Erin

by Rachel Wesson

“I can’t go to bed in the middle of the day. That ain't proper.”

  “Wilma, do you want my help?”

  “Mick’s right, you do need a tonic for that temper.”

  Erin was seething but she shouldn’t take it out on a patient, particularly one as nice as Wilma. She kept her tone under control as she explained she wanted the older woman to rest more and eat less. “Your ankles will thank me if they have less weight to carry around.”

  “Here was me thinking you were a good addition to Clover Springs. Now I don’t know what to think,” Wilma muttered crossly.

  “Is that a yes Doc Erin I will do what I am told?”

  “Yes, Doc Erin.” Wilma said before sticking her tongue out. Erin laughed. It was only seconds before Wilma joined in.

  Ellen came into the room to find the two giggling like school girls.

  “You two look like you are having a lot of fun.”

  “We is, Miss Ellen. How are you feeling?”

  Erin noted Ellen’s lack of color. She was sure the new mother was anemic.

  “Ellen, I wanted to see you while I was here. I think it would be a good idea for you to feed Jake with goat’s milk.”

  “I want to feed him myself.”

  “I know you do and you are doing a great job. But your illness during pregnancy has made you weak and Jake is a typical man. He’s always hungry. If you try some goat’s milk, you can ask Samuel to feed him at night allowing you to get more rest.”

  “Do you think it will help Jake? He isn’t a very happy baby.”

  “He will be when his stomach is full.”

  “But I should be able to look after him properly. I’m not cut out to be a mother am I?”

  Before Erin could intervene, Wilma stood up and put her arms around Ellen. “Miss Ellen, you be the best mother ever made. You are doing a fine job. Your baby is hungry that’s all. Listen to Doc, she knows what she’s talking about.”

  Erin wondered how much of her own advice would Wilma be willing to take.

  “Ellen, you will see a huge difference in Jake, and you will feel much better too. Wilma, keep making her eat red meat. It helps the blood. I will call back in a few days to check my patients.”

  Wilma showed her to the door.

  “All of them,” Erin added just for the old lady’s benefit. Wilma’s lips tightened in acknowledgement.

  As Erin walked back to the clinic, she was hoping she wouldn’t bump into Mick again. But luck was against her.

  “You look much better now, Doc,” He said grinning at her as she walked past.

  She was tempted to stick her tongue out at him but that was childish. Instead, she stuck her nose in the air and walked past him. Any hopes her action had dented his pride were dashed as his laughter rang out loudly behind her.

  Chapter 23

  Erin stood outside the front door of the Red Feathers. Could she do this? She'd never been inside an establishment like it before. There was always a first time. She knocked at the door but there was no answer. She tried to open it but it was locked. Looking up, she caught one of the girls staring down at her.

  “Can you please open the door?”

  “Go away.” The girl replied but not in a rude way. She seemed scared.

  “My name is Doc Erin. I want to make sure you are all healthy.”

  “Go away please, Doc. He won't like it.”

  “Actually, I don’t care what he thinks. All I care about is you girls and the health of this town. The two matters are...interlinked.” Erin took a deep breath. “Where is he?”

  The girl didn’t say anything but she glanced at the saloon. Erin had to take a deep breath. Going into a house full of soiled doves was one thing but a saloon? There would be lots of men in there and alcohol. And Mr. Dickinson. She had to speak to him.

  She walked up to the door of the saloon. Speaking loudly, she addressed the inside of the saloon without actually stepping over the threshold.

  “Mr. Dickinson, I wondered if I could have a word, please.” Erin decided being polite might get her further.

  There was no answer. She tried again.

  “Mr. Dickinson, can you hear me?”

  “The whole town can hear you lady. What you want?” A surly looking barkeep peered out through the double doors.

  “I would like to speak to the owner, Mr. Dickinson.”

  “Friend of yours?” The impertinent grin on the man's face was enough for Erin to lose her cool.

  “No, he isn't. Excuse me.” Using her medical bag as a buffer between them, she marched past the stunned barkeep.

  It was much darker than she expected inside the saloon. Relieved to see there weren't that many men sitting around drinking, she looked around to find Mr. Dickinson. He was sitting at the table furthest from the door. She walked toward him. Two cowboys stood to bar her way.

  “Excuse me, please.”

  “Go home, lady, this ain't no place for you.”

  “I am not a lady. I am a doctor and I insist on speaking to Mr. Dickinson. Please excuse me.”

  She moved forward but they didn’t move out of her way.

  “What I have to say is of a private nature but if you wish me to discuss your boss’s medical history over your arms, I shall do so. I don’t think he will thank you for it, though, do you?” She peered into the face of one man. “Actually, you should consider calling into the clinic. That rash on your face could be a symptom of a rather unpleasant illness.” She deliberately let her gaze travel over his body, hiding her amusement as his expression turned from cynical to fear.

  A laugh from behind the men drew everyone's attention.

  “You got spirit, Doc. I like that in my female friends. Let her through, boys.”

  The men stood aside to let her pass. She could feel their eyes stripping her of her clothes, an experience she should be used to given the places she had doctored in before. But it was still unnerving. Without asking permission, she took a seat at the table. Leaning forward, she whispered none too quietly.

  “Mr. Dickinson, I have reason to believe one or more of your girls are ill.”

  The conversation in the saloon had stopped the minute she entered. She knew they were all listening to her. Dickinson knew it too.

  “Are you threatening me, lady?”

  “Doc Erin is my name and no I am not. I am merely telling you of my suspicions. I would like to examine your...employees.”

  “Which one?”

  Erin didn’t hesitate. “All of them. The gentlemen I treated were a little vague on the names of the young ladies who...entertained them.”

  Dickinson puffed on his cigar, the smoke blowing into her face. She didn't blink. She wasn’t about to be intimidated.

  “Let me be clear, Mr. Dickinson. I will examine each girl or I will stand outside the saloon and explain in some detail the symptoms of a certain disease. In particular, I will elaborate on the rather painful death your customers could anticipate.”

  Dickinson threw the cigar to the floor grounding it out with his foot.

  “Enough. Nobody blackmails me, lady, not even a pretty doc.”

  “I am not blackmailing you, sir. I am making you a promise.” Intentionally she smiled and leaned in toward him as if she was flirting. In a low voice for his ears only, “It is your choice. Perhaps you don't know but I come from the Bronx in New York. I grew up surrounded by men just like you. You don't scare me, Mr. Dickinson. I will see those girls, one way or another.”

  His expression hardened as she met his gaze, not blinking.

  “Dusty, take the doc over to the house. Stay with her when she talks to the girls.”

  Erin stood up. “Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Dickinson, but Dusty will stay downstairs. My examination of the young ladies will be conducted in private. These are my terms.”

  She waited, her knees trembling. Had she pushed him too far? She matched him stare for stare all the time wondering if he had ever shown any emotion. The coldness in his expression almost made he
r run out the door. But she'd made a promise to check the girls. And she always kept her promises.

  Dickinson took a step toward her, leaning forward as if to kiss her cheek. She pushed down her instinct to draw back, holding her back tall and straight.

  “You won this time, lady, but don't ever push your luck with me again. You won't be so lucky next time,” He whispered in her ear before drawing back.

  She held out her hand to him challenging him to shake it. “Thank you for your co-operation, Mr. Dickinson. I look forward to seeing you often. I intend to make these checkups part of my regular routine.” With a smile of triumph and a swish of her skirts, she turned her back on him and walked toward the exit.

  'Come along, Dusty, your boss won't want to pay for my time if I waste it waiting for you to catch up.”

  The customers in the saloon laughed as she walked past closely followed by Dusty.

  Chapter 24

  Still shaking from her encounter with Dickinson, Erin was relieved when Dusty opened the door of the Red Feathers without further comment. He walked in leaving her to follow him. Shutting the door behind her, she grimaced as Dusty yelled at the girls.

  “Lady Doc is here to examine ya. Seems you be making people sick.”

  “I ain't sick. None of us are. What she doing here?”

  Dusty pushed the girl toward the doc. Erin cringed at his rough treatment of the young girl. If that was the way he dealt with the girls when he had witnesses, what did they suffer when nobody was around.

  A number of girls stood on different steps of the staircase. Some were older and looked like seasoned workers but a couple stood out as being very young. Erin smiled at all of them.

  “Good morning, ladies. My name is Doc Erin. I came to have a talk with you all. I am here to help and see what I can do to make your lives more...comfortable.”

  “We are doin’ fine. We don't need no do-gooders in here. See ya.” The girl looked at Dusty for approval but he wasn't paying attention.

  Erin moved toward the staircase but Dusty moved quicker and stood in her way.

  “Whatcha doing? You ain't going up there.”

  “Yes I am. I have no intention of examining any lady downstairs.”

  “The boss won't like it.”

  “Well, I'm not going to tell him.” Erin stared at him straight, recognizing him for the coward he was. “Dusty, the way I see it you got two choices. You can settle yourself down on that sofa over there and have a nap, or you can go tell your boss the doctor is upstairs. Your choice. Now get out of my way, my time is too precious to stand here all day arguing.”

  Erin swept past him, making her way up the stairs. She smiled gently at Lily as she walked past her. “I really am here to help. I understand more than most what you girls are going through.”

  She could feel Lily staring at her but at least the girl didn't put up any more arguments. At the top of the stairs she glimpsed a couple of luxury bedrooms as the doors were open. She knew the girls didn't live in those rooms. She was determined to see just how they lived. She made her way toward the one closed door only to find her route blocked by another scantily clad girl who looked terrified.

  “You can't go in there. Nobody's allowed to see.”

  “Now ladies, we don't have much time. Mr. Dickinson wasn't keen on my visiting with you. I know you are suspicious and I don't blame you for that.” Erin turned to speak direct to Lily who seemed to be the ring leader. “I know women like me don't treat you ladies with respect. I am not like that. I am a doctor and I want to help.”

  “What do you get out of it?”

  “Lily, don't be rude. She may be telling the truth.” A young girl spoke.

  “Ain't nobody do nothing for free.”

  “Lily, I understand why you feel that way. I am not working for free. I intend to send my bill to Mr. Dickinson.”

  “You're going to get Dickie to pay you to take care of us?” Lily said, disbelief fighting with admiration on her face.

  “Yes I am. Now who is going to let me examine them first?”

  “I will.”

  “Mollie, you can't. You know Dickie won't be happy,” Lily admonished her but Erin sensed she was coming around to the idea.

  “Lily, why don't I start with you and you can then send in the other girls. You can explain there is nothing to be afraid of.”

  By challenging the girl’s fear in front to the other girls, Lily had no choice but to submit to the examination. Lily led the way through the locked door with Erin and the other girls following in her wake. The rooms on this side couldn't have looked more different than the rooms at the front of the house. There were three or four cots in each room. The air was stagnant as the windows appeared to be nailed shut. Erin could see evidence of alcohol everywhere. No wonder really. If she had to live the life these girls did, she would probably drink too.

  “Lily, perhaps you could sit down and I will start the examination.”

  Lily sat at the end of one of the cots.

  “If you find something, do you have to tell Dickie?”

  The fear in the girl's face made Erin's heart break.

  “Our examination is private. Just you and me. Do you think something is wrong with you?”

  Lily took a few seconds to answer. Erin sensed she was probably trying to decide if she could trust her. “Lily, I promise, nothing you tell me will be repeated.”

  Lily nodded before she inched up her skirt to reveal a nasty looking wound in her thigh. It had an angry red look.

  “That looks very painful. Have you been cleaning it?”

  “I washed it but it didn't help.”

  “I will show you what to do. First of all, you cannot touch it until you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water.” Erin asked one of the girls standing outside the room to get her a clean bowl of hot water. She looked in her bag and took out a small bottle. “If you put this on twice a day and cover it with a small bandage, it will heal in no time at all.”

  Erin reached into her bag and took out some squares of white material. “Cut these in two. Change the dressing twice a day. I will come back later in the week to check on you.”

  Erin gave the girls hand a squeeze. “Please, Lily, if you ever get hurt again like this, come and see me. Don't wait until it gets worse.”

  Lily didn't answer but gave a quick nod of her head.

  “Do you girls have enough to eat? You are all very slim.”

  They were skin and bones but Erin didn't want to offend them.

  “Dickie feeds us well enough. If we're good.”

  “He controls you by the use of food as well as violence?” At Lily's blank look, Erin explained, “He hits you to make you behave?”

  “Only when we deserve it. He ain't the worst.”

  Erin knew she wouldn't get any more out of Lily. She knew when she had pushed hard enough. She treated a succession of small wounds or bruises in each girl, all the while giving them instructions on how to look after themselves better. The last girl in to see her was Mollie.

  “Lily, would you mind checking on Dusty while I see to Mollie. I don't want him going to get Dickie.”

  Erin wanted Mollie to speak freely and she didn't think the girl would do that with Lily hanging around. She was right. As soon as Lily was out of the way, Mollie started talking and didn't stop.

  “You got to see to Kathryn. She is real sick.”

  “I've seen everyone. You all have a lot of minor injuries but nobody is very ill,” Erin tried to reassure the young girl.

  “You ain't seen Kathryn. They got her hidden down stairs out in the back room. None of us is allowed to go near her. Except Lily.”

  “Why? What is wrong with her?”

  “She got beat up real bad. She was screaming but he didn't do nothing to stop it. He don't care so long as he gets his money. She was nice to me. She had a lovely smile.”

  Erin assumed he was Dickinson. She didn't like the way Mollie was speaking about the girl in the past ten
se. She couldn't have died and her body be hidden. Could she?

  “Let me examine you first, Mollie, and then I will ask Lily about Kathryn.”

  “You can’t ask her. She'll know it was me. You got to come back and find her.”

  Mollie was so agitated, Erin agreed. She didn't want to do anything to put the young girl in danger.

  “Mollie, what age are you?”

  “Don't know,” Mollie replied.

  “Please don't lie to me,” Erin said softly.

  “Fourteen.”

  “How long you been with Dickie?”

  “Three months.” Mollie picked at her nails. “He seemed nice. I was hungry and scared. He brought me some food and some clothes. Said he was going to look after me. He did at the start. Then he brought me here.”

  Erin wanted to hug the girl but knew it would not be welcome.

  “Mollie, a friend of yours asked me to look after you.”

  “Mick.” The hope shining out of her eyes made Erin wish she hadn't said anything.

  “If you need me, you come find me. Anytime.”

  “Doc, do you think Mick will be able to get me out of here. I don't know how much longer I can stand it.”

  Erin took the girl’s hand in hers. “I know he will do his best. We all will. Now I best go or Mr. Dickinson will come and look for me. Try to get more to eat, Mollie.”

  Erin stood up. She called Lily and the other girls.

  “I am going to go back to Mr. Dickinson now and demand he open these windows. You need extra light and fresh air. This place is a fire hazard. If there was a fire downstairs, you wouldn't get out. I will also insist on hot water for baths and more food. Is there anything else you would like me to get for you?”

  “A coat?” One of the girls asked. “If we have to go to the store, I feel funny wearing the clothes we have. Everyone stares at us.”

  Erin smiled. “I will get you some coats. Now you all know where the clinic is. If you ever need my help, you come find me.”

  Erin looked at each face individually. The majority of the girls wouldn't make eye contact. Life was probably never going to improve for them. But Lily and Mollie did. They were two of a kind despite the age difference. Both survivors.