
Miriam's head jerked up at the words. "What?"
His brow wrinkled in confusion. "You said something about a high surrey being wonderful."
Heat rushed into Miriam's face. "I, um… I said Highbury sounds like a wonderful place to live." She lifted the novel. "Where Miss Woodhouse grew up." Her eyes focused on the page. "A 'large and populous village, almost amounting to a town.' And within a half day's travel from London, too. Can you imagine?"
Alex's eyes squinted, as if he looked far away. "I've heard of Highbury, I think. Dad had a cousin who married an Englishman. They still live there, as far as I know." He glanced around the small, rustic room. "Although I suppose it's been a few years since I've heard news of her."
A cousin in England? So near to London, with its high fashion and gay parties? A sigh escaped her. "I've always wanted to visit London. Does your cousin attend balls and festivities there?"
He shrugged. "Haven't the faintest. Her husband's the miller in Highbury, so I doubt they're too high up the social scale." His mouth tipped, revealing a dimple. "Sorry to disappoint."
That familiar heat crept to her neck, so she dipped her head back to the book. "No disappointment. I'll let you get back to your work."
As Miriam read the next few sentences, the author quickly drew her back into the story. Such quick prose, you could never guess what funny statement would come next. And Mr. Knightley—even with only a quick introduction, Miriam was already falling in love. His charming wit made her want to giggle at some of his all-too-honest remarks.
"What's so funny?"
Miriam glanced up at Alex. "Funny?"
His face held a mixture of humor and frustration. With his brows raised, one side of his mouth pinched, and the other pushing a dimple into his cheek. The look pulled a grin from Miriam.
"You were laughing. Is the book that good?"
"Honestly, it is. I've always wanted to be a grand English lady, like Miss Woodhouse in the story." She quirked a brow at him. "And you can be Mr. Knightley, if you like."
Alex frowned. "I'd have to read the book to see if I like." He tipped his head, examining her. "You may not be English, but I think you have the lady part down. If you don't mind me saying so."
Did he really just call her a lady? Her cheeks must be blood red by now. But if he saw her at work on the ranch, he certainly wouldn't repeat his comment. Killing chickens for dinner. Hand feeding the baby calves when they couldn't nurse from their mothers. Tanning deer hides for leather. Her gaze rose to meet his. "Do you have any idea how I was injured, Alex?"
"You were mauled by a mountain lion."
She took a deep breath and released it. "Yes. I was hunting and had taken down a good-sized buck. I'd slit the hide to bleed it, and should have done a better job watching around me. The cat attacked to get me out of the way so he could claim the better prize."
She dipped her head. What would he think now? It was a far cry between an upper clas
s English lady and a half-wild mountain woman who bled deer and fought off mountain lions. Of course, that wasn't what she did most of the time. Gideon usually did the hunting. She'd only taken the shot at the deer because she'd come across it on her way back from gathering willow bark. Still. Most of her chores were just as inglorious.
Footsteps sounded on the floor boards. Was he leaving? But his rough leather boots appeared in her vision, and Miriam raised her head to face him.
Alex perched on the edge of the seat beside the bed. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "Miriam, my opinion of a lady is not someone who sits around a drawing room and gossips all day. I believe a lady is someone who works hard for the good of others. Is kind and caring and fun to be around. Just like the woman from Proverbs thirty-one. Have you read it?"
She held his gaze, riveted there by the amber and green flecks in those deep brown eyes. Slowly, she nodded. It had been a while, though. She'd definitely read it again now.
His hand slipped forward to take hers, his thumb stroking the back of her palm in a way that sent shivers down her arms. "Miriam, in my mind, you're the exact picture of that lady."
Moisture burned the back of her eyes. How did he see her so completely? It was like he understood both the woman she was, and who she wanted to be. And he didn't find either person lacking. But could she become the lady she wanted to be?
She swallowed, trying to find words to answer. Nothing came, especially not with those wide eyes still searching hers.
Chapter Ten
A voice cleared in the distance, and Alex stiffened. He released Miriam's hand, then slowly turned to face his brother in the doorway.
Miriam slipped behind Alex's profile so the heat had time to leave her face. What must Bryan think about finding them so close together? For that matter, what should she think? Was it improper? Maybe. And besides, she was probably just a diversion for Alex. When she left the clinic and went back up the mountain, would he have more than a passing thought of her?
Mountain Dreams Series: Books 1 - 3: Mountain Dreams Box Set 1 Page 32
