Courting the Doctor's Daughter

by Janet Dean

Thomas reached out a hand. “Luke’s a good man. A far better man than I. Please, give him a chance, Mrs. Graves. You won’t regret it.”

  The outside door of the waiting room banged open. Four men scrunched through the opening, carrying two injured men on improvised stretchers.

  “Accident down at the strawboard plant,” one man said.

  “George Augsburger here mighta broke his leg. Leroy Hawkins, an arm. Both got nasty gashes,” another worker said.

  Mary sprang into action, pushing aside her thoughts. But as she directed one patient to the examining room, the other to the surgery where her father waited, disappointment burned in the pit of her stomach. From what he’d said earlier, she’d expected Luke to come in, but he hadn’t made an appearance. She could cheerfully wring his neck for keeping her on pins and needles.

  She assembled water, soap and antiseptic and then sponged the cut above Mr. Augsburger’s brow. “How are you feeling?”

  “Been better.”

  Mary nodded. “Any pain on the inside?”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  “What happened?”

  “Sheaves of straw stacked to the ceiling toppled. I lost my footing and skated all the way to the bottom. Landed on the tongue of a wagon. I think my leg’s busted.”

  “Doc will be right in.”

  He reached a hand toward her. “The Missus and I…are heartsick about our youngun’s fight. It’s our fault. Our tongues got away from us and Jimmy overheard.”

  The book of James might warn about wagging tongues, but the Augsburger family had done them all a favor, had brought out into the open the secrets she’d exhausted herself keeping. “Don’t worry.” Mary met his sober gaze. “It gave me an opportunity to say some things that needed saying.”

  Mr. Augsburger smiled, his relief at her clemency evident in his eyes.

  While she cleaned his scrapes, Mary’s mind whirled. Because of Luke she’d found the courage to talk openly to her sons. He’d taken responsibility for Ben. She’d loved him since their talk at the river. But were his parents right? Could she trust him?

  Beneath her distracted touch, Mr. Augsburger sucked in a breath.

  Mary cringed. She’d been preoccupied, affecting her competency. “I’m sorry.”

  Her father came in with splints. While he slit the leg of the patient’s pants, she mixed plaster of Paris and cut gauze. Mary focused on what needed doing, not the workings of her heart, but the confusion inside her kept its steady beat.

  She thought of Luke’s gentleness with Ben, with Philip and Michael, of his kindness to her during one of her headaches. Well, he’d become a giant headache for her now, stirring her emotions like a whirlwind, leaving her confused and on edge. Where was he?

  Finished treating George Augsburger’s wounds, she moved on to Leroy Hawkins, finding comfort as she always had in the practice of medicine. She greeted him, offering soothing words, gently cleaning his abrasions and cuts, staying clear of his arm cradled on his chest. “When my father finishes with Mr. Augsburger, he’ll assess your break, Mr. Hawkins.”

  “As soon as I wash my hands, I’ll take over.”

  Mary’s head snapped up. Luke stood across from her. She looked into his face, a face she’d memorized, touched, kissed.

  She wanted to run to him, to run from him. All those emotions battled inside her, welled up until she could barely breathe. Because no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t be indifferent in Luke’s presence.

  “Will somebody do something?” Mr. Hawkins said, ending on a groan.

  The patient needed them. Her questions, an endless list, would have to wait. For now.

  Luke dried his hands and then cut away Mr. Hawkins’s shirt and examined the arm. He didn’t speak, simply assessed the situation. Where had he been? Why hadn’t he marched over here and declared his feelings for her like Frank had?

  Unable to wait another moment, she asked, “What have you been doing since I saw you?”

  “Making plans. I wired the Children’s Aid Society. Then I looked at a house that’s for sale right around the block. As soon as I heard about the accident, I headed here.” He smiled at her. “On the way, I talked to myself for courage.”

  His smile curled her toes. “Courage for what?”

  He glanced at the patient. “I’ll explain later.”

  Even in pain, Mr. Hawkins’s ears perked up. Then he hissed when Luke moved his arm, preparing to set the break.

  A couple of hectic hours passed with no time to talk but then, finally, quiet reigned. The mess had been cleared away, and the injured had been taken to their homes by their coworkers, who’d waited the entire time. Her father went along to make sure the men got settled in and were comfortable.

  Mary sat at the table in the backroom, limp with fatigue from the day, feeling wrung out like an old dishrag. Yet at the same time, she’d never felt more alive. The reason now sat across from her, his dark eyes soft, his dazzling smile tugging at her resolve to hold herself aloof.

  “God is good,” he said, taking her hand. “To see the change in my parents…” His voice broke. “They’ll be good grandparents to Ben.” He smiled. “My father’s going to build a school for disabled children, and he’s promised to name it after Joseph.”

  Mary’s eyes flooded with tears. “Oh, my.”

  The corners of his mouth turned up into that lopsided grin she loved. “I’ve accepted my past, Mary. It made me what I am, even led me here to Noblesville. I never expected to stay or to practice medicine again, but I did. I never expected to get attached to Ben and everyone in this town, but I did. I never expected to meet you, a woman I admire more than any other, but I did.”

  She ran a palm along his jaw, tears streaming down her face. “Oh, Luke.”

  He scooted his chair back from the table and knelt beside her, taking both her hands in his. “The other night I realized I’ve spent my life running, afraid to care. Afraid I’d get my heart stomped. That’s all I knew.”

  Mary understood those struggles. Something tightened within. The old fear claiming her.

  “But you taught me what love is. You’ve shown me what a family is.” He pulled her to her feet and hugged her to him. “I’m not running anymore. I’m in love with you, Mary.”

  Her breath caught and held. Oh, how she wanted to return those words. But did she dare? Unable to meet his penetrating gaze, she rose and crossed to the window. “I’ve heard those words before. I’m scared.”

  He stepped behind her, laid a gentle palm on her shoulder. “I’m not Sam. I won’t let you down.”

  She believed that. But once he really knew her, would he be disillusioned? Feel cheated? Want out? Or worse, remain yet turn away from her?

  “It’s me I have no confidence in, not you.” She swiveled to him. “All of my life, I’ve wondered why I wasn’t good enough for my mother to keep. She didn’t care enough to even verify if I lived. Or if I turned out all right.”

  “Oh, Mary—”

  “No, let me say this.” She swallowed hard, barely able to squeeze out the words, “Why wasn’t I good enough for Sam to stop drinking?” She held up her hands, begging for an answer. “Tell me, Luke. Why?”

  Luke tenderly cradled her chin. “What you’re really asking is ‘Am I good enough to love?’ You taught me the answer to that.” A smile crossed his face. “If God can love me, then you, my sweet, amazing Mary, are definitely worthy of His love.”

  She let his words have time to permeate the shell she’d built around her heart. That shell kept Luke out. But it also locked her in. She’d built that shell because she didn’t trust her own judgment, her ability to perceive whether a man would stay. But, at the core of it, she felt unworthy of love.

  With God’s help, she could tear down that barrier. And she would. “How did you get so wise?”

  “I had a great teacher.” Luke leaned close. “Whatever you make up your mind to do, you can do, Mary. And that includes loving me.”

  Loving him
wasn’t the problem. Loving herself had been. She took his hand, giving it a squeeze. “I love you, Luke Jacobs, with all my being.”

  He hugged her to him. “I was afraid Sloan might have won your heart.” He reared back. “Where is he anyway?”

  “I don’t love Frank. I told him so this morning. He left town soon after.”

  Luke gave a triumphant shout and then twirled her about the small room, both laughing with the sheer joy of their love.

  “Oh, you’re making me dizzy.”

  He lowered her to her feet, then dipped his head, his chocolate brown eyes gentle and soft with yearning. “Marry me. I want to spend my life with you.”

  “Marry you?” Her heart fluttered. Imagine spending every day with Luke. But first she had to know with certainty. “What about my plan to attend medical school?”

  “Doc and I can handle the practice. I’ll be there at night to help the boys with homework and get them tucked into bed. I’ll send for my housekeeper. She’ll be great with the boys. Can keep an eye on them after school, or when you can’t get home and I’m on a house call.”

  Her jaw dropped. A housekeeper? A husband who’d support her? She felt like she was walking in a dream. “You’d do all that? For me?”

  “I’d do anything for you, lovely lady.” He toyed with a tendril of hair. “Any more concerns?”

  “I can’t think of another thing to say.”

  He grinned. “Say yes.”

  Her full heart brimmed over, spilling love into every wounded part of her, filling her with hope. “Yes, yes, yes, Luke! I’ll marry you.”

  His lips met hers, and Mary leaned into him, returning his kiss with the fervor of a woman starving for closeness to the man she loved. Beneath her palms, his heart thumped wildly, matching the beat of her own galloping heart. He tightened his arms around her, trapping her hands between them on his chest, deepening the kiss until she could barely stand, could barely breathe.

  A noise in the hall made them leap apart. Her father and all three boys stood in the doorway grinning like Cheshire cats. Mary knelt and threw her arms wide. Ben dove into them, almost knocking her off her feet. She buried her nose in his neck, drank in his sweet smell and wept tears of joy.

  Luke tugged Mary to her feet. Michael and Philip crowded around the three of them. “Boys, I asked your mother to be my wife, and she said yes. Is that all right with you?”

  “Luke’s going to be our daddy too!” Philip pumped his thin arms into the air. The grin on Michael’s face said it all.

  “Will that be okay with you, Ben?” Luke said, ruffling the boy’s hair.

  “Yep! Can we live in the same house now?”

  “Soon, Ben. Our wedding can’t happen fast enough to suit me.”

  Her father clapped Luke on the back then kissed Mary’s cheek. “’Bout time you two figured it out.”

  Laughing with joy, Michael and Philip grabbed their brother, and all three of them danced around the backroom, crowing with delight. Mary didn’t need to worry about the boys accepting Luke into the family. He’d captured their hearts, as he had hers.

  Recalling Mrs. Whitehall’s claim that a remedy for every ache and pain existed in this office, Mary knew she’d found hers. “You know, Doctor, I have a cure of my own for you.”

  He cupped her jaw, his touch a caress, and raised her gaze to his.

  “Oh, you do?”

  “Take one Mary Graves, make her your wife. Mix in three little boys, best taken on a full stomach. Then add a cup of faith.” She smiled. “A daily dose will fix what ails you, guaranteed. And all for the bargain price of…”

  Eyes twinkling, he cocked his head. “Three dollars a bottle?”

  “Oh, no, Dr. Jacobs, that’s far too cheap. This remedy will cost you a lifetime of love.”

  “Sold!” His dimple winked at her. “Loving you for a lifetime will be my greatest pleasure, Mary Lynn Graves.”

  Then he pulled her close, holding her in a tight grip—as if he never wanted to let her go. His lips captured hers. With every fiber of her being and all the love she’d hidden inside, she kissed him back, thankful for this man, the Great Physician’s remedy for her life.

  Dear Reader,

  As many as 30,000 immigrant children lived on New York City’s streets and in its overcrowded orphanages when Charles Loring Brace, founder of the Children’s Aid Society, came up with the idea to place orphans out to farms and small towns in the Midwest and beyond. Between the years of 1853 and 1929, approximately 250,000 children rode trains to new homes. This fact triggered my imagination. The result: two novels set in Noblesville, Indiana, in the late 1800s.

  Thank you for choosing the second book, Courting the Doctor’s Daughter. Mary and Luke’s issues with trust erected a barrier between them that only unconditional love could tear down. When they turned to God for wisdom, they found His plan for their lives. I hope Mary and Luke’s story, and their three special boys, Michael, Philip and Ben, touched your heart.

  I love to hear from readers.

  Write me c/o Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway,

  Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279.

  Visit my Web site www.janetdean.net

  and blog www.janetdean.blogspot.com.

  E-mail me at janet@janetdean.net.

  God bless you,

  QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

  In the opening of the book, why did Mary react to Luke’s remedy the way she did? Do you feel she over-reacted or was justified?

  As a young man, Luke lived a wild life. How did his brother’s death turn Luke’s life around? What other times in the book did unhappy events bring about good? Have you seen this in your own life?

  Why does Luke keep his fatherhood a secret? What were the positives and negatives in his decision? Was this a wise decision?

  Though Mary is a faithful Christian, she’s a worrier unable to release her concerns to God. How did this affect her life? What lesson did she learn?

  Mary is torn between her desire to become a doctor and a concern that her sons will pay a price for her goal. Yet she ignores deeper issues that might be harming her sons. Why?

  Mary had a happy childhood and knows God loves her. Yet her abandonment as a baby and her deceased husband’s inability to give up drinking for her and their sons shape her sense of worth. How is she able to change that view?

  Luke and Mary both kept secrets. Why? Do you understand their decisions? What events brought their secrets into the open? Were the consequences as dreadful as they feared?

  How does Ben help build a bridge between his father and grandparents?

  Throughout the book, Luke’s remedy is a symbol to him. What does it represent? And how does his view of his remedy change? Who helps Luke find peace about his goal to find a cure for epilepsy?

  Why is Luke able to see through the facade of a perfect family Mary built and struggled to maintain?

  Throughout the book, several people impact Luke and Mary, either intentionally or unintentionally. Can you name them and the lessons they taught?

  How did Mary avoid dealing with the issues bothering her? At what cost to her?

  In the end of the story, Mary gave Luke her remedy for a happy life. What ingredient is essential to their happy ending?

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-3313-7

  COURTING THE DOCTOR’S DAUGHTER

  Copyright © 2009 by Janet Dean

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, even
ts or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This edition published by arrangement with Steeple Hill Books.

  ® and TM are trademarks of Steeple Hill Books, used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.

  www.SteepleHill.com

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Questions for Discussion