Red Dove, Tell Truth to Darkness by Sonia Antaki

Author:Sonia Antaki
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gatekeeper Press
Published: 2021-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

Canwapegi Wi

The Moon When

Leaves Turn Brown

England—Early Fall, 1891

 Leave Her to Me

“It isn’t healing, is it?” Jerusha frowned at the handsome young Englishman bent over Red Dove’s ankle.

“Badly set, I’m afraid. Infected.” He wrinkled his nose. “Would you be so kind as to hand me that towel, please, Miss—”

“Kincaide,” said Jerusha. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t get your name.”

“Robinson,” he said in a clipped but gentle tone. “Dr. David Robinson.” Then he looked at Red Dove. “Does it hurt much?”

“No,” Red Dove lied, wincing as he dabbed her ankle with the towel. Then she noticed his eyes, a startling shade of hazel green. She glanced away.

“It’s been a trial for us, Doctor, leaving Cologne, coming across the channel on that awful boat,” Jerusha went on. “The crossing was horrible, the weather here in Manchester is dark and gloomy, even in summer. We’ve been stuck inside a dreary little tent, unable to go out. In Germany at least, Herr Auer looked after us. It was much nicer—”

“English weather is famously bad.” Dr. Robinson brushed a shock of sandy hair off his smooth forehead and poked at Red Dove’s ankle.

His skin is as white as the china in Jerusha’s cupboard, Red Dove thought.

“Are you traveling with the show, Doctor?” Jerusha asked.

“For the time being,” Dr. Robinson said. “They needed a doctor, so I agreed to help. Thought it would be a bit of a lark. I’ve come up from London—”

“Oh, London,” gushed Jerusha. “You must be very good then, much better than the ship’s doctor who took care of her before.”

“I should hope so. The ankle was badly set. May have to operate—”

“Operate?”

Red Dove, dizzy and sleep-deprived from the constant pain, heard the anxiety in Jerusha’s voice.

What does that mean?

“But the doctor on the ship said it would heal without a problem.”

“Well, he was wrong.” Dr. Robinson brushed again at his forehead and peered at the swollen purple mass that was Red Dove’s ankle. “She’ll have to go to hospital.”

Hospital? wondered Red Dove, not understanding what was happening around her.

“But for how long? We’re supposed to join the show soon,” Jerusha moaned.

“If she doesn’t want to lose the limb—”

“Her leg? Dear God, no!”

“No!” Red Dove gasped, as the shock set in.

“I’m sorry.” Dr. Robinson stood up, wiped his hands on a towel, and attempted a smile. “If you follow my instructions, we’ll try to see that nothing bad happens to her.”

Red Dove was awake now, alert. She looked first at Jerusha and then back up at Dr. Robinson, noticing the flecks of green-gold in his wide-set eyes, his even white teeth, the smile that played on his narrow lips.

He uncoiled the stethoscope from around his neck, snapped open his bag, and dropped it in. “So,” he said, as he rose from the chair, “just leave her to me.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” said Jerusha. “We will.” She leaned down and patted Red Dove’s hand. “He seems very nice, my dear, don’t you think?”

“Yes,” murmured Red Dove, taking in his tall, slender figure, his clean white shirt, and tight-fitting coat.

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