Ruth’s arms began to ache as she felt Matthew’s weight on her muscles. He had fallen asleep during the conversation in the apothecary room and for the moment there was no place to put him down. She shifted him over to her left side.
Richard showed her the nurse’s room, currently being used by Rose as the storage room, which was filled with odds and ends, and linen. He took Ruth to the surgery room, where she was wide-eyed. There was a high steel table with two washbowls, which Ruth assumed were for hand sterilization. Along the walls were more steel tables that held more washbowls and bottles of ether and chlorophyll. In the middle of the room was a large rectangular operating table and two trolleys with operating instruments placed close to it. Everything was neat, clean, and ready for the next surgery.
“Before I take you to the ward,” Mr. Bloomer whispered, “I will show you Dr. Nagle’s laboratory while he is still busy. We will need to be quick though, because he doesn’t like anyone to go in there.”
The laboratory was adjacent to the surgery room and as Ruth expected, was not very big. It was spacious enough to hold a steel worktop and two long wooden benches. On the surface of the worktop was a Bunsen burner, and bottle racks stacked on shelves against the wall. Ruth was surprised to see a small water trough that was used to make gas, and also noticed a wooden cabinet with glass doors where he stored the gas for the Bunsen burner.
Richard nudged Ruth and nodded toward the door to indicate time to exit the room. As he concluded the tour of the laboratory, she became curious about Alistair.
“Richard, what is Alistair like?” Ruth inquired and looked at him curiously.
Richard hesitated before he answered, “Well, it’s hard to describe him. Many find him odd and there are those that don’t particularly like him.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “People tend to avoid him if they can because many times he is grumpy and impatient.”
“I see,” Ruth said, lost in thought. “Daniel doesn’t seem keen for me to speak to him. I suppose he has his reasons.”
Richard nodded, “Yes; now let’s move on.”
The ward was separated into two sections. One had six mechanical head hinged frame beds and the other had four of the same type of beds reserved for recovery patients after surgery.
Rose was found in the ward making up the beds with freshly bleached linen. She looked very professional in her in white nursing attire, the crisscross apron over her white dress with puffy sleeves, and a nurse’s cap pinned to her hair.
“Rose, I have been looking everywhere for you,” Richard, smiled, his cheery tone back in place. “This is Ruth McKinley; she will be the clinic’s temporary nurse. Dr. Grant has asked if you would give her a uniform.”
“Ah yes, welcome, Ruth,” Her voice was warm and welcoming, and her smile touched her blue-gray eyes. She seemed to notice that Ruth struggled to hold Matthew.
“Have you been holding him all this time?” she asked with concern, “I am sure your arms must be ready to give up.”
Ruth’s eyes showed relief and she gave a small smile, “Yes, and I admit he is growing into a very healthy boy.”
Rose laughed and bid Ruth to follow her to the end of the bigger ward that she explained was Ward B and the smaller was Ward A. Two smaller mechanical head hinged frame beds with side rails stood close to the wall.
“We don’t use these beds often because babies are treated at home unless they are extremely sick.” She lifted the pure white blanket to one side. “He is welcome to sleep here, and you can rest your arms.”
“Thank you!” Ruth breathed a sigh of relief and placed Matthew carefully into the bed and covered him with the blanket.
“I don’t mind watching him for you while Mr. Bloomer continues with your tour, if that that’s alright with you, ma’am,” Rose offered.
“I only need to show her the upstairs,” Richard said casually, then asked in a whisper, “is Dr. Nagle upstairs or still in the consulting room?”
Rose chuckled with a small shake of her head, “You are not in luck this time; I think he finished with the patient a while ago and is currently upstairs with Dr. Grant.”
Richard looked disappointed but thanked Rose.
“I’ll come to find you when your boy wakes up,” Rose called after them as they left the ward. Ruth chuckled inwardly, knowing wherever she was she’d hear him because when Matthew woke from his naps the whole ranch heard him.
Ruth thought the apothecary and consulting room areas had a homey feel, but the area from the nurse’s station to the other rooms were very clinical, which she supposed was natural since it was a clinic after all.
As Ruth and Richard got to the top of the staircase, they heard Daniel and Alistair arguing. She and Richard exchanged a glance of understanding, agreeing that going back downstairs would be wise. Before they could move, Ruth heard heavy steps come their way and she froze like a scared rabbit. Mr. Bloomer also stood still, not sure what to do next. The person with the resounding steps was not pleased to see them, and huffed in annoyance, and giving them a dark look of annoyance.
Judging by Richard’s sudden pallor, Ruth realized this red-faced, gray-haired man with the strange mustache had to be Dr. Alistair Nagle. He exhaled and inhaled, exhaled and inhaled a few times until he seemed calmer.
Ruth was quite taken aback when Dr. Nagle boomed, “I know you!” He stared at her and his loud baritone voice made her cringe. “You look familiar; I’ve seen you before. I’m sure of it.”
Ruth was speechless. She had never met this man before and felt her heart race as she looked around. Where was Daniel?
As if on cue, Daniel entered the lounge from the same direction with a deep scowl on his face. Ruth let out a deep breath of relief, she found this man too intimidating.
“So, this is she?” Alistair said with a hint of curiosity in his deep baritone voice, and his handlebar mustache drooped to one side as he smirked.
