The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse

Author:Kimberley Woodhouse [Woodhouse, Kimberley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781683228936
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2019-03-25T04:00:00+00:00

Joseph ran a hand down his face as they watched the doctor patch up the child, who was nothing but skin and bones. There was no doubt in any of their minds that the boy was starving. Where were his parents? What had happened to him? And why was that man beating him in the alley?

The rage that had overtaken Joseph when he realized Olivia was in trouble had blinded him to the man’s appearance. He’d gotten a look at him yet couldn’t know for certain if he would recognize the man. Surely Olivia could, but he never wanted her in the presence of her attacker again.

Dr. Morgan turned to them. “Do you know the boy’s name?”

Olivia shook her head. “No.”

“I’ve done all I can for him now. We’ll have to wait and see what happens when he wakes up. It’s a good thing you found him when you did.” The man shook his head and wiped his hands on a towel.

She sniffed and wiped at a tear on her cheek. “Should I take him home and care for him there?”

The doctor shook his head. “No. I don’t think he should be moved for a while. But you are welcome to visit him here.”

Joseph looked around the small shack of a building while Olivia peppered the doctor with questions. The need for doctors and medical care—possibly even a hospital—was desperate in their town, especially with all the mining accidents, the dirt and filth, and people coming into port from all over the world. Outbreaks always spread like wildfire in the overpopulated tents and shacks. This was something else he needed to address with the city council.

The council! They were meeting tonight. Pulling his pocket watch out, he opened the cover. He barely had an hour before they started, but he couldn’t leave Olivia.

“Joseph? Are you all right?” Her sweet voice cut through his thoughts as she laid a hand on his arm.

“Yes. Quite. I’m sorry, my mind was elsewhere.”

She turned back to the doctor and handed him the coins Daniel had given her. “We will take care of any additional costs you incur for his care.”

The man nodded and walked to a back room.

“Dr. Morgan has told us to go on home tonight. I’ll come back early before breakfast in the morning and then again at my lunch break and then again after dinner.”

“Do you need someone to escort you?” He offered his arm as they left the doctor’s.

“Oh, would you? I know that would help Daniel a lot since I will be leaving him shorthanded for a bit, and he never wanted me to go anywhere alone—which right now, I don’t ever want to go anywhere alone.” She reached for her throat.

“How are you feeling? How badly did he hurt you?”

She shook her head and dropped her hand from her neck. “I’ll probably be bruised, but I think I’m fine. It’s a good thing you came bursting through the door when you did. … ” The hanging sentence made them both go silent.

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