know what is going on. Henry wouldn’t want to see you hurt,” Marilynn’s father said kindly. And then he added, “My daughter would like you, Lucy. She loved Henry, and it nearly killed me to see him grieving so when we lost her. The look in his eyes when he looks at you is the same one he had when he looked at Marilynn. You be good to him, honey. He deserves a good woman to love.”
“Thank you, sir. I appreciate the fact you are willing to accept me,” Lucinda said over the lump in her throat.
“Henry was good to my daughter. I can’t begrudge him a chance to be happy again.”
“Lucy, I have to go,” Henry stuck his head in the door. “The Apache hit an Army Patrol, and I have wounded men to care for.”
“What can I do to help?” Lucinda asked.
Henry looked at her in surprise, and then asked, “Do you have any nursing experience?”
“No, but I can learn if you tell me what to do,” she said, determined to help out in any way she could.
“Come on, then, Lucy. But if you feel faint, I expect you to just get out of the way,” he said firmly. “Some people can’t handle injuries of this sort,” he warned her.
“I was there when you stitched up the Apache, and I didn’t faint then. I will do what you tell me to do,” she said firmly.
Henry practically ran to his office and he issued orders right and left that Lucinda followed to the best of her ability. One of the soldiers was critical, and there was nothing Henry could do to save him, although he did his best. Two others were in serious condition, and the rest had minor wounds that would heal, provided they didn’t get infected. Their Captain was there, reluctant to leave his wounded men. He had his orders, however, and they were to try and reach the wagon train and bring those people into town while the Army dealt with the Apache.
Henry told him of the experience he and Lucinda had the day before and the Captain was stunned they made it back to Snowfall alive. “Mrs. Zabarski, it was very foolish of you to follow your husband out of town the way you did! You are very lucky to be alive right now,” the older man scolded, his mustache wobbling in indignation.
“I learned my lesson well,” Lucinda said with dignity, even though she was a bit startled to be addressed by her new name.
“Yes, well, I certainly hope so!” he sputtered. “Doctor, will it be a problem for you to keep Peters and Jeffries until they are well enough to return to active duty?” the Captain asked. “I must ride out at once and try to reach the wagon train. I just hope it’s not too late to help those people.”
“Your men will be fine here, Captain,” Henry said. “I wish you success in reaching the wagon train. Their scout and I didn’t get close before we were attacked, and I’m sure the Apache are watching who comes and goes from town.”
“I am certain you are correct, Doctor, but I have my orders. Thank you for caring for my men.” He nodded and then walked from the office, the wounded who were still able to ride following.
“You did well, Lucy,” Henry praised her. “Thank you for helping me.” He heard one of the patients moan, and went to check on him, nodding in approval as Lucy started straightening the area and putting it to rights. It pleased him that she could see what needed to be done and was doing it without waiting to be asked or told.
Lucinda made sure the waiting room was neat as possible and then sought out Henry to see if he had further plans for her. He didn’t need her help with the patients, but asked if she knew how to cook.
“Yes, I know how to cook,” she agreed. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m working on it,” he smiled. “And these men will be needing some broth when they wake up. It would sure help if you could tend to that while fixing us something?” he looked at her hopefully.
“I’ll be happy to do that, Henry,” she said. She
“Thank you, sir. I appreciate the fact you are willing to accept me,” Lucinda said over the lump in her throat.
“Henry was good to my daughter. I can’t begrudge him a chance to be happy again.”
“Lucy, I have to go,” Henry stuck his head in the door. “The Apache hit an Army Patrol, and I have wounded men to care for.”
“What can I do to help?” Lucinda asked.
Henry looked at her in surprise, and then asked, “Do you have any nursing experience?”
“No, but I can learn if you tell me what to do,” she said, determined to help out in any way she could.
“Come on, then, Lucy. But if you feel faint, I expect you to just get out of the way,” he said firmly. “Some people can’t handle injuries of this sort,” he warned her.
“I was there when you stitched up the Apache, and I didn’t faint then. I will do what you tell me to do,” she said firmly.
Henry practically ran to his office and he issued orders right and left that Lucinda followed to the best of her ability. One of the soldiers was critical, and there was nothing Henry could do to save him, although he did his best. Two others were in serious condition, and the rest had minor wounds that would heal, provided they didn’t get infected. Their Captain was there, reluctant to leave his wounded men. He had his orders, however, and they were to try and reach the wagon train and bring those people into town while the Army dealt with the Apache.
Henry told him of the experience he and Lucinda had the day before and the Captain was stunned they made it back to Snowfall alive. “Mrs. Zabarski, it was very foolish of you to follow your husband out of town the way you did! You are very lucky to be alive right now,” the older man scolded, his mustache wobbling in indignation.
“I learned my lesson well,” Lucinda said with dignity, even though she was a bit startled to be addressed by her new name.
“Yes, well, I certainly hope so!” he sputtered. “Doctor, will it be a problem for you to keep Peters and Jeffries until they are well enough to return to active duty?” the Captain asked. “I must ride out at once and try to reach the wagon train. I just hope it’s not too late to help those people.”
“Your men will be fine here, Captain,” Henry said. “I wish you success in reaching the wagon train. Their scout and I didn’t get close before we were attacked, and I’m sure the Apache are watching who comes and goes from town.”
“I am certain you are correct, Doctor, but I have my orders. Thank you for caring for my men.” He nodded and then walked from the office, the wounded who were still able to ride following.
“You did well, Lucy,” Henry praised her. “Thank you for helping me.” He heard one of the patients moan, and went to check on him, nodding in approval as Lucy started straightening the area and putting it to rights. It pleased him that she could see what needed to be done and was doing it without waiting to be asked or told.
Lucinda made sure the waiting room was neat as possible and then sought out Henry to see if he had further plans for her. He didn’t need her help with the patients, but asked if she knew how to cook.
“Yes, I know how to cook,” she agreed. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m working on it,” he smiled. “And these men will be needing some broth when they wake up. It would sure help if you could tend to that while fixing us something?” he looked at her hopefully.
“I’ll be happy to do that, Henry,” she said. She
Similar Books
