Faithful Heart (29 page)

Dr. Carroll took Breanna by the arm and escorted her back to the lobby and outside to her rented buggy, talking the situation over as they went.

“The thing that touches me most about this, Doctor, is Dottie’s unswerving love and faithfulness to Jerrod,” Breanna said.

“Yes, me too,” he replied. “In fact, I recently told her if she wasn’t careful, that faithful heart of hers was going to get her killed. It almost did.”

W
HILE
B
REANNA
B
AYLOR
was driving from the asylum to City Hospital, there was a brief but strong tremor. Windows broke in some of the buildings, street lamps were loosened in their moorings, and there were a few places where the boardwalks split.

When she entered the hospital, Breanna heard some of the staff talking about the “big one” scientists were predicting. A white-frocked doctor said, “I sure hope the seismologists are right, that it won’t come till after the turn of the century … if it has to come at all.”

Dottie was happy to see her sister, and after the two briefly discussed the tremor, she wanted to know about Jerrod. Breanna softened the report as much as she could without lying. She didn’t want Dottie upset more than necessary.

For the next week, Breanna visited Dottie every day. Will Reeves had brought the wagon team back to the Harper place, and Breanna turned in the rented horse and buggy. Every other day, she brought James and Molly Kate with her to see their mother. Will and Maudie visited her a couple of times during the week, as did Reverend Howard Yates.

Dr. Carroll came to see Dottie often. Breanna thought more
often than necessary and didn’t like it, but she kept those thoughts to herself.

At the beginning of the second week, Dr. Glenn Olson had Dottie sitting up in bed, and by the end of the week, she was sitting up in a chair. On Saturday of that week, Breanna came to town alone and stopped at the asylum first to ask about Jerrod. She met Dr. Verle Huffman, who told her Jerrod was about the same. Once in a while he was rational, but most of the time he was in a rage.

Breanna then went to the hospital, where she met Dr. Olson in the hallway. He was now positive there was no permanent damage to Dottie’s spine. With some therapy she would walk again as good as new. Breanna’s face showed her relief as she thanked the doctor for how well he was taking care of her sister.

Dr. Olson told her he would start Dottie’s therapy the next day, and if all went well, she could go home in another week. She would need someone to bring her to town every other day for therapy until she was walking normally. Breanna said she would bring her until the time she had to return to Denver, but she was sure Will Reeves would bring her in after that.

Breanna thanked Olson again and proceeded down the hall to Dottie’s room. When she walked in, she saw Dr. Matthew Carroll sitting beside Dottie, who was in a chair. Both turned and smiled at her. Breanna smiled back, but it was for Dottie, not the doctor.

“I’ve just come from the asylum,” Breanna said. “Jerrod’s about the same.

“I appreciate you doing that, Sis,” Dottie said. “Dr. Carroll has kept me informed about Jerrod and says the same thing. Oh, I’ll be so glad when I can go see him.”

The doctor rose to his feet and said, “Well, I’ve got to get back to my office and see some patients. Flora will have my head if I’m late for that first appointment.”

Matthew Carroll prayed as he drove his buggy from the hospital to the office.
I feel as though I’m carrying a torch inside me, Lord. You know I don’t want to sin against You in this. Lord, help me. Please help me
.

Breanna sat down next to her sister when Dr. Carroll left the room. “I just talked to Dr. Olson,” she said. “He says he’s starting you on therapy tomorrow, and if you respond well, you can go home in another week.”

“Oh, yes!” said Dottie, almost laughing. “Won’t it be wonderful? I’ll get to see Jerrod when I come to town for my therapy … and it will be so good to be in my own home with James and Molly Kate!”

“Oh, Dottie, I’m so glad for you,” Breanna said, taking her sister’s hand.

Dottie had not been with her sister for ten years, but she knew her well. The look in Breanna’s eyes did not match the happy moment. She fixed her with a steady gaze and asked, “Sis, is something wrong?”

“Of course not. I think it’s wonderful that you’re doing so well and can look forward to going home. I only wish I could stay and take care of you, but I do have a job, and I’ll have to get back to Denver before much longer.”

“Oh, so that’s it. You’re worried about what’s going to happen to me after you’re gone. You needn’t worry, Breanna. I’ll be all right. I have Will and Maudie, lots of friends at church who’ll
look after the children and me, and neighbors who’ll share in taking care of my crops. Don’t you worry now, you hear? The Lord will see that we’re taken care of.”

When Dottie’s words did not remove the look in Breanna’s eyes, Dottie squeezed her hand and said, “Okay, big sister. There’s something else bothering you. Out with it.”

Breanna looked her in the eye, then at the floor, then in the eye again. “Oh, it’s … it’s nothing. On
your
part, at least.”

“On
my
part? What on earth are you talking about?”

“Honey, it’s Dr. Carroll.”

“What about him?”

“Well, the way he looks at you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Dottie, I’ve been in this world long enough to recognize love in a man’s eyes. I see it in Dr. Carroll’s eyes every time he looks at you.”

“What? Oh, Breanna, you’re mistaken. He’s just a kind and compassionate man. He’s a Christian, and a very dedicated one, too.”

“Yes, and he’s also a married man. I saw in his office a wedding photograph of him and his bride. And there was another of her taken in a studio. It was signed, ‘To my darling husband.’”

“Would you feel any better if I told you Dr. Carroll is a widower?”

“Oh, well, perhaps. But you’re still a married woman, Dottie. He ought to—”

“Breanna, let me tell you something. You already know how I feel about Jerrod. We’ve discussed that.”

“Yes.”

“Well, I have never seen what you saw in Dr. Carroll’s eyes. And he has
never
made any kind of a move that would make me think he’s any less than a gentleman, or has designs on me. I mean it …
never.”

“Well, I’m sure he must be a very lonely man,” Breanna said. “I can’t blame him if he has fallen in love with you.”

“Maybe what you see is nothing more than admiration. He’s told me a few times how much he admires me for the way I’ve stayed by Jerrod through all of this.”

“I know he admires you for that. He told me so himself. But when he looks at you the way I’ve seen it here in this room, it’s not admiration. It’s love.”

“Then he’ll just have to get over it,” Dottie said. “As long as Jerrod is alive, he alone will have my heart.”

There was much rejoicing at the Reeves home that evening when Breanna picked the children up and told them the good news. James had told his mother about his new wagon, but he was eager for her to see it. Molly Kate had also told her mother about the doll, but she wanted her to see it at the upstairs window, looking down at her when she rode into the yard.

The next day was Sunday. During the church service, Reverend Yates’s sermon was interrupted by a mild earthquake that lasted less than half a minute. Yates paused during the tremor, then went on with his sermon.

When the last prayer was offered, and the congregation began filing out the door, they found Sheriff Max Donner standing in front of the church. He was telling a group of townspeople that he had just received word by wire that the quake had hit the
downtown area of San Francisco hard. Several buildings had been seriously damaged, and had it not happened on a Sunday morning, there would have been a great many more people injured and killed. The wire had not given any count of the dead and injured, nor had it identified any of the damaged buildings.

Donner’s words quickly passed among the worshippers. When Breanna heard them, she turned to Will and Maudie and said, “I’ve got to go see about Dottie! I
must
know if she’s all right.”

“Of course,” Will said. “Maudie can drive our wagon home with the children. I’ll go with you.”

“Oh, you don’t need to do that, Grandpa Will. I’ll make it fine.”

“Breanna, I hate to say it, but what if you get there and find out … well, find out that it’s bad news? You’ll need someone with you.”

Breanna bit her lower lip. Nodding, she said, “All right. Let’s go.”

Will Reeves was at the reins in the Harper wagon as he and Breanna raced toward San Francisco. As they neared the outskirts of the city, they came upon two wagons that stood back to back in the middle of the dusty road, blocking traffic. Teams were still hitched to the wagons, and one saddle horse stood close by.

“Looks like they’re keepin’ folks from goin’ into town,” Will said.

“Oh, Grandpa Will,” gasped Breanna. “Do you think the quake was
that
bad?”

“We’ll soon find out,” he said, the strain in his voice revealing his apprehension.

The old man slowed the team, and as they drew near the roadblock, the four lawmen who manned it stepped forward. There were two sheriff’s deputies and two policemen. One of the deputies raised both hands, signaling for Will to stop. Will drew the wagon to a halt, and the deputy who had raised his hands stepped up on Will’s side of the wagon.

“I’m sorry, sir, but we can’t let you through. You’re aware we just had a bad quake?”

“Yes, deputy,” Will said. “We were in church in San Bruno when it happened. Felt it pretty good for a few seconds. Understand it did some damage downtown.”

“Yes, sir. Real bad. There are buildings that are still standing, but might collapse. There’s no danger in the residential area between here and downtown, but we’ve got to keep curiosity seekers out of the area. We’ve got fire wagons and ambulances racing up and down the streets, and we don’t need people in the way.”

“I can understand that,” Will said. “This young lady has a sister who’s a patient at City Hospital. Can you tell us if the hospital was damaged?”

“The hospital escaped any serious damage, ma’am. No one there was hurt. I’m sure your sister is fine.”

“Oh, thank the Lord,” Breanna said.

“Folks weren’t so fortunate just a few blocks east,” said the deputy. “There were four square blocks that were hit pretty hard.”

Will’s face lost color. “Was the mental asylum damaged?”

“Yes, sir. Real disaster at the asylum.”

“Do you know if anyone was injured or killed?” Breanna said. “I ask because I know someone who’s there.”

“Well, Sergeant O’Neill just rode in from that section, ma’am. He was about to tell us what he knows about it when we saw your wagon coming.” He turned around and said, “Sergeant O’Neill, what can you tell us about the asylum?”

O’Neill stepped forward. “The asylum was damaged real bad. One whole wall collapsed and fell on some of the inmates. I think they presume something like ten to fifteen are dead. Others are injured. I don’t really know how many. That’s about all I can tell you.”

Breanna covered her mouth with her hand and squeezed her eyes shut.

“Now let’s not panic before we know the facts,” Will said, putting an arm around her shoulder. Then looking at the lawmen, he asked, “Do you gentlemen have any idea how soon we’ll be allowed to enter the city?”

“It’ll be a couple of days at least, sir,” Sergeant O’Neill said. “It really depends on what the building inspectors tell us about the extent of damage to the structures that are still standing. Right now, every road into the city has been blocked. Come back day after tomorrow, and we’ll know a whole lot more than we do right now.”

“All right, Sergeant,” Will said. “Thank you.” He gave Breanna a tight squeeze, then took hold of the reins with both hands and wheeled the wagon around. “Best thing right now, Breanna, is for you and those two little kids to be together. You can tell ’em for sure their mother’s okay. Thank the Lord for that.”

“Yes,” Breanna responded. “Thank the Lord for that.”