Wild and Tender Care

by Haley Whitehall

  Wild and Tender Care

  Haley Whitehall

  Published 2014

  ISBN: 978-1-62210-113-9

  Published by Liquid Silver Books, imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, 10509 Sedgegrass Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana 46235. Copyright © Published 2014, Haley Whitehall. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  Liquid Silver Books

  http://LSbooks.com

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  Blurb

  Ida Page has seen the worst the west has to offer. Snubbed by the citizens of Big Rock, Colorado, ever since the town cleaned up its act and became civilized, she has tried to change with the times. No other line of work available, she became a laundress after the mayor shut down the whorehouse, but the good people will not allow her to forget her past as a shady lady. She has given up on ever being accepted, let alone falling in love, until a handsome half-breed stranger arrives in town.

  After the War Between the States, William Steere has been looking for a town to build a medical practice. He answered a newspaper ad placed by the mayor of Big Rock and hopes their desperate need for a doctor will overrule their race prejudice against his half-breed heritage. At the Independence Day picnic, he is introduced to all the town citizens except for one woman sitting off by herself. This redhead draws him to her with merely a gaze.

  Can the two outcasts find love and acceptance in each other's arms or will the town’s cruelty and a smallpox epidemic tear them apart?

  Dedication

  To my parents who instilled in me a love for historical westerns.

  Chapter 1

  July 3, 1870

  Colorado Territory

  William Steere shifted in his seat, his back and seat sore from traveling for so long in the stagecoach. But it wasn’t just the hard wooden bench making him uncomfortable. The nasty look from the stagecoach driver and the silence of the two white men sitting across from him told him he’d have a hard time being accepted in Big Rock. Nobody, it seemed, wanted a breed around in these parts. Even if he had a medical degree.

  During the War Between the States, the soldiers hadn’t cared whether their doctor was half-Indian. They’d had two choices: accept his services or bleed to death. Now that the war had ended, he found himself fresh out of eager patients. He’d applied for the job in Big Rock in the hope their sick would be willing to accept him as their town physician. If they didn’t, he’d have to turn around and go home. Back to the reservation.

  He gritted his teeth. The idiocy of race prejudice hadn’t died with the war. It was still alive and well, and aimed right at him, just like it always had been. Nobody seemed to care it wasn’t his fault. Jostled in the stuffy stagecoach, he gripped the medical bag resting in his lap and tried to count his blessings. His father, a white trapper, had lived with the Creek people and taken a Creek woman as his wife. William had been happy with them as a child until they both died and he’d been forcefully carried away from the only life he’d known and thrust into the white world. His white adopted father helped him earn his medical certificate, but his profession hadn’t brought him the respect he had expected. It had only brought him here, to Big Rock.

  Had he made a big mistake?

  The driver reined the horses to a stop and set the brake. William looked out the window again, this time with more curiosity. Clouds of dust kicked up around the horse’s hooves. Businesses lined the side of the street, their signs proclaiming their services in smartly painted bright colors.

  “We’re here, gentlemen,” the driver called.

  The stagecoach door opened and William remained seated, letting the two white men exit first. “Where is the restaurant, sir?” William asked the stagecoach driver.

  The man snorted. “You can read can’t you? Or is that medical bag you’re carrying just for show?”

  “I am a doctor, sir,” William replied, struggling to remain polite. He didn’t need to start a fight the minute he arrived. He’d have to walk the town to find where he could fill his empty stomach.

  A brown stud, one of the horses teamed to the stagecoach, turned his head and stared at William. The doctor’s breath hitched. He believed in signs. The horse was telling him to be careful. He’d take the message to heart.

  He picked up his trunk and surveyed the small town. The prairie stretched on for miles around the buildings lining both sides of the main street. So this was Big Rock. It was a far cry from Washington, D.C. where he’d attended medical school. He grunted. Comparing this speck on a map to a bustling city? He’d lost his mind. Big Rock should have been named Tiny Pebble. It was the smallest town he’d attempted to settle in. That could work in his favor or work against him. He’d answered a newspaper advertisement and wired the mayor, so he knew they needed a doctor. But would they accept him?

  Trunk in one hand and medical bag in the other, he stood frozen. His stomach knotted and he broke out in a cold sweat. He didn’t know if he could handle another rejection.

  A blond-haired man with bushy sideburns crossed the street. “Dr. Steere?”

  William drew an uneasy breath. “Yes.”

  “I’m Mayor Caldwell,” he said, extending his hand. “Welcome to Big Rock.”

  “Thank you.” William shook his hand firmly.

  The mayor motioned to the sidewalk. “We best get out of the middle of the street.”

  William nodded and walked with him under the eaves of the mercantile.

  “We were blessed when you answered our ad. We’ve been without a doctor for so long. Big Rock is still a small town, but we’re growing every day.” He glanced at the stagecoach heading farther down the street. “Looks like we just increased our population by three.”

  “So it does. I appreciate the opportunity, Mayor Caldwell.”

  “Hard to attract families when you don’t have a doctor,” he said. “And it is even harder to get good doctors to come all the way out in the middle of nowhere. If we keep improving the territory, Colorado might just become a state in a few more years.”

  William moistened his dry lips. He doubted he’d like the answer, but he wanted to know the truth. “Was I the only doctor who replied to your ad?”

  The mayor thrust both his hands in the pockets of his black frock coat and gazed out at the dusty street. “Yes.”

  So there it was. They invited him out here because they didn’t have an alternative. If even one white doctor had answered he wouldn’t have gotten this job, even if they had found out the white doctor graduated last in his class.

  “I see.” And here he thought the mayor was being friendly. No. The man was just afraid he’d take the next stagecoach out of town.

  “It isn’t like that, Dr. Steere,” Mayor Caldwell said quickly. “We’re really glad you’re here. I will do everything I can to help you get settled and make sure you feel welcome.”

  Both his eyebrows rose. We? The mayor is talking for the whole town.

  “Let me show you to your office.” The older man led him down the street. “We built the doctor’s office when the town first developed, but it has sat empty for a long time.”

  William noticed the doctor sign hanging above a small whitewashed building, the red paint fading. He followed the mayor up a flight of wooden steps. Mayor Caldwell took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door.

/>   The man coughed and covered his mouth with his arm. “I’m afraid it will need a little cleaning.”

  “Yes,” William said, noting all the dust and cobwebs. “But it shouldn’t be too hard to do. I just need a bucket of water, a rag, and a broom.”

  He walked across the room and opened a door. “There is a small bedroom—sleeping quarters for you if you care to use it.”

  “The bedroom is greatly appreciated.” It saved him from having to buy a room at the boardinghouse. He didn’t care to mingle with the rough company there.

  “This humble office is yours outright. A gift from the town.”

  Now that wasn’t something he had expected. Normally he didn’t like accepting charity. Growing up, he’d been forced to rely on the generosity of the U.S. government and he hated every minute of it. But this was different. He couldn’t treat patients in the middle of the street.

  “Thank you, sir. I was fully prepared to pay for the building.”

  “Nonsense.” He handed him the key to the office. “So you can lock up when you leave. And I’ll get you that broom.” Mayor Caldwell opened the door, descended the first step, and then stopped and turned around. “We’re planning an Independence Day picnic. I figured that would be a good way to introduce you to the rest of the townspeople.”

  William cracked a smile. Big Rock might be home after all. “I’d like that, sir. Will there be fried chicken?”

  The man laughed. “Yes, sir. My wife makes the best fried chicken.” With that he left.

  William shut the door and sat on the hard wooden chair next to the small desk. They’d even provided him with furniture. He hadn’t met many of the citizens yet—right now everything felt right. He couldn’t ask for anything more…except maybe a woman to love.

  * * * *

  After washing off the last of the soap, he ran his fingers across his cleanly shaven face. Staring into the small mirror he’d hung on the wall he examined his appearance and tied his black bow tie. With great difficulty he held back a groan. Even in the gray frock coat and black trousers he looked…well, Indian.

  He wasn’t ashamed of his roots, but why did they have to define him? It seemed he’d never be viewed as an American, just an Indian or half-breed. Even with army service and a medical degree to his name. He drew a deep breath. No need to judge the citizens of Big Rock before he’d met them. He couldn’t rightly taint them with the opinions of the other towns he’d been to. A fresh start. He already had the job. Now all he had to do was meet the people today, introduce himself, and offer his services.

  He grabbed his derby hat off his desk, stepped outside, locked the door and strode toward the church where everyone was gathering. The soft fiddle chords of “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” greeted him upon approach.

  “Welcome, Dr. Steere,” Mayor Caldwell said, directing him to the buffet table. “You came at the right time. The ladies just added the last dishes.”

  “Thank you. My mouth is watering. I could smell it all the way here.”

  Mayor Caldwell touched a woman on the shoulder and she turned around. “I’d like to introduce you to my wife, Addie Caldwell.”

  “A lovely name for a lovely woman,” William said.

  After a flicker of hesitation the woman smiled at him. “I hope you will like living in Big Rock, Dr. Steere.” Although her words were pleasant, her stiff demeanor alerted him of her true feelings. She did not approve of him or was at least uncomfortable in his presence.

  His stomach twisted and he forced out a long breath through his nose, trying to relax.

  Mrs. Caldwell appeared to be a few years younger than her husband, her brown hair pulled back and a cascade of curls falling from under her bonnet. She looked very stylish in a green silk dress with wide sleeves and trimmed in white braid. A jade pendant necklace matched her outfit.

  Whether she realized it or not she continued to stare at him, which made him even more self-conscious. Obviously the woman of society was eastern bred. How long has she been living out west?

  “Have you not seen an Indian before, Mrs. Caldwell?” he asked.

  She blinked. “Excuse me?”

  Forcing back the laugh bubbling up his throat, he smirked. Apparently stating the obvious had brought her out of her daze. “If I may be so bold you seem intrigued by my appearance. Seeing as how all the other gentlemen here are wearing similar attire I can only guess it has something to do with my mixed blood.”

  Mrs. Caldwell’s cheeks turned dark red. “I uh…I’m sorry. I did not mean…” Her blush spread down her neck. “Oh, Mrs. Monroe is here. I must talk to her about raising money for the church. Please excuse me.” She scurried away as fast as she could.

  William watched for a second, amused before switching his attention to the mayor. Likely embarrassing his wife would not win him any points with the man, but he couldn’t help himself. Besides with the clamor of everyone filling their plates and catching up on the latest gossip, he doubted many had heard the exchange.

  Mayor Caldwell tried to look serious, but his eyes betrayed his delight. “Not too many people can put her in her place,” he said, shaking his head. “I think I’m going to like you, Dr. Steere.”

  William let out the breath he had been holding and chuckled.

  “Don’t mind my wife. Despite being raised in Philadelphia she has a lot to learn about manners.”

  He shrugged. “I’m a little eager to defend myself I suppose. She really didn’t do any harm.”

  Glancing over to a group of women—some looking his way, others talking behind their hands—he noted Mrs. Caldwell among them. He wondered what she was telling them about him. Could she spread gossip about the new doctor in town so quickly?

  William walked with the mayor across the church lawn. “I hadn’t expected so many people,” he said.

  “All the folks from the outlying areas have come in to Big Rock for the picnic,” Mayor Caldwell explained.

  “I thought most people would settle in Big Rock. It seems there are more people outside the town.”

  “There are lots of homesteaders coming in and they build their homesteads outside of town. Some were miners who are finally getting over the gold fever.”

  “I see.”

  “Would you like to meet everyone now or fill your plate first and eat?”

  William looked over at the food on the buffet table and his stomach churned. It was best to get all the introductions over with and settle his nerves so he could enjoy his meal.

  “Now, if you don’t think anyone will mind.”

  The mayor nodded. “We’ll start with the York family. They have three children.”

  He suddenly felt like he was in school again. Would there be a test at the end of the day? Looking at the crowd of people, he doubted he’d be able to remember all their names. But he’d try. At the least he’d introduce himself and see if anyone would like an appointment.

  With the mayor on his side maybe he’d have a chance of getting over the race prejudice here.

  Chapter 2

  Ida arrived late to the Independence Day picnic. She’d debated with herself for an hour before deciding to attend. Her stomach finally gave in. Hopefully if she kept to herself the good citizens of Big Rock wouldn’t cause her too much grief. The families and married couples were already eating in their little groups. No one smiled or waved at her. She might as well be a ghost.

  Fine. She had been living in Big Rock long before most of them moved in. They weren’t going to push her out. Back stiff, she walked across the church lawn to the buffet table, picked up a plate, and dished up a helping of all the good food. She looked presentable in a festive red-and-white checkered dress and a straw bonnet with a big red silk bow on top, which resembled a flower. In her high lace collar and long sleeves the ladies really had nothing to cluck about.

  Plate in one hand and glass of punch in the other, she sat under a cottonwood by herself, ignoring the lusty stares from the men and the glares from the women. No doubt they t
hought she sullied the church lawn.

  Leaning against the tree trunk, she scanned the faces of the men, many of whom she knew intimately. Her gaze fell on a tall stranger standing next to the mayor. Any man talking with the mayor certainly wouldn’t give her the time of day. She struggled to pull her attention away and stared down at her fried chicken, potato salad, and beans.

  A group of men tuned up their fiddles and banjos. As soon as the music began most of the men and women paired off ready to dance on the grass. A few mothers with babies watched, some of the young children clapping their hands.

  Ida let out a heavy sigh. Seeing all those smiling faces tore at her insides. Like most towns out west, Big Rock’s population was mostly male. That had made her one of the most popular women in town until all the churchgoers moved in. Now she might as well have the plague. Although she longed to join in the fun none of the men would ask her with everyone watching. She’d learned to put up a front, to act like she had thick skin and it didn’t bother her, but she was a woman. The good Christians didn’t seem to understand that.

  Her attention returned to the stranger’s back, curiosity burning her brain. Although not richly dressed he gave an air of the city more than one of a cowboy or miner. She examined his charcoal gray frock coat taking in every inch of him. His straight black hair fell to his shoulders topped by a black derby hat.

  The tall stranger added his empty plate to a stack at the end of the table and turned around. The mayor offered him a cigar and he lit it, taking a long pull. The two men talked for a few more minutes before the mayor’s uppity wife returned and called her husband away.

  The stranger’s gaze scanned his surroundings and then fell on her. A lump sprouted in her throat. Had he felt her mooning at his back earlier? Heat rushed into her cheeks, but she couldn’t look away. Those dark brown eyes stopped her heart, had her mesmerized.

  He stomped out the small cigar and then strode toward her, his powerful legs filling his trousers well. She had been right in her assumption he was a city man—his copper skin looked soft. She longed to run her fingers across his smooth cheek. Having been with too many dirty and gruff miners and drifters over the years, she liked a cleanly shaven man. Why was this man with a level of refinement showing interest in her?