“I ‘ll only be a moment,” Daniel promised and entered by the front entrance. Ruth remembered what he’d said about the Cheyenne Club and the Grant Clinic and noticed directly opposite the livery was the clinic. She wondered how could she have missed it.
She heard Daniel’s voice coming back and a man shorter and stouter than Daniel walked beside him to the carriage.
“I’m Robert Conroy,” he introduced himself with a large, friendly smile, “I’ll take the carriage for you. You’re the new nurse, hey?”
“Uh, no,” Ruth answered, caught by surprise at his jovial enthusiasm. “I’m just helping out at the clinic for a while.”
Before Robert could offer to help her off the carriage, Daniel reached for Matthew and took Ruth’s hand to help her down. Ruth found his gesture to be gruff and his hand firm. It was definitely not the same as yesterday at the pond. She wondered what was going through his mind, and wished he’d confide in her as she noticed his grim expression.
Daniel stroked Spark’s neck and again his voice was apologetic, “See you later, boy.”
Robert climbed into the carriage and guided it into the livery.
Although Daniel said he didn’t mind her wearing the nursemaid uniform because it was so similar, Ruth had insisted on looking the part by wearing a full nurse’s uniform with small white cap. Eventually Daniel had relented and agreed that Rose could arrange for one at the clinic.
She felt the pull of Daniel’s hand and realized her hand was still in his tight, firm grip. She felt her cheeks grow hot even as she tightened her grip in return.
“I’ll have my hand back now, if you don’t mind,” Ruth said gently once they’d crossed the street. Daniel seemed tense and somewhat agitated. She hoped it wasn’t because of her insistence about wearing the nurse’s uniform. Daniel looked embarrassed and let her hand go.
“I’m sorry, Ruth,” he sighed. “My mind seems to be elsewhere today.”
They crossed the street to the clinic, and she followed him up the stairs to the porch, where he handed Matthew over to her.
“Let me do the talking,” Daniel said, gave a firm look. “You’ll meet Alistair inside and whatever he says, don’t engage him. Actually, it’s better if you don’t speak to him.” Daniel sighed. “Sometimes with Alistair, even simple conversations seem to get out of hand. No matter what I do, somehow the tamest of subjects become contentious, and I don’t want to see you get innocently pulled into one of his verbal brawls.”
Ruth gulped, “Is he that bad?” She began to wonder if agreeing to help at the clinic was such a good idea, but she had to trust Daniel, and she still firmly believed that this was God’s will. Daniel didn’t respond and pushed the door open, Ruth followed close behind him. Being in a strange place, Ruth felt Matthew tense and he hid his face into the crook of her neck.
She saw that the straight back chairs and high apothecary table that had seen better days. Behind the table were two glass cabinets, and mounted on the walls were shelves filled with bottled medicine, and a friendly face that Ruth hadn’t seen for too long.
Her face lit up as a familiar face called her name, much to Daniel’s surprise.
“Well, if isn’t Richard Bloomer!” Ruth laughed. “Are you a druggist, too?”
His stocky frame filled out a high-collared shirt, black waistcoat, and jacket.
“No, Ruth,” Richard chuckled and placed his hands on his hips. “Remember I said I helped out here once in a while?”
Ruth gave a small smile. “So much has happened, I forgot altogether,” she admitted sheepishly.
Ruth heard Daniel clear his throat. “Richard, do you know if Alistair upstairs or in his laboratory?” he asked gruffly, his mind elsewhere.
Astonished by his abruptness, Ruth and Mr. Bloomer stared at him in surprise.
“He’s in his consulting room with Miss Anderson,” Mr. Bloomer answered carefully. “I don’t think he’ll be much longer.”
Daniel gazed toward the ceiling in deep thought, “Richard, would you mind showing Ruth around the clinic so she becomes familiar with where everything is located? Until a registered nurse is hired, Ruth will be performing nursing duties as needed here. If you see Rose, ask her to procure a nurse’s uniform for Ruth.”
“Of course, Dr. Grant,” Daniel’s voice was chipper and friendly. “I would be delighted to take care of that.”
Ruth noticed that behind his cheery voice, Richard’s hazel eyes were shadowed. Ruth felt anger swell within her. Whatever happened the night before, Daniel had no right to treat people rudely, especially someone as nice as Richard.
“I’m sorry, Richard,” Ruth said after Daniel left them in the apothecary room and headed toward his office. “He has been in such a bad mood the entire morning; I don’t know what is wrong with him.”
“Not to worry, Ruth,” he smiled. “This is Daniel after all; folks around here are used to his moods. They still come to see him because he’s one of the best doctors in Cheyenne.”
“I can’t accept it,” Ruth said, irritated. She decided she would confront him later when he was hopefully in a better mood.
Richard showed her Daniel’s consulting rooms and explained that both were almost identical. Ruth noticed the careful organization and neatness. Everything was in its place and organized.
