“Now, where was I?” he asked.
Melody opened her mouth to speak, but Dr. Smith quickly continued. He repeated something he’d said earlier about amputations being the bigger part of his surgeries during the war and continued by explaining that, here in the West, there was a pleasant enough absence of them.
“I’ve not had to remove an arm or leg—not even a foot—in some time. Although I do not have any difficulty with amputations. In fact, they can be quite fascinating. You have to make certain to tie off all of the blood vessels, and the arterial flow is of the utmost importance. If you damage the artery and veins that return the blood to the heart, the patient will not live. He will most likely see the death of tissue, which will spread up the remaining limb.
“However, as I mentioned, there aren’t a lot of amputation cases here.” He fixed Melody with a smile. “Which allows me time to seek out a mate. Something I’ve long needed. After all, I intend to have at least four children. Do you have regular cycles?”
Melody was stunned by this very personal question. “I beg your pardon?”
He gave her a brief wave of his hand. “I am rather forward, I’ll admit. But as a physician I am used to seeing the body and its functions as less than a private or even intimate matter. It’s important to your fertility that you have regular monthly cycles. Do you?”
Melody nodded, still unable to say what she was really thinking.
“That’s good to know. I would imagine that you are quite fertile, then. I have no reason to believe that I’m less than capable of producing heirs, and so that much is established. Is your general health good? No night sweats or fainting spells?”
“Fainting at night?” Melody clarified.
He frowned. “Or during the day.”
She had never received such an interrogation. “No. No fainting or sweating.”
“No sweating at all?”
She couldn’t help but giggle. “When I work hard, I sweat. Goodness, Dr. Smith, I feel like I’m enduring a physical examination.”
“Not yet, but that would be wise before marrying.”
She rolled her gaze heavenward. The beautiful copper-plated ceiling tiles caused her to point upward. “Lovely ceiling, isn’t it?”
The doctor glanced upward for a moment and then back to the table. For once, he said nothing, and Melody breathed a sigh of relief. She wouldn’t be marrying Dr. Leonard Smith. Although if she needed something amputated, he would be the first one she’d call on.
On Saturday evening, Melody was introduced by her father to Samuel Sullivan, a twenty-eight-year-old Irishman with gray-blue eyes that seemed to take in everything at once.
“Samuel works for me,” Da explained. “I’ve known him since Omaha, and he’s a good man.”
Melody extended her hand, and Samuel bowed over it. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Melody.”
“And I’m pleased to meet you, Samuel.”
“Just Sam.” His eyes seemed to twinkle. “Or folks close to me call me Sammy.”
“I like that.”
He smiled at this, then turned to her father. “And how is it going with you, sir?”
“Well enough, Sam, well enough. I hope to be back with ya, once I have me daughter settled.” Da turned to her. “Sam was workin’ as one of my section hands, but he’s accepted a position with the railroad that will keep him right here in Cheyenne.”
“How nice. What will you be working at, Sam?”
“I’ll be working in the shop. I’m learning to make repairs and replace parts when they wear out. I’ve been saving my money and intend to build a house. I’ve already bought the lot. Got it at a discount from the UP.”
“How nice.” Melody liked the man well enough for a first-time encounter.
“Well, go on with ya now. Sam wants to be takin’ ya to one of Professor McDaniel’s shows.Hamlet, didn’t ya say?”
Melody had heard of the Shakespeare play but had never seen it. “How very unexpected. I will look forward to that.”
It was the first time Sam looked a little uncomfortable. “I hope you like it. I’ve never been to a play, but one of the boys said women like that sort of thing.”
