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Chapter Four

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Helping and Healing

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"Good morning, Hans. Nathan and I are here to treat your wound again. Has the pain gotten better or worse or stayed the same?" Faith observed that the man was more responsive although his face showed he still had a fever.

"Same? Maybe a little worse? It's hard to tell, Doctor." Hans jerked as Faith laid her hand on his leg. "Oh..."

"Sorry to startle you, Hans." Distracting him as she unwrapped the loose dressing. "Did you drink the honey water as I instructed?"

"Nell made me. Finally finished it early this morning. Can't say it was as good cold as it was hot though." Hans moaned as Faith lifted his leg.

"Well, we can give you a nice hot cup as soon as I finish cleaning your wound. Nathan? Would you please take your position again?"

"Sure." Nathan knelt beside the sofa. "Sorry, Hans, your movements are involuntary, but it is best if they are kept to a minimum-both so that the doctor can cleanse the gash thoroughly and also so she doesn't cause additional pain. Here, I'll face you this time and lean this way. Take my hand and squeeze when you need too. We're ready, Doctor."

"You are a strong fella, Hans." Nathan just hoped the farmer wouldn't break his hand! "It'll be over soon."

"I am pleased this is not worse, Hans. I don't expect immediate improvement, but it is encouraging when wounds like this don't get worse. Stay strong. I'm almost finished."

"There. Now here comes the part that stings." Faith poured the hydrogen peroxide over the gash again, catching the drips with the used gauze, then waved her hand over it to help it dry before she covered it again with fresh gauze and loosely wrapped it in strips of clean rags she had brought.

…

"Pieter? The doctor is ready for you now. I'm heading out to the woodpile." Nathan strode out the door.

Rhythmic sounds of logs chopped and fallen to the ground were punctuated by thuds as Nathan tossed the split logs into a wheelbarrow. Having completed checking and rewrapping Pieter's leg, Faith found herself drawn to watch Nathan chop the wood. Spellbound, she stood at the back door, arms crossed until Nellika Sterk moved to stand beside her and watch as well. Nathan had shed his serge and belt and was dressed in his short-sleeved Henley with his suspenders dangling at his sides.

"There is something so powerful about watching a man's muscles move as he chops wood. I know I can watch Hans do it for ever so long. He knows he's being watched too, and I rather think he enjoys having an audience!" Nellie chuckled. "I wonder if the good Constable realizes that the good Doctor is appreciating his efforts?"

Caught, Faith felt the familiar warmth rise up her neck and into her face. She didn't think she had blushed as much in all her life as she had in recent weeks around Nathan Grant. Embarrassed, Faith turned away, but not before Nathan glanced towards the door as he tossed a log.

He saw her figure and grinned. 'She has been watching me!'

"Uh, excuse me! I need to get something from the wagon." Turning towards the hallway, Faith suddenly remembered her patient's request. "Oh, Hans would like another hot cup of the honey water, please? Maybe make a half-cup at a time so he can drink it hot?"

Returning to the kitchen, Faith held a couple things behind her back. "Children, I have something for you! Constable Grant's daughter, Allie, sent along some books for you. Do you like to read books?"

As the children shyly looked at their mother, Marit spoke up. "We have had books from the Library a few times, but we don't have any to look at here at home."

"Oh! Look! Pictures! What do you think that is?" Anna knelt on her chair to better hang over the kitchen table to investigate.

By the questions, Faith surmised that Nathan was correct. These children didn't know how to read. "Nellika? May I speak to you in private once again? Let's go outside and check on Nathan?"

Walking towards Nathan, Faith spoke softly. "We don't want to interrupt your activity here, Nathan, but I was just about to tell Nellie what Allie had offered. You want to explain?"

"Sure." Nathan balanced the ax on the chopping block and leaned his arm on the handle. "My daughter wondered if she could come out with us sometime and play with the children? She could read them a book or two and maybe play a game? She loves children and has good rapport with the young ones. We thought if we could bring her on Friday, we would bring a cake and celebrate Marit's birthday. Would you like that, Nellie?"

"Oh? Are you sure she wants to come?"

"It was her idea, Nellie. Let me reassure you that Allie has a tender heart, due to suffering great loss in her childhood. She now is the most loving and thoughtful young person I've ever known. She will be a blessing to your children and will enjoy helping them too!"

"I guess in that case it's okay." Nellie requested, smiling. "I don't want Marit to know in advance though just in case something doesn't work out, okay?"

A man coming around from the front interrupted their conversation and Nellie went to speak to him, closely followed by the girls who had tumbled out of the house after hearing him knock on the front door.

"Donning his uniform again, Nathan, strode towards Nellie and Jed. "Hello Jed. Good timing! I guess you have introduced yourselves?"

"We have." Jed nodded.

"Shall I take you to the barn and show you around before the doctor and I head back into town? Okay with you, Nellie?"

"Yes, please. Thank you, Jed. I really appreciate your help right now."

"Glad to be able to help, Ma'am. Before we go to the barn, may I please meet your husband. I want to reassure him I will be careful with the horses and be glad to do other things he needs." Jed smiled.

"Of course. He's in the front room." Nellie pointed to retrace their steps. "Follow me."

While Faith stayed behind to have the girls show her the garden, Nathan followed Nellie back into the kitchen. While Nellie was in the front room, Nathan sat beside Pieter and admired his drawing of an apple tree. "Is that a tree in your orchard, Pieter?" Nathan just sat quietly waiting for an answer, noticing in his side vision that Pieter was working his mouth and lips in an effort to speak.

Finally a hesitant word escaped from the young boy. "Ya…Yes."

"I wondered. I guess the apples will be ripening soon. Maybe you can show me your trees when your sprain is healed? I would like that." Nathan commented as he patted the boy on his shoulder.

Back in the kitchen, the girls resettled at the table and Nathan offered. "Would you like me to show you the Dominoes?" He opened the box and lifted out a few tiles. "Another time, I can explain the rules of a game I enjoy, but for now, you can match the number of dots and build a long trail." He held up a tile and counted the numbers, then placed it on the table, pointing. "You see? If you have an eight and a one on the table, you have to pick up a new tile until you can place either an eight or a one from your collection! You can also turn corners by placing the tile like this." He demonstrated and got them counting the tiles and beginning to laugh as they had to collect so many before they could make a match.

Jed returned and Nathan stood to take him to the barn after introducing each of the children. The young ones exhibited good manners and shook hands with Jed before returning to their game.

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"We accomplished a lot this morning, Nathan! I am thrilled that the children are becoming more responsive. Even Pieter is following you with admiring eyes whenever you are in the room!" Faith chuckled. "I can't blame him!"

"Oh? Have you been following me yourself?" Nathan laughed and wiggled his eyebrows. "Did I see you at the back door earlier?"

Feigning innocence, Faith placed her hand over her heart. "What me? Watching you? Now why would I do that?" Her smile and giggle revealed her truth.

"You tell me! I guess you never saw a man chop wood and wanted to learn how to do it, eh?" Nathan tried to keep from smiling, but his half-smile and twinkling eyes gave him away.

"Oh that! Of course, that's exactly what I was doing, trying to learn." Faith teased. "I really enjoyed your demonstration, Sir."

"Next time come out and join me. I will gladly give you a hands-on lesson!" Nathan teased right back. "There is an art to knowing how to hold and swing the ax. It is actually harder than it looks!"

"Oh, I took anatomy, Nathan. I saw how hard those muscles were working!" Faith grinned and nudged his arm as she had earlier in the day.

They both dissolved into an easy laughter. When quieted, Faith asked, "Who do you have in mind to help you with the chicken coop?"

"I was thinking of asking Robert Wolf. He is strong and would benefit from serving as he has aspirations to becoming a Mountie." Nathan added, "I think this would be good experience."

"Really? A Mountie? How do you know that?"

"A year ago, Elizabeth suggested Robert shadow me for a day or two and ask questions. He originally wanted to skip his final year of school to join-up, but I was glad to dissuade him as he is still young. By next year he should be ready. It will still be incredibly difficult, but his greater maturity by then will help."

"How old were you when you joined, Nathan?"

"I was nineteen. But for me it was different because I had already been working for a few years to help support the family. My reason for staying home a year after I finished school was to help my mother and give her another year before she would need to hire outside help."

"Why was that? It is unusual around here for children to work to support their families unless under dire circumstances."

"Now is not the time to explain it all, Faith, although I will do so. Let me just say, my mother and I ran a ranch and boarded horses. She also gave riding lessons and we developed the ranch into a viable business. I didn't want to leave her alone until we were certain we could afford a hired hand to replace the work I had been doing." Nathan looked ahead. "We are almost back to town so we should decide on this afternoon's plan. What time do you want to go out to treat Hans again?"

"Thank you for beginning to explain. I sense there is so much more to tell, but I will wait until you are ready to share. I will just say this, Nathan. Everything I learn about you, makes me admire you more." Faith held his glance for a moment before continuing. "Could we go back at five or does that make getting home to Allie too late?"

"Five is fine. She is working late at the switchboard this afternoon, so we might just pick up dinner at the Café. Shall I meet you at your office or at the Livery? I can do my rounds a bit early and then saddle your horse for you, although I should really teach you how to do that yourself."

"Maybe another time? Thank you though. I will meet you at the Livery at five."

As the wagon came to a stop in front of her office, Faith whispered. "I think I should get down by myself, Nathan. We don't want tongues to wag. At least not yet!"

Nathan was on the ground before she finished her sentence, his hand out to steady her. "Maybe you care about what others might think when seeing us, but I only care about your safety, Faith." Nathan winked at her as he chuckled.

Faith gripped Nathan's hand and with twinkling eyes whispered, "Thank you. See you later, Nathan."

"Oh, you sure will." Nathan grinned and tipped his hat in a salute as Faith climbed the steps.

Inside the office, Faith leaned against the door and gasped while holding her stomach. All sorts of flits and flutters threatened to take her breath away and she had no medical reason to explain the feeling!

Climbing into the wagon again, Nathan was still grinning as he maneuvered the horse around and headed to return the wagon to the Livery unaware that a school teacher was staring at him from the balcony of the saloon.

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