Wild and Tender Care

by Haley Whitehall

  Mrs. Caldwell’s skin paled. “That’s because she’s danced with every man from—”

  “Addie!” Mayor Caldwell said. “That’s enough. I apologize, Doctor. My wife can be quite nosy.” He tugged on her arm, and they walked toward his carriage.

  William held back a laugh. Well, at least the mayor was on his side, but he feared Mrs. Caldwell had all the ladies of Big Rock wrangled to her way of thinking. Maybe he could right this situation. He strode after the couple. “Mrs. Caldwell,” he called.

  Both she and the mayor turned around.

  “Perhaps I acted too hastily,” he said. “I have only been here a couple days. Are there any other eligible ladies in town?”

  “Yes there are, but…” Mrs. Caldwell quickly shut her mouth.

  That’s what he thought. She didn’t think Miss Page was good enough for him, but she didn’t think he was good enough for any of the other ladies in town. “A man gets lonely, Mrs. Caldwell. I suppose I might have to leave Big Rock to find a wife. I know there are ladies in Indian Territory.”

  “You just got here, Dr. Steere,” the mayor said.

  William nodded. “Yes, I’ll get my practice going first, but if I can’t find a woman to marry I might have to take a leave of absence.”

  Mayor Caldwell pressed his lips together, and glared at his wife for a moment before helping her into the carriage.

  It felt good to get his dig in. Mrs. Caldwell needed to know where he stood. Maybe she’d second-guess her position against Miss Page. However, he doubted one warning would be enough to change her mind.

  A person’s past followed them. He’d learned that as a small boy. It was possible to outrun many things except for your mistakes and your heritage.

  The air cooling, William buttoned his charcoal gray frock coat and slowly migrated toward his office. His footsteps soft, he tried not to disturb his surroundings just as he’d been taught. He hadn’t been with the Creeks very long, but he had learned to pay attention to his surroundings and to honor the wilderness. He listened to distant voices, to the birds, and mostly to the silence. Being closer to nature was one benefit of living in Big Rock. He’d nearly suffocated living in Washington, D.C.

  As he breathed deeply, the clean air filled his lungs. The town didn’t boast of much, but it did have a livery stable. Maybe he could rent a buggy and take Miss Page for a ride; he had a little money left over from his stage fare. Giving her pleasure would be a good way to spend it. He’d toured Big Rock. It didn’t take long to walk through the town. Now he’d love to see the surrounding scenery. He hadn’t really gotten much of a look while riding in the stagecoach. And who better to share his company with than the beautiful woman who seemed flustered at the idea of him calling on her?

  He smiled, pleased with the plan. He’d tried to court a couple of other white ladies in the past. One of them had even consented to marry him, but as soon as her father found out he was a half-breed the man had run him off his property at the point of a rifle.

  He wouldn’t have to seek approval to marry Miss Page. That is, no one’s approval but hers.

  * * * *

  William greeted the morning sun with a smile. Although he wanted to build a thriving practice, relief and excitement threaded through him when the morning passed without a patient coming to his office. He locked up and headed down to the livery. The thought of seeing Miss Page again sent his heart into palpitations.

  He rented the buggy for the afternoon and drove down the street toward Miss Page’s home. He pulled into her yard and reined the team of bay horses to a halt. The woman who he’d danced with again in his dreams last night currently stood bent over a washtub, drawing attention to her ample bosom.

  His breath caught in his throat and for a second he forgot how to speak. Miss Page’s pale blue paisley dress covered her modestly although it took little effort to imagine her stripped naked.

  “Dr. Steere,” Miss Page said, drying her hands on her white apron. “What brings you to my little corner of Big Rock?”

  “I…uh…” He stepped down and walked over to her. “I hope you don’t have much work to do.”

  She motioned to a large metal bucket piled with clothes. “I’ve still got those to do. The men keep me busy,” she said and then gave a dry laugh.

  “Can you take a break?” he asked, stepping closer. “I didn’t realize so many people lived outside of town. I need a guide to show me the area.”

  She pointed a wet finger at her chest. “Out of all the fool things…you want me to be your guide?”

  He nodded.

  “And all the men in town are busy?”

  He shrugged. “Don’t know. I didn’t ask them.” He tilted his head toward the buggy. “I much prefer the company of a woman.”

  Miss Page eyed the buggy. “You rented that from Mr. Jackson, didn’t you?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “And you were thinking I’d just drop everything and say yes?”

  He wetted his lips and rocked back on his heels. “Well…I was hoping I could persuade you to join me.”

  She grunted. “I’m not that easy, you know.” Her gray-blue eyes sparkled. “I’ll have to think about it.”

  “I can wait.” He walked over to the porch steps and took a seat, enjoying the view from behind just as much as he had from the front.

  Miss Page proceeded to scrub a white shirt. She wrung it dry and looked over her shoulder. “You look like you haven’t seen a woman do laundry before.”

  He blushed and examined the tops of his black shoes. Staring was impolite, but he couldn’t help himself. “I have, but none with strawberry-colored hair.”

  “I heard the Indians prized women with blonde hair.”

  He met her gaze and smiled. “Not this one.”

  She shook her head and returned to her work. Several minutes passed without them exchanging another word.

  He’d never considered washing clothes an erotic experience. Now, he could never imagine it any other way. Her every movement aroused him. Bent over the washtub, hands submerged in the soapy water, she ran the clothes up and down on the washboard and her breasts bounced.

  He longed to strip away her dress, palm and lick her creamy globes. Biting his bottom lip, he held back a groan. His cock hardened and throbbed. By the time she was ready to leave he was going to be mighty uncomfortable. Worse, she’d be able to see his desire as plain as the nose on his face.

  He swallowed and stood. Taking a break from watching Miss Page seemed the best idea. “If you excuse me, ma’am, I need to use the necessary.”

  “It is around back,” she said, continuing to scrub a shirt against the washboard.

  He hurried around the side of the house to the necessary and shut the door. I can’t leave here until I calm down. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. Being a former shady lady was all the more reason for William to control his feelings around her. He did not want her to get the idea he thought of her solely that way. He wasn’t like Austin. He was looking for a woman with matrimonial inclinations, not just one night of pleasure.

  It took a few minutes but he succeeded in talking himself down from his high. He stepped out of the foul-smelling outhouse and slowly walked back around to the porch. Miss Page had switched from washing to hanging up the laundry.

  She pulled a clothespin out of her mouth. “I will be ready in a bit,” she called. “I guess the rest can wait till we get back.”

  “No rush, ma’am.” Could he sit next to her in the buggy without getting excited? He ran his palm across his mouth. Somehow he had to find a way. The two of them so close in that rig would drive him crazy.

  Tearing his gaze away from hers he cooled off his thoughts again by examining her home. The house was modest in size but looked to be in better shape than a shack. It comforted him knowing she had a decent place to live—and hide away from the constant judgment of her fellow citizens.

  Miss Page hung up a pair of trousers and then dried her wet hands on her apro
n. “That is all for now. Let me go in and get my bonnet.”

  She took off the white bandanna tied around her hair, untied her apron, and disappeared into the house.

  He rubbed his sweaty palms together and paced in front of the buggy. How long did it take a woman to grab a bonnet? Likely she was freshening up a bit too. The idea gave him a fuzzy feeling. She wanted to look her best for him.

  It was worth the wait. When she returned, she wore a lightweight brown shawl draped around her shoulders, matching her bonnet, which was trimmed with silk and decorated on the side with a flower. “You must have a wardrobe to rival any lady in town.” He offered his hand and helped her into the buggy seat.

  “Thank you,” she said, and then smoothed out her skirt. “I do have an extensive wardrobe thanks to my former profession.” Her gaze traveled boldly down his body before returning to his eyes. “Too bad I can’t show you my best dresses.”

  “They wouldn’t be fit for a buggy ride,” he said, climbing in beside her. “But I wouldn’t mind seeing you wear them sometime just for me.” The words slipped out of his mouth before he could catch them. He cringed. “I didn’t mean that. It is just you look so fetching.”

  She laughed. “Men have said much more brazen statements to me, Dr. Steere. You needn’t be worried about my sensibilities.”

  He clucked to the horses and headed out of town before he could say something else even more embarrassing. The strawberry-haired woman next to him exuded feminine beauty and passion. The scent of rosewater perfume mingled with the remnants of lye soap. Despite her past, Miss Page seemed perfect.

  “This is the Franklin place,” she said, pointing to a cabin along the side of the road. “Two brothers live there…Chet is the eldest and his brother Hal.”

  William nodded, mentally putting the two names with the house. “Looks like they have a few cows.”

  “Trying their hand at ranching, yes. They sold their mining claim a few months back.”

  William felt a little awkward with Miss Page telling them everyone’s business, but how else was he supposed to know? They continued farther down the road and he learned about the Johnson family and Clint Harder the veterinarian who lived out by himself.

  Mayor Caldwell had made it sound like there were many houses outside of Big Rock, but in actuality there were only a handful. It just happened that the handful held most of the families, so it looked like half the population lived outside of town.

  All too soon the tour came to an end and William turned the buggy around to take Miss Page home. “Thank you for coming with me,” he said for probably the tenth time since they’d left. “I didn’t mean to steal you away from your work.”

  She shook her head, smiling. “Yes you did, Dr. Steere, and you know it.”

  “All right, I confess. I wanted to steal you away from your work, but now it is only right that I take you back so you can finish.”

  She let out an exaggerated sigh. “If you must. This buggy ride is a much more enjoyable way to spend my time than slaving over a bucket of soapy water.”

  His heart gave a loud thud. Had she just said she enjoyed spending time with him? He mentally shook his head. No, she had merely stated she preferred a ride in the country to work. What woman wouldn’t say that? Their pleasant afternoon was a start at getting to know each other better. Hopefully she wouldn’t mind another visit from him—say tomorrow.

  A horse and rider galloped toward them. Alarmed, William reined the horses to a stop. Something was clearly wrong.

  “Dr. Steere?” the man asked, out of breath.

  “Yes, can I help you?” He hadn’t recalled meeting this lanky man before.

  “I’m Wes Morgan. My wife is having a baby.”

  His stomach tossed. He hadn’t delivered a baby before. The closest he’d come to real-life experience was a litter of puppies. Of course he had to put his book learning to use sometime. “I need to get my bag and then I’ll ride out to your house. Where do you live?”

  “I own the barbershop. We live upstairs.”

  William nodded. “All right. Try to relax, Mr. Morgan. Go back to your wife. I’ll be right there.”

  He dropped Miss Page off, both eager and anxious over his first patient.

  She patted his hand. “No need to worry.”

  While women had been having babies since the beginning of time, sometimes the birth wasn’t easy. If he lost his first patient likely it would be difficult for him to get another one.

  He climbed back into the buggy, wishing he could tarry and spend more time with Miss Page. “May I see you again?”

  She nodded and shooed him away with both hands. “Yes, although you better bring me some laundry next time!”

  Chapter 4

  That evening Ida took the dried clothes off the clothesline and draped them over her arms, glad the door was propped open. She laid her burden across the arms of an oak chair and then entered the kitchen. Her iron had heated all morning on the stove. She carried it to her ironing board, ready to begin the next stage of her day’s work. She replayed the buggy ride in her mind several times. Dr. Steere had been the perfect gentleman aside from his accidental slip about wishing to see her in inappropriate attire. She’d let him slide on that one. He was a man after all.

  Actually she appreciated the risqué comment. Knowing he found her attractive made her body thrum. He wanted to spend more time with her, and yet he’d kept his hands to himself all afternoon.

  Treating her like a lady, wooing her properly…her body heated and giddiness flooded her veins. She vibrated with excitement and standing still became a chore. Damn, she had a whole pile of laundry to iron. Right now she didn’t want to iron. She wanted to spend more time with Dr. Steere.

  She knew of fallen women who had been swept away from that life by men who offered to marry them. She never thought she’d have such luck. Of course, Dr. Steere hadn’t proposed yet, but there was a chance it would head in that direction. Being the wife of a half-breed doctor wouldn’t be the easiest, but it would be far better than her current standing in society.

  The steam rolled off the iron but could not wash Dr. Steere from her mind. If she hurried up and finished her ironing she could deliver the clothes and maybe see him in town. Of course, sometimes it took hours to have a baby so he could still be with the Morgans. It would be best to wait till morning. After delivering the baby he’d likely be tired anyway.

  She piled the dried clothes on the kitchen table and yawned suddenly, realizing her long day had taken its toll. After a good night’s sleep things would look clearer in the morning. She hoped…

  * * * *

  Ida had dreamed of Dr. Steere last night, dreamed of spending more time with him. Now all she wanted to do was act out those dreams. Still, encouraging him was a bad idea. Was she being selfish by letting him court her? There was just as much if not more ill will toward her in this town as there was toward him. She’d been fighting it for a long time and hadn’t made a dent in reversing the feelings of the respectable people.

  Being seen with her on a regular basis wouldn’t help his cause. But she did not want to spend the rest of her life alone. If they agreed to get married maybe they could move far away where no one knew her. Oregon, maybe, and they could start a life together.

  She sighed and continued to iron the clothing. Here she was daydreaming like a child. Smitten. Two afternoons with him and he had her nearly planning their wedding. What was she thinking? High hopes for the future only meant she had a longer way to fall. Fairy-tale happy endings weren’t meant for women like her. At least she could enjoy the moment for as long as it lasted.

  She ironed all the clothes and folded them neatly, setting them back in the metal tub. Her stomach grumbled and she realized she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. None of the leftovers from her supper yesterday looked appealing. Still, she heated up the stew and cut a slice of bread to go with it. She’d never had feelings for any of her clients before. They had just used her body. Dr. Steer
e was different. Just one look at him gave her a fluttery sensation in her chest. The only other time she had felt this way was when she was thirteen in the orphanage and Jerimiah Dobbs had pulled her braids. The two of them had had a growing friendship until he was adopted and taken by his new family to Oregon.

  She pushed the bowl of stew aside. She could do without the meal. What she hungered for now was more of Dr. Steere’s company.

  * * * *

  After delivering all the clean laundry to their owners and collecting her fees, she stopped outside the doctor’s office. Not having run into Dr. Steere during her stroll through town, she’d have to make more of an effort to see him. Empty washtub in one hand, she knocked on his office door with the other.

  The door opened and Dr. Steere peeked out. “Miss Page,” he said, clearly surprised. “Can I help you?”

  “Uh…I…” She could see over his shoulder a woman sat on his table. Looking closer, she recognized Mrs. Woodward. “I see you have a patient. I can come back later.”

  Dr. Steere touched her shoulder, stalling her. He lowered his voice. “You are well?”

  His concern touched her. “Yes,” she said, nodding. “I just wanted to talk to you.”

  He visibly relaxed. “I should only be a few more minutes.”

  Ida headed back down the steps. She leaned against the building wall, waiting for Mrs. Woodward to leave. The woman descended the steps with her right hand bandaged. Without even glancing her way, she walked down the street.

  “Good Christian people,” Ida muttered. God never said to shun your fellow man. They didn’t know what it was like for a woman to be turned out on the streets hungry and penniless.

  “We can talk now,” Dr. Steere said from the top of the landing. He motioned for her to come back up, holding the door open.

  “Thank you.” She set the washtub on the office floor and, seeing there was no place to sit beside his chair, hopped up on the table.

  Dr. Steere shut the door and smiled at her. “I had planned on riding out and seeing you today. You saved me the trouble.”

  Ida ran her tongue around her dry mouth, her heart pounding an erratic rhythm. “I see you had your second patient.”