Courting the Doctor's Daughter Read Free Page B

pride in what he’d accomplished. The remedy contained good medicine, meant to help people, not to separate them from their money.
    That sassy woman probably wanted to drive him back to New York herself. Well, he had no intention of going. Not yet. Not until he learned if the boy lived here.
    A band tightened around Luke’s throat, remembering the guilt and shame of his misspent life. If only he could go back and relive all those wasted years—
    His eyes stung. Sin brought consequences. He’d gotten off scot-free. Lucy had paid with her life.
    His son might still be paying.
    Without question, he wasn’t cut out for fatherhood. He had no experience at the job. No stable home. No hope of having one. But he couldn’t leave the boy’s survival to chance.
    If only he’d find the boy here.
    Amongst thousands of children, somehow his son’s guardianship paperwork had been lost. All Luke knew for certain was the child had ridden west on a train full of orphans. He’d followed the trail for weeks, first riding the train, then buying this wagon and moving from town to town, selling his medicine and searching for the boy. Every lead had come up empty, every clue pointing to another town until he’d landed here in Noblesville, Indiana.
    Another town. One more out of dozens. Would this town hold Ben?
    If not, he’d move on tomorrow, though the prospect pressed against his lungs. He was tired, bone tired.
    But his comfort didn’t matter. Finding his boy did.
    God, help me find my son.
    “How’s business?”
    Luke whirled to face the sheriff, a big man with a friendly face and keenly observant eyes. From his trek across the country, Luke had learned the importance of getting on the right foot with the local lawman. It appeared Rogers had decided to keep an eye on him. “Can’t complain, Sheriff.”
    Rogers patted his midriff. “That remedy of yours is easing my touchy stomach.”
    Luke smiled. “Glad to hear it.”
    “I’ll want to stock up before you move on.”
    “I’ll set some bottles aside.”
    The sheriff thumped the side of his wagon. “You drove this clear from New York City?”
    “I rode the train as far as eastern Ohio, bought the rig and then followed the route of the Erie line.”
    The sheriff shoved his Stetson higher on his forehead. “Same route that brought them orphans last year.”
    Luke’s pulse leapt. “Orphans?”
    “Yep, I’ll never forget the sight of that train. Youngsters poking their heads out the windows, squeezing together on the platform. Why, some had crawled on top of the cars.”
    “How many stayed?”
    “Twenty-eight. Eleven of ’em live in town. The rest are scattered ’cross the countryside.”
    Luke hoped one of the eleven was his son. If so, he’d likely come across the boy without having to make inquiries that would raise suspicion. Or force him into an action he didn’t want to take. “Finding them homes must’ve been lots of work. Did you have to do it?”
    “Nope. Fell to a committee.”
    Luke forced himself not to push for information. Fortunately, the sheriff was in a chatty mood.
    “The committee did its best, but the guardian of two of those orphans physically abused ’em.” Sheriff Rogers shook his head. “Ed Drummond will spend the rest of his days in state prison.”
    Luke’s blood ran cold. “Did the children survive?”
    “Yep.” The sheriff smiled. “Emma and William Grounds got themselves a fine home now.”
    A gentle breeze carried off the breath Luke had been holding. “Good to hear. Sounds like a brother and sister.”
    “Yep.”
    Which meant Luke’s son wasn’t one of the abused orphans. Thank God.
    The sheriff gave him a long, hard look and then slapped Luke on the arm. “Don’t forget to save me them bottles.”
    “Sure will.” Luke hadn’t missed Roger’s piercing stare. Had he unwittingly revealed too much interest in the orphans and raised the sheriff’s suspicions? “Say, can you suggest a place to stay while I’m in