Chapter Ten

For the sake of the sick couple, Nick and Elizabeth were elated to find that the small town of Taylorsville was just large enough to warrant having a doctor living in their midst. The room was, maybe, ten feet by seven feet. It held a desk, a few chairs (one behind the desk, one in the northeast corner and one in the southeast corner). Elizabeth sat on the chair in the south-east corner of the doctor's office while Nick stood by the window that was closest to her. There was a coat rack that stood in the middle of the east wall-near the doctor's desk. A few diplomas hung on the wall, but that was it. Over-all, the walls were pretty bare. As they'd expected, Nick and Elizabeth had to deny any relation to the couple when they first arrived.

"World is full of coincidences," Nick had told the doctor after giving him their names, what had happened and then told him the couple's names. He'd then told Elizabeth he was going to the saloon. 'Don't worry. I'll make myself stay sober and, if I get into any long poker games, I'll send word.' Those had been his exact words. Two hours later, he'd returned smelling strongly of whiskey-but not drunk- and with a few more dollars than he'd had before.

"Have you thought anymore about my suggestion?" Elizabeth looked over at Nick, grateful he'd kept his word and not gotten drunk. "I mean about going to Kingsville, Wyoming?"

Nick turned to face Elizabeth, leaning against the windowsill. After a few seconds he spoke. "What if I said we should stay out of it once they're well?" He didn't really think they should; he simply wanted to see what Elizabeth's reaction would be.

Elizabeth didn't have to think about her reply-as she'd been doing a lot more thinking. "I would wonder what you were thinking, but I wouldn't fight you either." She looked him straight in the eye.

Nick stepped away from the window and, taking a hold of her arms, gently pulled her to her feet. "Girl, we have to have a serious talk-and don't ask me about what. Neither one of us is that stupid." He went to kiss her only to hear the door to the doctor's back room opening. He let go of Elizabeth and watched as Dr. Lee Michael-an older, silver haired gentleman who freely admitted he was only practicing medicine until the new doctor who had been hired arrived in town.

"That couple is blessed you found them when you did. They have a serious case of pneumonia; the husband is worse off than the wife." The doctor sat down on the chair behind his desk. Biting his lower lip – a habit he had when he was deep in thought.

"What is it, doc?" Nick asked, even as he just knew what was coming.

"You say you're not related to them?" The doctor eyed Nick closely.

"No, we're not, why?" He asked as Elizabeth stepped closer to him.

Dr. Michael leaned forward and tapped the top of his desk with a pencil. "I can't keep them here, not for very long anyway. This is a small office, not a hospital." He hated the fact that he was sure he came across as cold and heartless only he wasn't. He did feel for the couple, he simply couldn't keep them in the office's back room-a room meant for examining patients in.

"You said there was a boarding house further into town." Nick pulled out his wallet. "I'll get a couple of rooms. Though, how much do you need for this visit?"

"Time and medicine will be *seven dollars." Dr. Michael stood up and took the money Nick handed him, grateful he'd actually come out ahead in the poker game he'd gotten involved in.

"If it's all right, Elizabeth can sit with them while I go secure the rooms." He looked at his wife and then back to the doctor. "Any chance you know of someone who can help us move them?"

"I have two sons in town; I'll send them word." Dr. Michael stepped away from the desk and left the office.

Elizabeth started for the back room only to find Nick taking a hold of her and pulling her close. "This may be bad timing on my part…not that the bad timing would surprise anyone that really knows me only-only while you're back there watching over them take some time to seriously consider us. I mean," he pulled her even closer. "If there is to be an annulment, it needs to take place here-in Taylorsville. I can't…no, I won't travel clear to Wyoming married to a woman who might as well be my sister and, woman," he growled low, but with no menace in his voice, "I don't want you as my sister."

Elizabeth had no chance to reply as Nick covered her mouth with his, sliding his tongue inside as he did so. While the movement caught her by surprise Elizabeth also found herself holding onto him and returning the kisses.

"Nick," she gulped as he stepped away only to have him put his fingers on her lips.

"I have to go get two rooms. You think long and hard. I can't guarantee what the future would hold for us only I do know this much. Either hop on a stagecoach and go back to Blythe Junction and Cliff, I go back to Stockton, or you come to Wyoming with me and the Gyvers-as my wife in every sense of the word. That is, if they'll accept help. I'm serious. I've given up everything for the chance to get to know you. If we're married once we leave this town, it's the real deal." He paused and then added a bit sharply, "With all that's happened, it's a wonder I'm not flat out drunk at the moment." He turned and walked out of the building.

Dazed, Elizabeth lightly touched her flushed cheek. Slowly, she turned around and headed for the room the couple lay in. At first, she pondered the idea of trying to get Nick to change his mind. However, she started thinking back to the storm that chased Nick Barkley into the cabin she and her first husband had lived in. She thought how quickly Tabitha had taken to him, and the few times the young girl had tried pushing them together. She sighed as she thought on the reactions Jarrod and Victoria had given Nick and herself. It had hurt even if she did understand. However, she hadn't been able to deny the feelings she had inside when he was around her, nor had she been able to deny Nick the opportunity to court her-especially the way she was feeling now since he'd kissed her. "I've given up everything…" sounded in her ears more than once. By the time she stepped into the back room, Elizabeth was already leaning heavily towards agreeing to going to Wyoming on Nick's terms.

A/N I have no clue what doctors charged back then only I know the cost of living was tons lower than what it is now. Earning a dollar a day was not uncommon.