A Prescription for Love (7 page)

Clarence had worked for one of Lester’s businesses for seven years and hated the day-in and day-out routine. He wanted more from life. He wanted a big house, servants, an accommodating mistress, exotic travel, good whiskey. Those things would never come to him on a working man’s salary. As the owner of several profitable businesses, he could have everything he dreamed of.

Although Heidi Lester had a beautiful face and a fine, although delicate, figure, she held no appeal for him. Mousy, no backbone. Lester had made him agree to have a marriage in name only. He and his wife didn’t want their little girl to suffer the burden of a man’s attentions and the resulting pregnancies, which worked well for Clarence. Visions of her coughing and wheezing her head off as he attempted to bed her squelched any desire on his part to have the girl. And he had a woman more than willing to accommodate him.

Now with his dreams so close, the little twit had to grow a backbone. But he knew where her backbone had come from—Michael Henderson. Why the man had any interest in Heidi remained a mystery. Unless he knew of her father’s businesses and that Heidi’s husband would benefit enormously. Life must be mighty dreary working in a store every day, dealing with customers complaining about their illnesses. If Henderson thought to assume his place, he could forget it. Clarence wasn’t setting his little gold mine free.

The young whore—he didn’t remember her name even though she’d told him numerous times—sidled up to him and pressed her breasts against his arm. “I’ve been waitin’ for ya, Clarence.”

“Have you now?” He gulped a shot of whiskey and patted her bottom, leaving his hand there to massage and pinch.

She shot him a sultry grin. “Ya wanna go upstairs?”

He grabbed the whiskey bottle and waved in the direction of the steps. “Lead the way.”

Tomorrow he would deal with Miss Lester. Most irritating and inconvenient to race back and forth between Oklahoma City and Guthrie to ensure Henderson didn’t usurp his place.

He tucked his hand inside the whore’s bodice and tweaked her nipple as she ascended the stairs ahead of him. “I got something to put a smile on your face.”

“Me, too,” she said with a giggle, then opened the door to her room.

Michael looked up from the various jars and bottles in front of him at the sound of the doorbell. Mr. and Mrs. Lester entered with Mrs. Manfred on their heels. He sighed and continued to work, taking furtive glances at his employee as the three approached the counter where Heidi arranged packages of tobacco.

“Heidi, dear. Did you have breakfast this morning?” Mrs. Lester patted her daughter’s cheek as Mr. Lester positioned himself behind her, arms crossed, glaring at Michael.

“Yes, Mother. In fact, Mrs. Wilson, my landlady, allows me to cook breakfast in her kitchen and Michael, rather Mr. Henderson, and I eat in the back room here. Today I fixed scrambled eggs and biscuits.”

Mrs. Lester dabbed at the corner of her eye with a delicate linen handkerchief and shook her head slightly. “So much work for you. My poor girl will wear herself out.”

Mrs. Manfred stepped forward and took Heidi’s hand. “I promised Clarence I would look out for you while he is at work each day. You must know he is worried sick over this little adventure you’re having.”

Heidi chewed her lip, then sighed in relief when old Mrs. Benson entered the store. “Excuse me, Mother, Papa, Mrs. Manfred, but I must see to the customers.”

“Wait.” Mr. Lester took her by the arm. “We would like you to join us for the noon meal. We’ll be back at twelve. Is that when you close?”

“Yes. Noon is fine. I’ll see you then.” Heidi hurried around the counter and approached Mrs. Benson with a large smile. “Good morning, ma’am, how may I help you?”

The Lester party left, with Mrs. Lester leaning on her husband’s arm, sniffling.

Michael tried hard not to laugh at the picture the three of them made. No wonder Heidi was afraid of her own shadow. To be smothered all her life would cripple the strongest woman. He returned to his work and continued to dwell on Heidi Lester. Hadn’t his experience with Alice taught him anything? His best interests lay in distancing himself from Heidi as much as possible.

Therein, the problem. Every day, thoughts of his clerk consumed him. He couldn’t erase her from his mind. Her scent, her smile, her giggle, the way her hips swayed when she moved across the floor. The red curls forever escaping her bun. Images that danced before him even in his sleep.

He had no idea what had possessed him to offer an introduction to Ellie. His sister could be downright scary at times. The baby of the family, it seemed she wanted to prove she had truly grown up. He hoped she would go easy on Heidi. Ellie held the opinion women did not need men in any capacity and had planned her life to exclude them.

What a family he’d come from. Although he and his siblings all had the wonderful example of Tori and Jesse’s marriage, he remained a confirmed bachelor. Ellie had no use for men, and his brother, Hunter, spent his time away from home, tracking down criminals. The only once-happily married one, his sister, Rachel, had lost her husband to pneumonia several years ago and had placed her heart firmly on the shelf as she raised her son.

The next time he checked his watch, noon had arrived. On the dot of twelve, the three musketeers, as he’d begun to think of them, returned to the store. Flushed, most likely with nerves, Heidi retrieved her coat from the back room and, appearing as though she marched to the gallows, left with them. She gave Michael a slight wave as she went out the door.

He grabbed his coat and after locking the store, headed toward the coffee shop. Unfortunately, Heidi and her family were seated at a table near the front window when he arrived. He nodded briefly in their direction and took a seat at the counter.

As he passed their table, Heidi’s father leaned forward, speaking earnestly with her as he patted his wife’s hand. Michael’s stomach tightened even though they directed none of their angst at him.

“What can I get ya?” Honey, the waitress who’d been at the coffee shop for years, distracted him, notebook pad and pencil in hand.

He smiled at the older woman. No matter the day, she always had a smile for everyone. “What looks good?”

“Everything.” She grinned. “Do you realize, Mr. Henderson, you ask that question every day, and every day I give you the same answer?”

“I enjoy the sound of your voice.” He winked. “All right, since I must decide, I’ll have the chicken and noodles. And tea.”

“Good choice.” She continued to write as she proceeded down the counter. She returned shortly and deposited a glass of tea in front of him, then went into the kitchen.

The sound of silverware clinking and the buzz of conversation around him blocked out whatever conversation Heidi and her family had. He took a sip of the tea, the cool liquid easing his dry throat.

He struck up a conversation with Ed Barker, the hardware store owner, who bemoaned the unreliability of his suppliers. Halfway through his bowl of chicken and noodles, a commotion occurred behind them.

“Someone help, my daughter needs help.” Mrs. Lester’s voice rose above the murmurs of the crowd.

Michael whirled about and immediately left his seat.

Heidi’s fingers gripped the edge of the table as she gasped for breath. Her face had lost all color and tears tracked down her cheeks. Mrs. Lester fluttered her hands, casting a glance around the room. Mr. Lester stood and demanded in a loud voice that someone send for a doctor, while Mrs. Manfred fanned Heidi with her handkerchief.

Michael elbowed his way into the group, then lifted Heidi in his arms and started across the room. She grasped the lapels of his jacket and searched his face frantically. Michael spoke soothingly. “Heidi, relax. Calm down. Take slow, even breaths.”

“Where are you taking my daughter?” Mrs. Lester asked with more than a hint of outrage.

“To the kitchen. She needs help.”

“She needs the help of a doctor, not a storekeeper,” Mr. Lester huffed as he followed behind. Ignoring all the comments and the stares of the other diners, Michael strode to the kitchen, Heidi clutched in his arms struggling to breathe. The Lesters and Mrs. Manfred followed, shouting orders and making demands.

“Get me a bowl of boiling water and the largest cloth you have,” Michael called over his shoulder to Honey as he set Heidi on a chair and instructed her to raise her hands above her head. He went down on one knee alongside her, leaned close, and spoke quietly into her ear again. He rubbed circles on her back as Mr. Lester continued to bellow.

Michael peered over his shoulder from his spot on the floor and spoke in a quiet, firm voice, fixing his gaze directly on Mr. Lester. “Please leave.”

Mr. Lester’s face grew a deeper red. “I will not leave. She’s my daughter, and I insist we send for a doctor before she collapses.”

Michael stood and, continuing to rub Heidi’s back, glared at the three morons making the situation worse. “I will say this once more, and then I will escort you from the premises. Either keep quiet or leave us. I’ve treated asthma before.”

Mrs. Lester linked her arm in her husband’s. He attempted to wrench free, but she held on. “Harold, fetch a doctor. You know all this uproar is not good for Heidi.”

He adjusted his jacket and addressed his wife. “I will go. But you stay here and safeguard our daughter.”

“If you two intend to stay, you are to be quiet.” Michael spoke as he moved the bowl of steaming water toward Heidi, then eased her head down. Once again he placed a towel over her head, creating a tent, and continued to rub her back and talk quietly to her. “Where is the packet of Belladonna I gave you?”

“Home,” Heidi gasped.

“All right. Just relax.” He caught Honey’s attention. She stood nearby watching Heidi carefully. “Miss Honey, can you come here and do what I’m doing? Rub her back and keep the towel over her head?”

“I will see to my daughter.” Mrs. Lester stepped forward and calmly placed her hand on Heidi’s shoulder. “Just show me what to do, Mr. Henderson.”

Michael gave her a quick rundown on what to do and then left, noting the kitchen staff, having forgotten their duties, eagerly watched the drama.

His long legs ate up the distance between the coffee shop and his store. He unlocked the door and hurried to his work table, where he shook powder onto a piece of paper, then folded and tucked the medicine into his pocket.

When Michael returned to the coffee shop kitchen, Mrs. Manfred stood apart from Mrs. Lester as she continued to minister to Heidi. It pleased him to see the woman kneeling as he had done and whispering softly in her daughter’s ear. He hunkered down on Heidi’s other side and sprinkled the powder into the hot water. “Breath slowly, Heidi. As your lungs begin to open, take deeper breaths.”

Heidi nodded and followed his instructions. Within minutes the sound of her wheezing diminished and her muscles relaxed. His own muscles eased at the same time.

Mr. Lester burst into the room with Dr. Kane trailing behind him.

“You didn’t tell me Michael Henderson was treating her.” Dr. Kane glared at Mr. Lester and dropped his medical bag on the floor.

Heidi’s papa sneered. “Treating her? He’s no doctor.”

“No, he’s not, but he knows more about treating asthma than I do.”

Mrs. Lester rose and moved to her husband as the doctor took her place next to Heidi. He glanced across her lap toward Michael. “Belladonna?”

Michael nodded. He took the towel off Heidi, and helped her to sit back. Although her breathing seemed better, she remained pale, and dark circles appeared under her eyes. Her eyelids fluttered closed and lines of fatigue emerged on her face.

“After you’ve rested for a minute, I will escort you home.” Michael handed her the towel to wipe her sweat-drenched face.

Heidi shook her head. “No, I’m fine now. I can return to work.”

“No, Miss Lester, it would best if you rested a bit.” The doctor got to his feet and patted her on the shoulder.

“And as your employer, I’m afraid I must insist.” Michael turned to her parents and Mrs. Manfred. “Will one of you fetch her things from the table and bring them here? I prefer not to subject her to the embarrassment of being dragged through the restaurant. We’ll leave through the back door.”

Mrs. Lester moved to leave.

“Wait a minute, Mary.” Mr. Lester took her arm and eyed Michael. “I don’t understand, sir, why you feel it’s your place, or your responsibility for that matter, to assume the care of our daughter. Is there something going on between the two of you I am unaware of? She is a betrothed woman, you know.”

Michael sighed and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb. “Mr. Lester, do you have a buggy handy?”

“No. Of course not. We came up on the train.”

“Exactly. I, on the other hand, have a buggy at the livery next to my store. I can have your daughter home, and settled with a cup of tea, in less than twenty minutes.”

“You still have not answered my question, young man.”

Michael studied him for a moment. “Nor will I.” Especially since he had no idea himself what went on between him and Mr. Lester’s daughter.

Mrs. Lester raised her eyebrows at her husband and left to gather her daughter’s belongings.

Within minutes, Michael had Heidi wrapped and bundled under a warm blanket in his buggy. As the buggy proceeded down the street to her house, she placed her face in her hands and cried, her shoulders shaking with deep, wrenching sobs that tore at him.

Like most men, Michael preferred to duck a pot or pan tossed at his head than to have to deal with tears. So he kept silent, but offered her a handkerchief from his pocket.

Heidi took it, and continued to cry. Her sobs had turned to soft hiccups when Michael stopped the buggy by the side of the road a few blocks before Mrs. Wilson’s house.

Michael regarded to her. “Are you all right?”

She lifted a blotchy red face with tear-clumped eyelashes, wiped her nose with his handkerchief, and took a shuddering breath. “No. Not at all. I’m humiliated and ready to return home to Oklahoma City. They’re right. I have no reason to continue my
adventure
as Clarence called it.”