glanced questioningly at Will and then waved at the porch.
“Hello, Bea Dot,” Ralph called.
Bea Dot?
“I apologize for greeting you this way, but several folks are down with influenza this morning. I’ve been exposed, and I don’t want to give it to you.” Will nodded. This must be the influenza Ralph had mentioned to him before. He’d hoped it would never reach Pineview.
“Oh, dear.” Bea Dot frowned and muttered before sitting back down. Will couldn’t help noticing she gripped the seat edge and winced as she did so. The sight sent a bolt of shame through him.
“I know your trip was long,” Ralph continued, “but I’m afraid I must extend it a bit more. I’m sorry, but I assure you it’s for the best.”
Bea Dot nodded uncertainly and replied, “Of course, Ralph. Whatever you say.”
“Will, I must tend to more patients this evening,” Ralph said. “I’ve got to try to contain this disease, and I can’t spread the germ to Netta and Bea Dot. Could you take her out to the camp house? Lola drove Netta out there earlier.”
“Of course. Anything else I can do?”
“Could you take Netta’s chair out to her? It wouldn’t fit in the motorcar.”
“I’ll do it.” Will climbed down and approached the house to get the chair. As he neared the porch, Ralph quietly called his name.
“I’m sorry to ask so much of you,” Ralph said quietly, “but I had no other choice. In her condition, Netta would be especially at risk if she caught this bug.”
“No apologies, Ralph,” Will said. “I’m going out that way anyway.” He picked up the rocking chair.
“Don’t say anything to the ladies, though. You know how Netta worries.”
“Of course. I’m glad to help.” Will carried the rocking chair to the wagon and lifted it into the back. As he tied it down, he snuck a peek at a bewildered Bea Dot, who dabbed at her forehead with her handkerchief.
“Bea Dot,” Ralph called again. “I’m sorry for this inconvenience, but it’ll only be for a day or two. Will, I’ll be in touch.”
Will kept his eyes on his rope, hoping Ralph was right. After tightening his knot, he returned to his place beside Bea Dot. On the porch, a nurse appeared behind the screen door, her voice barely audible. “Dr. Coolidge, you have another call.”
Ralph turned to her and nodded, then faced the wagon one last time. “I must go. Thank you, Will. Bea Dot, I’ll see you soon.” He disappeared into the house.
Next to Will, Bea Dot sat biting her already injured lip and wrinkling her forehead. Will felt an unsettling twinge. Here she was having just arrived at this unknown place only to be sent with a stranger out to the country to avoid contagion. He could only imagine what she was thinking. He put a consoling hand on her forearm, and although she didn’t jerk it away this time, he felt her muscles tighten. He pulled away at once.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “Ralph’s a good doctor. Everything will be all right.”
She nodded but didn’t reply. Why should she believe him?
He turned the wagon around and steered it back down the long gravel drive.
C hapter 7
B ea Dot had stopped worrying about her hair an hour ago. Will Dunaway must have thought she was a fright. When Netta saw her, she’d surely go running in terror. Perspiration dribbled down her neck and back, her shirt clinging between the shoulder blades. Her poor handkerchief, now dingy from constant use, looked more like a tiny dust rag. Each time a drip of sweat touched her split lip, it stung like it had been swabbed with alcohol. Dabbing it brought little relief.
And poor Will Dunaway drove the wagon at a snail’s pace just to keep from jostling her. Surely he wanted to get home, but on top of prolonging his day, she was letting him think he had knocked her down. Guilt pestered her, but biting her tongue about his misunderstanding was much easier than explaining she’d bumped into him and toppled over her own satchel. The truth
“Hello, Bea Dot,” Ralph called.
Bea Dot?
“I apologize for greeting you this way, but several folks are down with influenza this morning. I’ve been exposed, and I don’t want to give it to you.” Will nodded. This must be the influenza Ralph had mentioned to him before. He’d hoped it would never reach Pineview.
“Oh, dear.” Bea Dot frowned and muttered before sitting back down. Will couldn’t help noticing she gripped the seat edge and winced as she did so. The sight sent a bolt of shame through him.
“I know your trip was long,” Ralph continued, “but I’m afraid I must extend it a bit more. I’m sorry, but I assure you it’s for the best.”
Bea Dot nodded uncertainly and replied, “Of course, Ralph. Whatever you say.”
“Will, I must tend to more patients this evening,” Ralph said. “I’ve got to try to contain this disease, and I can’t spread the germ to Netta and Bea Dot. Could you take her out to the camp house? Lola drove Netta out there earlier.”
“Of course. Anything else I can do?”
“Could you take Netta’s chair out to her? It wouldn’t fit in the motorcar.”
“I’ll do it.” Will climbed down and approached the house to get the chair. As he neared the porch, Ralph quietly called his name.
“I’m sorry to ask so much of you,” Ralph said quietly, “but I had no other choice. In her condition, Netta would be especially at risk if she caught this bug.”
“No apologies, Ralph,” Will said. “I’m going out that way anyway.” He picked up the rocking chair.
“Don’t say anything to the ladies, though. You know how Netta worries.”
“Of course. I’m glad to help.” Will carried the rocking chair to the wagon and lifted it into the back. As he tied it down, he snuck a peek at a bewildered Bea Dot, who dabbed at her forehead with her handkerchief.
“Bea Dot,” Ralph called again. “I’m sorry for this inconvenience, but it’ll only be for a day or two. Will, I’ll be in touch.”
Will kept his eyes on his rope, hoping Ralph was right. After tightening his knot, he returned to his place beside Bea Dot. On the porch, a nurse appeared behind the screen door, her voice barely audible. “Dr. Coolidge, you have another call.”
Ralph turned to her and nodded, then faced the wagon one last time. “I must go. Thank you, Will. Bea Dot, I’ll see you soon.” He disappeared into the house.
Next to Will, Bea Dot sat biting her already injured lip and wrinkling her forehead. Will felt an unsettling twinge. Here she was having just arrived at this unknown place only to be sent with a stranger out to the country to avoid contagion. He could only imagine what she was thinking. He put a consoling hand on her forearm, and although she didn’t jerk it away this time, he felt her muscles tighten. He pulled away at once.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “Ralph’s a good doctor. Everything will be all right.”
She nodded but didn’t reply. Why should she believe him?
He turned the wagon around and steered it back down the long gravel drive.
C hapter 7
B ea Dot had stopped worrying about her hair an hour ago. Will Dunaway must have thought she was a fright. When Netta saw her, she’d surely go running in terror. Perspiration dribbled down her neck and back, her shirt clinging between the shoulder blades. Her poor handkerchief, now dingy from constant use, looked more like a tiny dust rag. Each time a drip of sweat touched her split lip, it stung like it had been swabbed with alcohol. Dabbing it brought little relief.
And poor Will Dunaway drove the wagon at a snail’s pace just to keep from jostling her. Surely he wanted to get home, but on top of prolonging his day, she was letting him think he had knocked her down. Guilt pestered her, but biting her tongue about his misunderstanding was much easier than explaining she’d bumped into him and toppled over her own satchel. The truth
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