“It’s alright,” Elizabeth reassured her, taking a deep breath. “It was hard for Daniel, and I think he blames himself for not curing his father. Dr. Nagle didn’t think it was wise for Daniel to be involved in the treatment.”
“What were his symptoms?” Ruth asked, noticing Elizabeth’s doubt when she spoke of Dr. Grant’s condition.
“It first started as a common cold.” She brushed loose strands of white hair from her face. “It was a cold winter and soon it turned into pneumonia. He was put to bed for a few weeks.” Ruth could almost feel the pain in Elizabeth’s voice as she spoke of her employer with tenderness. “Just when we thought he was on his way back to health, he caught a fever, became weak, had trouble breathing and difficulty swallowing. He couldn’t even eat his favorite meal, my beef pot roast!”
“That must’ve been extremely hard on Daniel,” Ruth murmured, wanting to hug Elizabeth as she struggled over her words.
“It was hard on all of us, but you are right. Daniel was worried sick. Then Dr. Nagle examined the elder Dr. Grant again and found a lump in his neck. He wanted to operate, but Daniel objected, saying Dr. Grant was too weak.” She shook her head and placed her hand over her heart. “He spent his nights searching for the proper diagnosis and cure. He just couldn’t believe Dr. Nagle’s diagnosis.”
Matthew began to whine and rubbed his eyes. Ruth stood and scooped the little boy up and cuddled him in her arms. She held him close and began to rock him, listening intently to the housekeeper.
Elizabeth continued, “Dr. Grant assured Daniel the operation to remove the lump would be successful, and thankfully it was. He began to put on weight and also began to recover his strength. A few months later, Dr. Grant collapsed at the clinic and another lump was found in his neck and also underneath both armpits, all very swollen.”
Ruth remembered the stories her father told her about these types of diseases and how most people died within months or just a few years. When she was old enough, he allowed her to watch him operate and eventually she assisted him.
Ruth could see the sorrow in her face. “Could Daniel have been right? That Dr. Grant was incorrectly diagnosed?”
“I don’t know,” she said with her palms facing upward. “It’s possible.” She gave a slight pause as she rubbed her chin, “Daniel was very upset with Dr. Nagle. He ignored Daniel’s suggestions, and this time the symptoms were very different.”
“Oh?” Ruth was surprised and looked curiously at Elizabeth. “How were they different?”
“His health deteriorated quickly, and the pneumonia was worse than before. He stopped eating almost everything and lost too much weight, started bleeding, and had terrible stomach upsets. His teeth became loose and his hair—”
“I’m sorry, Elizabeth,” Ruth interrupted her suddenly with a perplexed frown. “Did you say his teeth started loosening and he began bleeding?”
“Yes,” she confirmed sorrowfully. “His hair started to fall out and within a few weeks, he became weak again. He had tremors, and his skin color changed and he broke out in a rash. He went from an easygoing man to one suddenly anxious and …”
She looked at Ruth as if she would cry but continued instead. “His mind had been as sharp as a needle, but near the end he started to lose his memory. That was extremely hard on Daniel.”
“Those symptoms sound strange,” Ruth murmured almost to herself. “I’ve never heard of it and my father was very skilled. He had a great deal of knowledge.” Ruth felt a tug at her heart as she thought of the trauma Daniel must have gone through and what he would have felt. When her father passed away, he still knew her, still knew he was speaking to his daughter. In Daniel’s case, maybe his father hadn’t known who Daniel was, or anyone else by that point. This didn’t sound right and Ruth wondered what type of illness would cause this. Her father had taught her about diseases and sicknesses and although she was not a doctor, he had taught her everything he knew.
“Elizabeth, I’m so sorry that you all had to endure such a thing. It’s a real tragedy.”
“To make things worse,” Elizabeth sighed and adjusted the snood that held her bun in place. “Daniel blames God for everything, and he also blames himself. That is why he is so bitter and turns to drink sometimes. Please try to understand, Ruth, won’t you?”
“When my father died, I didn’t know what I was going to do. The Lord has been so constant; He led me here to the Grant ranch. In the Bible, II Thessalonians 3:3 reads,But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil. I do understand, Elizabth, but I don’t condone his drinking habit.”
“Neither do I.” Elizabeth gave a sad smile and looked at Matthew, by then fast asleep in Ruth’s arms.
“Matthew looks so peaceful.” She wiped her hands on her apron as she stood. “Well, this has been quite the conversation,” Elizabeth said as she cleared plates from the table. Just before she left the parlor, she added, “Please don’t say a word about our conversation to Daniel; he wouldn’t like it, and I haven’t spoken a word of this to anyone else.”
“I promise,” Ruth nodded earnestly, placing a hand over her heart. “Thank you for the food and sharing all you did.”
Ruth watched Elizabeth leave the parlor and felt sad for her having to keep so much bottled up inside her for so long. Maybe she had been scared to speak to Daniel or anyone else about her thoughts and emotions about the loss of Dr. Grant. She must have cared about him very much.
“Lord Jesus,” Ruth prayed with her eyes closed. “I am so thankful to be here in Cheyenne and I feel I have a purpose in looking after Matthew. Thank you for showing me the way. I put my full trust in you and will strive to make a difference here and to help Daniel. Please just show me how.”
Chapter Six
Daniel’s head throbbed and he was relieved to leave the clinic. If he received any moremedicalwisdomfrom Alistair, he thought he’d go mad. Although Alistair had worked with his father for many years, Daniel never took a liking to him, but merely tolerated him for his knowledge of alchemy in medicine.
From the top pocket of his waistcoat he took out his pocket watch, a 14-karat yellow gold piece, a gift from his father when he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. The dial read almost two o'clock. It was a beautiful Elgin Prince Albert fob-style watch with classic Roman numerals, and a secondhand dial below it, with a crisp white face accentuated by anodized hands in blue. On the reverse side was an impressive Old English monogram with his initials.
The streets were full of hurried people conducting their business, carriages rolling to the sound of horseshoes, wagons and carts straining under the weight of their cargo. Daniel removed his black pinched crown hat and raked his hand through his hair and rubbed his scruffy chin. The barbershop was not too far away, and he decided it was time for a shave and a haircut.
Unlike the standalone clinic building, most of Cheyenne’s buildings were built on wooden decks covered by a canvas canopy. The stores were all lined up in a row, with some built straight off the ground, which didn’t make sense to Daniel. As it was, just being on the deck brought in enough dirt and sand from the dusty street to last a lifetime of sweeping it back onto the street.
“I’ll be back soon, Spark,” Daniel gave the horse’s neck a farewell pat. The horse nickered and Daniel chuckled. Horses could be sentimental and loyal. His Ruth filled his thoughts suddenly, and he wondered about her. Those captivating eyes, her delicate skin, and hair that shone gold under the sun’s light. He wanted to know more about her, but at the same time guilt racked his inner being as he thought of Matthew and Mary Jane. He could never betray Mary Jane.
