Chapter 15

Chapter

Fifteen

Dr. Sumner Delano

I turn off the lights, check the windows, and lock the doors. There's one patient in the infirmary, a man whose neighbor brought him to us after suppertime with a high fever and cough. He's extremely weak. Marie is looking after him now. In the morning, someone will drive him to the Red Cross hospital. Because the infirmary is in use, I head upstairs. Marie won't give any thought to Lucas sleeping in my room. Anyone who saw him today knows he needs his rest. I'm not about to move him, I can sleep on the couch.

"How do you feel?" I can't help brushing his damp hair off his forehead.

He pushes himself up and leans against the headboard. "Better, for having slept."

I take his hand in mine. "Are you hungry?"

His brows furrow. "I should be, shouldn't I? I didn't eat. To be honest, I don't feel much of anything right now."

"Let me bring you something. You need water, at least." I stand. "I'll be back."

I try to be quiet as I take the stairs. As I walk by, I see our patient is sleeping. Marie sits in a chair in the kitchen, dozing with a book in her lap. I don't mean to wake her, but it's inevitable.

"Dr. Sumner." She stretches her arms then pats her hair in place. "Is Dr. Hamilton awake?"

"Yes, I thought I'd find something for him to eat." There's bread in a basket on the counter. A paper wrapped package of ham, some sort of cheese, and pickles.

"The bread is a bit stale," Marie says as she stands up. "Let me toast it for you."

I watch her light the stove, expertly slice our bread, and then place it on the toaster. Marie takes the bread off heat when it's golden brown, and it smells fabulous. I make a plate of sandwich things. She encourages me to take another helping of the canned cinnamon apples we got from Mrs. McKenzie.

"You like those," she says fondly. "It's almost like eating pie. You have a bit of a sweet tooth, don't you, doctor?"

"I do."

"Oh, my yes. I learned in Ohio. You're a good man. It's hard to believe where you come from when you're willing to wade in and mop up vomit, same as any of us."

"Do you know where I can find a tray?" I look through the white painted upper cabinets.

She finds the tray for me. "Do you mind if I speak frankly?"

I turn to her. "Of course not. What's on your mind?"

"I very much fear you're not paying attention when it comes to your—Dr. Hamilton."

"I don't understand." I place the plate and cup on the tray.

"If you take him under your wing, people will start asking questions. Who is he really? Where did he come from? Where are his belongings?"

"I imagine they'll fill in the blanks for themselves." The tray is ready to go, and so am I.

"He was dropped off by circus people. His story is that he's a doctor." Her gaze sharpens when she says his story , indicating that she doesn't buy it. "He said he's desperately worried about his daughter, but he doesn't seem in a hurry to go to her."

I still my hands on the counter. "He is a doctor. Do you think I couldn't tell a charlatan from the real thing? And he didn't leave his daughter because he wanted to."

"Was Pastor Anderson able to get in touch with her?" she asks quietly. "Or the sheriff? Has anyone even tried?"

I'm shocked by her attitude. "He doesn't have to provide proof of who he is or that he's telling us the truth. I believe he's doing a good job here, and I'm the only person here he needs to answer to."

"Oh, Dr. Delano." She sounds kind but disappointed, as if I'm a child who has spilled his juice. "Of course you believe him. You can't conceive that a person might befriend you for selfish reasons."

"Is that what you think? Because I can assure you, I am better at reading people than you are." Maybe I'm not, if I missed Marie's fierce resentment.

"He's taking advantage of you." She twines her fingers together so tightly her knuckles grow pale. "You're a member of high society. You're related to the president, yet you spend your time working on behalf of people who can't possibly repay you. You've given up so many things you might have had, if you were a more selfish man."

"You don't have to tell me what kind of man I am, Marie." Fuming, I pick up the tray. This is not good. What if she gets the other nurses worked up?

"I've known you for five years. You've only known him for four days. You're decent, you're generous, and you aren't very worldly, not like some men. You've spent so much of your life helping others that you have never—" She breaks off and presses her hands against her flushed cheeks.

"Never what?" I ask.

"You've never found the right woman to support you in your work. You've never formed a family of your own." She sets her jaw. "We're your surrogate family, Dr. Delano, and we won't allow someone to waltz in here and make a fool of you."

"Marie, where is all this coming from? I'm a mature man. I've lived through a war and the influenza pandemic." I wish I could be anywhere else, talking about anything else other than why I haven't married. "Talking about this is awkward for me."

"But we must talk about this."

I thought Marie was a shy, dedicated nurse. Obviously, I missed something important.

"You need someone to look after you," she continues. "We were doing fine before he came along. If I'm the only one who can see what he's up to?—"

"Keep your voice down. What is he supposed to be up to ?" What will happen to the clinic if she pursues this with Mrs. Andersen or Mrs. McKenzie? What if it becomes common knowledge that we're more than friendly colleagues? If people look into Luke's background, it will be apparent that he's not from Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1935. What if Marie expects me choose between my work and my growing affection for Luke?

"It's things like this," she hisses as she points at the tray in my hands. "I've known men like him before."

I honestly can't see what Luke's food has to do with anything. "I beg your pardon?"

"Connivers who slip in where they're not wanted. He's always touching you, practically wooing you. You're an innocent, and he's trying to lead you into some peculiar parody of?—"

"That's enough, Marie." My voice cracks like a whip.

"What's going on here?" Luke asks from the doorway.

I turn to find Luke staring at Marie with horrified fascination.

She clenches the skirt of her apron with both hands. "I didn't know you were awake."

"I can see that." Luke is pale. He's put on fresh trousers and a half-buttoned shirt. Seeing Marie's shock, he fastens it to his neck. A coughing fit from our infirmary patient breaks the tense silence.

Luke holds my attention. "Perhaps you should see to the patient, Marie."

"Of course, Doctor Delano." She scurries out like a spanked puppy.

Luke sighs. "I don't know what to say."

I'm rattled too. I take his tray, place it on the table where we played cards, and go to the stove to make hot water for tea. I don't know if anyone wants tea, but I need to do something with my hands besides clench them into angry fists.

"What just happened?" Luke asks.

"I believe that was hero worship." I don't look at him.

Lucas steps forward. "It's fairly common to blame one man for turning another queer."

I hiss. "I hate that word."

"Then you probably won't be glad to hear the community has reclaimed it." Luke smiles briefly. "I wear it with pride."

Outside, a breeze lazily scatters grit against the building. Luke starts eating his supper.

"Marie is intuitive." I lean against the counter. She's not wrong, so I can't call her a liar. If she takes it into her head to make trouble, things could go very badly for both Luke and me. I have to put an end to this gossip immediately. "I don't know what has gotten into her, but I'll speak to her."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea," he says between bites. "It might make things worse if she thinks you're taking sides."

"What do you mean?"

His brows draw down. "An attitude like hers could ruin what you've created here."

I lower my voice. "Because we care for each other? We've accomplished twice as much because there are two of us."

He checks to see if Marie is still with the patient. "But if someone starts rumors about us, it could destroy you."

"It won't come to that." I run my fingers over the scratched tabletop. "I'll talk to Marie."

"What will you say? At best she believes I'm lying about where I came from, which I am. At worst, she thinks I'm luring you into a life of immorality, which would be nice work if I could get it." He huffs a laugh, though the sound isn't happy. "She only has to confide her fears in one person for the story to rip through town like a wildfire. The people here will ask questions we can't answer."

I take his hand. "What are you most afraid of?"

"I'm afraid that if people find out we're together, it will destroy both our lives."

I understand the problem. Even my connections can't give me total immunity.

"What do you want do?" I ask.

"Maybe I should go with Pastor Andersen when he takes our patient to the Red Cross Hospital tomorrow. If you give me a letter of introduction, they'll probably be pleased to have an extra pair of hands."

"You mean to stay?" I can't believe he'd even suggest such a thing. Because of one malicious gossip? No. I won't allow it.

"Just until we know how Marie will handle her concerns. If she comes to you, it won't matter. But if she takes her worries to others, it will stop people from speculating if I'm not here."

He wants to protect me . I get up to move the kettle off heat. "I don't care what people think."

"Any hint of gossip will affect your professional life in a hundred negative ways. You do so much good. Maybe Marie is right. Maybe you have to make sacrifices for the kind of work you do."

"I'm a doctor, not a priest. I can weather a scandal." I return to the table and sit beside him, so I don't have to raise my voice. "I won't give up a man who means the world to me because it makes people uneasy."

His Adam's apple bobs. "I'm glad you feel that way."

I groan. Why is this happening? Why now, when I feel hopeful and happy? "I've waited half my life to find you. I'm not going to let you walk away."

"All right, but some distance?—"

"No." I will not allow it.

"Maybe if you talk to all your nurses?—"

"I said, no ." I stop him before he can continue.

"You don't have to tell them everything. The others might not resent me coming into your life."

"I don't care if they do resent you, you stupid man." I grab the collar of his shirt and give him a shake. "On top of the fact that you own my heart, you also need my help to find your footing here. We need each other. If my nurses resent that, I will help them find better employment. I won't turn my back on any of you."

I take his face between my hands and kiss him. It's utterly brazen. It's as if I'm daring Marie to catch us in the act. She needs to make up her mind where her loyalties lie. Though the kiss is as sweet as the apples Marie offered me, it's so unwise. As a member of a wealthy political family, I have a ton of privilege to rely on. But so did Oscar Wilde. I hear the door close with a quiet snick when Marie leaves.

"Things will seem less complicated in the morning," I tell him. "You'll see."