One
of the pony express riders raced into town just as the sun was going down,
pulling his horse up in front of the vet's house. Tom Kirby came out
immediately, even though he had spent a long day dealing with a sick cow already
and was nursing a bad cold. "Hey Doc," the rider called out. "We
found a nice looking mare and colt up in a ravine in the hills. Looks like they
both fell down into it and are pretty banged up."
"I'll
get my bag," he said immediately, not even thinking of the possible
dangers. He did wonder if Wyoming
would want to come, too, though. Of course she did, and they quickly saddled up
their horses and rode out into the night. But once they were up in the hills,
the wet, cold drizzle they had been getting down in the lower regions was
turning to freezing rain!
They
managed to make it to the ravine safely though, although the footing was
treacherous at times. They found the express rider that had stayed behind
huddled near a little fire he had built, his teeth chattering from the cold. The
injured mare and her colt were even further down, splashing around in a fast
running stream as they tried to find a way up the slippery sides. The colt, who
was hobbling around on three legs, was not able to get out of where they were
trapped.
It
was difficult to see in the poor light, and Tom wished he could have had a
flashlight with him! The horses were frightened, as well, and were not terribly
grateful for the help! Since the colt was injured the worst, they decided to
corner it first. It took all three men to capture it and hold it down while
Wyoming followed Tom's instructions on how to treat it. It was then put in a
sling of sorts, and hauled out of the ravine from above. The mare was able to
get up on her own, and she followed her baby up, calling out to it as she went.
Once
the horses were safely up on top, the soaked rescuers then headed down to the
nearest farm with the colt tied in front of one of the riders and his mother
right by his side. They didn't even need to put a rope on her, but they had to
go slow because of the ice and mud covered trail. By the time they got to the
farm, Tom, who had been thoroughly drenched in the stream, was shivering and his
teeth were chattering nonstop.
The
farm belonged to Oliver Mellors, who didn't know much about horses.
But he did notice the shivering vet, and offered his fire. Wyoming noticed, too, and when she checked Tom's forehead, it
was already growing warm.
But
Tom insisted on making sure the colt and his dam were going to be fine before he
went inside to dry off. By that time, he was coughing so hard he could hardly
walk. Once he was settled by the fire with some hot broth in his hands, Wyoming
sent the riders into town to go fetch a doctor.
Naturally,
she was also scolding him for not taking care of himself.
Mellors was pleased to be of service - he did not see many people
usually. In no time, Robert Helm
showed up, a concerned look on his face.
Tom
was about as cooperative as the wild horses had been, complaining loudly that he
was fine and was capable of riding home. Mellors convinced him to stay though by
telling him he had no idea how to treat the mare and colt, and that he would
need his expertise. Wyoming agreed that it would be good if he stayed, grumbling
under her breath that it was going to take a baseball bat to make Tom stay in
bed and get well.
“That
and a shot of this," Helm said under his breath.
"Works far better than Laudanum."
Tom, of course, thought the shot was antibiotics!
A
few moments later, Tom was out for the count, even though he had been trying up
to the last ounce of energy to get up and go out the door. "Thanks,
Doc," Wy said with a sigh. "This will keep him down tonight, but what
about tomorrow? He has been fighting this cold for almost a week now. Damn fool
man won't stay in bed when he is sick!"
Helm
looked at Mellors. "I think he can take him.
What do you think? If not, just call me. We have to be evenly matched." He grinned. "Now,
how can we get him to take some time off?"
"Not
anywhere in Edan, that is for sure. Even if I took him to the cabin I was living
in, he would sneak out first chance he got and head to town to go back to
work!"
"Well,
if you want my advice, I'd suggest hogtying him and bringing him somewhere he
can rest. I assume you'd go with him," he smiled again, his
assumption clear.
Wyoming
shrugged and grinned. She had been so worried about Tom, she had not changed out
of her own wet clothes. "Sure,"
she chuckled. "Why don't you ask around back in town, and if someone comes
up with a good place, we will take him there first thing in the morning! If he
keeps this up, this silly cold of his will turn into pneumonia!"
"If
you don't mind me saying so, taking a freezing dip in the ravine will get him
there faster than not. And you
right along with him. Mellors?
Have you got some dry clothing for the lady?"
Wy
started to say that she was fine, but when she suddenly sneezed herself, she
said she could always wrap up in one of the blankets that Mellors had brought
out. Helm told the gamekeeper to
make sure she changed or she could get sick too.
Mellors
looked away with a grin. "I
promise not ter look, Miss," he said respectfully, but with the same amused
expression on his face.
Once
assured that Tom and Wyoming were warm and dry for the night, Dr Helm went back
to town. On his way back, he remembered something, and with a grin on his face,
turned his horse towards Katherine's farmhouse.
At
Katherine's, Helm was welcomed in and offered a warm drink, but he declined.
"I need to get back," he said. "But
I was wondering. What can you tell
me of that cove where you were found?"
Katherine
looked at him oddly, but told him that it was a very nice place. "It has a
tree house to live in, and plenty of fresh water near by. Why? Are you and the
missus looking for a little hideaway?"
"No,
but we have a vet who won't listen to reason when it comes to rest.
So I was thinking of displacing him for a time."
"Good
idea," Connor said with his wicked little laugh. "I'm going out in the
morning on a run to the Oriental village to check on them. Can you get him to
the dock before I set sail?"
"You'll
have to ask Wyoming that!" He told them where Wy and Tom were staying, and
then wrapping himself back up in his coat, rode back to town.
****
Early
the next morning, a wagon loaded with a very groggy vet was driven into town.
Jonathon met them at the ship with their bags, and the three month old collie
pup that Tom had adopted, telling them he would take care of everything while
they were gone. The vet fussed a lot as they helped him on board the Ḍchas,
but as soon as it set sail, fell sound asleep once more. When he woke up, it was
early afternoon, and the little ship was making its way into the quiet waters of
the cove.
"Where
the hell am I?" he asked, looking around. "I've been shanghaied!"
Connor
chuckled as he and his crew loaded the long boats with their supplies.
"Nah, just kicked out of town for awhile. I'll be back in a week or so to
check up on you two!"
"A
week! But who will look after the
animals?"
"Jonathon
will," Wy assured him as Tom was put in the boat. The pup jumped in beside
him and licked his face.
"But
he's not medically qualified! That
doctorate is not in medicine, you know," Tom complained.
His
complaints were ignored, and the next thing he knew, they had been deposited on
the shore with their things. Connor led them to the tree house and after all the
supplies were stowed, he wished them both a good time and without another word,
left them there.
Tom
stood, mouth open, looking at the tree house. "And you think I am going to
get better here? In a tree? We
can't even make a fire!"
Wy
laughed. "I've lived out in the wilderness for months at a time all by
myself. Trust me, Tom, I can make a fire!"
“Without
burning the damn thing down?" He
tested the wood. "Seems
dry."
"Quite
yer belly achin'," she told him. She got him settled into the bed. Even
though it was pleasantly warm, he was still shivering. She disappeared for a
while, and then came back with a basket filled with ripe tropical fruit.
Squeezing some juice into a cup she gave it to him along with some pills.
"Take your antibiotics," she ordered.
"This
is wonderful. Some hospital," he grumped, as if, now that he was
forced out of business, he could complain that no one cared if he were really
sick. "I'll get
pneumonia!" Shivering, he
settled under the covers.
"You
would if you stayed in Edan," Wy said firmly. "Always running out to
the drafty old barn to check on a patient. Here it is nice and warm, night and
day."
"In
a *tree*," he repeated, but he was already drifting off back to sleep.
Though
he would never admit it, over the next few days, he was actually starting to
enjoy his enforced vacation. Especially since the outfits that Wyoming was
wearing were rather on the skimpy side. Not that he could do anything about it -
at least at first. But she was manic about the medication, and would not let him
miss a single dosage. As the days
passed, therefore, he started to feel much better.
But
on the sixth day, her cheerful attitude suddenly changed. "Tom," she
said as she brought him some broiled fish that had been stuffed with vegetables
and grains. "I have something I need to tell you."
"We're
going back? No, that wouldn't count for the serious face.
We're *not* going back?"
"I'm
late," she told him. "I'm never late."
"Late?
Late for wha' . . ." His eyes widened. "Are you saying we're going to be parents?"
"Yes,"
she whispered. "Are you okay with that?"
The
fish went flying as he jumped up and grabbed her around the waist, swinging her
around in his happiness. But then
he put her down quickly, saying, "I didn't hurt it, did I?"
"No
silly," she told him, hugging him tightly. "Not at all."