Ginny Aiken Read Free Page A

thirteen pieces.
    As he looked for the woman responsible for the abundance of baggage, Mrs. Tilford stepped down from the train. A tiny woman in a gray woolen ulster followed. Beneath a trim, gray hat, brown curls bounced on her forehead.
    Then she looked up.
    Her dove-gray gaze met his and reached deep. He stared—he couldn’t help himself. A random thought came to him: This woman is strong enough to heal all that ails Hartville.
    Pity medicine can’t heal your tattered heart, his conscience taunted.
    Eric spat a German word for which his mother had once scrubbed his mouth with soap, scolding him in the family’s nativetongue. He then rammed his hat on his head. Perhaps it would keep his thoughts from straying.
    The train whistled again, startling the gray-eyed lady as it pulled out. He approached and extended his hand. “Dr. Morgan?”
    She tilted her head. “Mr. Wagner?”
    “At your service.” A shiver sped through Eric when their hands touched. Taken aback, he turned to preserve his dignity.
    A fleeting notion crossed his mind. What if one of her many cases hid a cure for festering guilt?
    “Dummkopf,” he muttered under his breath, falling back on German as he occasionally did. Anyone could see she was too clean, too innocent, to be acquainted with the darkness he knew. He hadn’t expected a woman so young. Although the diminutive Dr. Morgan was no classic beauty, she had round, shining eyes, an uptilted nose, and a smile—goodness, what a gentle smile.
    Clearing his throat, Eric fought to restore normalcy to a day that had veered far from normal. “I had no idea a homeopathic physician needed so much paraphernalia. What’s in the boxes?”
    “Most people are familiar with our preference for infinitesimal dosage and think I need only medicated pellets. But for my practice I need textbooks, a microscope, tongs, tweezers, knives, scissors, and linens. Since I had it all at my clinic in Philadelphia, I brought it along. I’m ready for patients.” Her words came in a lilting rush, punctuated by nods.
    He smiled. “I hope you’ll be pleased with the arrangements we’ve made for you. The house is small, but it has enough room to turn the parlor and dining room into a clinic.”
    “Why, that’s precisely what I had in Philadelphia. It worked well. I made myself a sleeping area in the kitchen and kept everything close at hand. I’m certain this will be lovely.”
    Her verve and optimism were contagious. “There’s a bedroom upstairs,” he added. “You won’t need to sleep in the kitchen like an orphaned kitten.”
    He’d hoped his words would bring on another smile, but instead, her lips formed an “oh!”
    He gestured toward her belongings. “We can’t fit your boxes in my carriage, but we’ll take the trunks now. The rest can be delivered later.”
    He spoke with the porters and let them know his plans. Then he said, “Let’s get you home. After your long trip, you must be ready for a rest.”
    Letty shook her head. The curling brown wisps of hair danced again. “I can’t wait to be on my way, but I’m so happy to be here, I doubt I could lie down and rest right now.”
    Her vibrancy enticed Eric to smile again, but a warning rang through his thoughts. Drawing himself to his full height, he remembered the glare his late father had used to convey displeasure. He hoped he could carry it off. “You need the rest. Hartville can’t afford a worn-out physician.”
    Reading the success of his efforts in her surprise, Eric led the way to the carriage. The sooner he got her to her new home, the sooner he could turn her over to the ladies of Silver Creek Church. With that in mind, he helped the doctor into his rig.

    Using Mr. Wagner’s hand for balance, Letty climbed into the rig and smoothed the heavy folds of her ulster on the leather seat. Although he’d smiled a few times, those smiles hadn’t altered the shadows in his eyes, and she had the impression Mr. Wagner didn’t smile often. When