Courting the Doctor's Daughter (21 page)

That was all it took. The boys raced off, leaving Mary with her thoughts. Her father had told her Luke’s parents were there when he dropped off Ben. She’d tried to turn the visit over to God, but her nerves twanged as she waited to pick him up and return her son to his family.

But now the Jacobses were his family too.

Until she saw for herself that Luke’s parents wouldn’t harm Ben as they had Luke, she couldn’t have peace about their presence in Ben’s life.

“Want to take a walk?”

Frank stood only a step away, looking very handsome, his hair impeccably combed, and his clothes hanging on his lean frame with elegance. The serious expression in his eyes suggested he had something on his mind.

“I’d like that,” she said, her pulse skittering. What did Frank want to discuss that he couldn’t say right here in the office?

Grabbing her shawl off the back of her chair, she wrapped it around her shoulders. The days were colder now. She stepped down the hall to inform her father they were leaving. He promised to keep an eye on the boys.

Outside, she and Frank strolled south, heading away from the center of town. He took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “I think you know I care about you, Mary. You and your sons.”

Her breath caught. “Yes, I do.”

Frank stopped, turning her toward him. She looked into his eyes. Frank was kind, a good man. Somewhat pompous perhaps, but his values, his background, his calm manner would make him a good father for the boys. But did she care for him the way she should? The way a wife should feel for a husband?

“I was shocked to learn Luke is Ben’s father.”

“So was I.”

“It complicates things, but we’re all adults. If you care for me, we’ll find a way to blend our lives together for Ben’s sake.”

At his words, her heart stuttered in her chest. He’d said
we, blend, our.
That could only mean—“What are you asking?”

“We’re a good fit, you and I. We both love medicine.
We share a strong faith in God. I admire your intelligence, your giving nature, the mother you are to your sons. We’d make a good team.”

Frank’s praise settled around her. He liked who she was. That meant a great deal. He didn’t have her heart, but with time maybe…

“Don’t you agree we’re much alike?”

“Yes, in many ways we are.”

“I’d be a good husband to you, a good father to your sons and any other children we might have.”

“I know you would.” Could she marry this man, knowing she didn’t love him? But knowing he’d do all he could to make them happy?

“You would understand the long hours, the pressure of building my career. The need to move.”

A chill streaked down Mary’s spine. She wrapped her shawl more tightly around herself.
“Move?”

“You’ve told me you’d like to travel. We’ll see the country as I further my goals. It’ll be an adventure. With you and the boys at my side, I’ll have the support, the family, that’ll help me stay grounded…no matter how high I rise in my profession.”

A gust of wind swirled and, spinning like a tiny twister, lifted fallen leaves and skipped across the ground, much like her churning thoughts. How could she leave this town? “But…Ben’s here.”

“Are you sure Luke will stay here forever? Might he end up back East?”

“Luke says he won’t uproot Ben.” Could she be sure?

“Well, then Ben can come for visits in the summer.”

“Have you forgotten my plans to work in my father’s practice, to continue his legacy here in Noblesville?”

“I understand that’ll be a sacrifice, but I’ll give you and your sons a good life, Mary. You’ll have the freedom to
do whatever you want. To get your education, become a doctor and practice medicine or stay home with the children.” He took a deep breath then turned to her with a smile, as if he was giving her the gift she’d waited for all her life. “I’ll take good care of all of you. I love you, Mary. Say you’ll be my wife.”

The door to Luke’s apartment swung open. At the sight of Luke’s familiar face, Mary’s heart thundered beneath her corset. His gaze roamed over her, devouring her, or so she felt. Then behind him, a scene slammed into Mary’s gut. Ben and a couple who could only be Luke’s parents sat at his table eating slices of apple, the smiles they wore evidence the visit had gone well. She didn’t know whether to be happy about that or not.

“Hi, Mom!” Ben scrambled from his seat and plunged into her skirt. “I got new grandparents!”

Luke introduced the Jacobses. Their eyes shone at Ben’s declaration. Mary had expected harsh lines and stern eyes, not the soft gentle expressions of people obviously smitten with Ben.

“Ben’s a great little boy, Mrs. Graves,” Mr. Jacobs said.

Mary smiled. “I think so too.” Mary took Ben by the hand. “Michael and Philip are waiting outside to play with you.”

“Son, we’ll walk out with Mrs. Graves and Ben.” His father laid an arm on Luke’s shoulder. Surprisingly, the gesture of affection didn’t appear to irk Luke like Mary would’ve expected. Perhaps Luke and his parents had found common ground with Ben.

“We’ll sit together at church tomorrow, Ben,” Luke said. He turned to his parents. “Services are at ten o’clock, if you’d like to come and spend more time with your grandson.”

Luke’s father’s brows rose, obviously startled by the idea. “Well, I suppose we, ah, could do that.”

“I’ll be at the Becker House at nine-thirty. We can walk over together.”

Mary bit back a smile. Luke had used Ben to get his parents to services. Not a bad tactic.

“Will you be at the office for a while, Mary? I’d like to talk to you.”

Something in the depths of Luke’s eyes banged against her heart. “Yes,” she said. Her voice sounded shaky even to her own ears.

A grin spread across his face. “Good.”

Outside the carriage house, Ben ran to play with Michael and Philip, leaving Mary alone with the Jacobses, who weren’t nearly as intimidating as she’d expected, both surprising and reassuring her. She needn’t worry about their conduct with her son.

“Thank you for taking care of Ben,” Mrs. Jacobs said. “He’s a delightful little boy.”

“You’re welcome to visit Ben at my home.”

“That’s very kind of you. He’s quite the boy,” Mr. Jacobs said, then paused, meeting his wife’s gaze. She gave him a nod. “Mrs. Graves, before you go, I want to tell you something.”

“What’s that?”

He cleared his throat, as if what he wanted to say lodged there. “We sent Luke’s brother away. At first we visited him, but then…well, it was easier…Guess we panicked about a disorder we didn’t understand and couldn’t face. To avoid Luke’s censure, we distanced ourselves from him too.” He lifted a hand. “Our negligence killed one child. Our aloofness hurt the other.” He scrubbed a hand over his eyes. Were those tears? “We’ll spend the rest of our lives regretting what we did.”

Thinking of Luke as a little boy, rejected and alone, Mary swallowed hard. Surely if his father told her this,
he’d also said the same to Luke. That must explain the harmony she’d sensed between him and his parents. “It can’t be easy to admit that.”

“I’m not telling you all this to get a pat on the back.” Mr. Jacobs gave a humorless smile. “Funny, that here in this small town, I’ve had time to take a long hard look at myself…and at Luke,” he said, his eyes damp. “Be patient with him, Mrs. Graves. We wounded our son, and he’s been hiding. Afraid to get close to anyone, but that’s changing. Because of Ben and we suspect because of you.”

Though she knew the credit wasn’t hers, Mr. Jacobs’s words clung to her, filling her with hope. “Thank you for that, but the change you’ve seen is mostly because of his faith.”

“If that invitation to church is any indication, I suspect he’ll try to convert us,” his father said.

“Nothing wrong with that.” Mary smiled. “I hope you’ll come.”

Luke’s mother laid a gentle hand on Mary’s arm. “We want a second chance, a fresh start with our grandson. We appreciate your willingness to let us see Ben.”

“Ben deserves his family, Mrs. Jacobs. That family includes both of you.”

Watching Ben and his brothers kick the ball around the yard, Luke’s mother smiled. “What is it they say? And a child shall lead them? Well, that’s what happened here today. A child led us to our son, to a new beginning with him.”

Thomas reached out a hand. “Luke’s a good man. A far better man than I. Please, give him a chance, Mrs. Graves. You won’t regret it.”

The outside door of the waiting room banged open. Four men scrunched through the opening, carrying two injured men on improvised stretchers.

“Accident down at the strawboard plant,” one man said.

“George Augsburger here mighta broke his leg. Leroy Hawkins, an arm. Both got nasty gashes,” another worker said.

Mary sprang into action, pushing aside her thoughts. But as she directed one patient to the examining room, the other to the surgery where her father waited, disappointment burned in the pit of her stomach. From what he’d said earlier, she’d expected Luke to come in, but he hadn’t made an appearance. She could cheerfully wring his neck for keeping her on pins and needles.

She assembled water, soap and antiseptic and then sponged the cut above Mr. Augsburger’s brow. “How are you feeling?”

“Been better.”

Mary nodded. “Any pain on the inside?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“What happened?”

“Sheaves of straw stacked to the ceiling toppled. I lost my footing and skated all the way to the bottom. Landed on the tongue of a wagon. I think my leg’s busted.”

“Doc will be right in.”

He reached a hand toward her. “The Missus and I…are heartsick about our youngun’s fight. It’s our fault. Our tongues got away from us and Jimmy overheard.”

The book of James might warn about wagging tongues, but the Augsburger family had done them all a favor, had brought out into the open the secrets she’d exhausted herself keeping. “Don’t worry.” Mary met his sober gaze. “It gave me an opportunity to say some things that needed saying.”

Mr. Augsburger smiled, his relief at her clemency evident in his eyes.

While she cleaned his scrapes, Mary’s mind whirled.
Because of Luke she’d found the courage to talk openly to her sons. He’d taken responsibility for Ben. She’d loved him since their talk at the river. But were his parents right? Could she trust him?

Beneath her distracted touch, Mr. Augsburger sucked in a breath.

Mary cringed. She’d been preoccupied, affecting her competency. “I’m sorry.”

Her father came in with splints. While he slit the leg of the patient’s pants, she mixed plaster of Paris and cut gauze. Mary focused on what needed doing, not the workings of her heart, but the confusion inside her kept its steady beat.

She thought of Luke’s gentleness with Ben, with Philip and Michael, of his kindness to her during one of her headaches. Well, he’d become a giant headache for her now, stirring her emotions like a whirlwind, leaving her confused and on edge. Where was he?

Finished treating George Augsburger’s wounds, she moved on to Leroy Hawkins, finding comfort as she always had in the practice of medicine. She greeted him, offering soothing words, gently cleaning his abrasions and cuts, staying clear of his arm cradled on his chest. “When my father finishes with Mr. Augsburger, he’ll assess your break, Mr. Hawkins.”

“As soon as I wash my hands, I’ll take over.”

Mary’s head snapped up. Luke stood across from her. She looked into his face, a face she’d memorized, touched, kissed.

She wanted to run to him, to run from him. All those emotions battled inside her, welled up until she could barely breathe. Because no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t be indifferent in Luke’s presence.

“Will somebody do something?” Mr. Hawkins said, ending on a groan.

The patient needed them. Her questions, an endless list, would have to wait. For now.

Luke dried his hands and then cut away Mr. Hawkins’s shirt and examined the arm. He didn’t speak, simply assessed the situation. Where had he been? Why hadn’t he marched over here and declared his feelings for her like Frank had?

Unable to wait another moment, she asked, “What have you been doing since I saw you?”

“Making plans. I wired the Children’s Aid Society. Then I looked at a house that’s for sale right around the block. As soon as I heard about the accident, I headed here.” He smiled at her. “On the way, I talked to myself for courage.”

His smile curled her toes. “Courage for what?”

He glanced at the patient. “I’ll explain later.”

Even in pain, Mr. Hawkins’s ears perked up. Then he hissed when Luke moved his arm, preparing to set the break.

A couple of hectic hours passed with no time to talk but then, finally, quiet reigned. The mess had been cleared away, and the injured had been taken to their homes by their coworkers, who’d waited the entire time. Her father went along to make sure the men got settled in and were comfortable.

Mary sat at the table in the backroom, limp with fatigue from the day, feeling wrung out like an old dishrag. Yet at the same time, she’d never felt more alive. The reason now sat across from her, his dark eyes soft, his dazzling smile tugging at her resolve to hold herself aloof.

“God is good,” he said, taking her hand. “To see the change in my parents…” His voice broke. “They’ll be good grandparents to Ben.” He smiled. “My father’s going to build a school for disabled children, and he’s promised to name it after Joseph.”

Mary’s eyes flooded with tears. “Oh, my.”

The corners of his mouth turned up into that lopsided
grin she loved. “I’ve accepted my past, Mary. It made me what I am, even led me here to Noblesville. I never expected to stay or to practice medicine again, but I did. I never expected to get attached to Ben and everyone in this town, but I did. I never expected to meet you, a woman I admire more than any other, but I did.”

She ran a palm along his jaw, tears streaming down her face. “Oh, Luke.”

He scooted his chair back from the table and knelt beside her, taking both her hands in his. “The other night I realized I’ve spent my life running, afraid to care. Afraid I’d get my heart stomped. That’s all I knew.”