MacGregor's Bride by Barbara Dan

Author:Barbara Dan [Dan, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-05-19T14:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Lydia had just averted disaster by placing five couples, all badly smitten, under the watchful eye of each girl's parents, when nine men from the Archer were brought in on stretchers. Among them was Lydia's own brother, Seth Burton. All nine men had been transported from Noank across the Thames River and hauled the rest of the way on the flatbed of a wagon.

Doctor Trowbridge and Lydia stayed up most of the night, removing shrapnel, sewing up torn bodies, and trying to make the last moments of two dying crew members more bearable.

To her relief, Seth had only a flesh wound; he would be on his feet in a week or two.

But alas. Due to her ingenious matchmaking, Lydia had not only gotten rid of five headaches, but lost five very useful pairs of hands. Suddenly she didn't feel so clever.

By the time she collapsed into bed, dawn was stealing onto the horizon, and every muscle in her body ached. Old Doctor Trowbridge gave her a stern lecture about overdoing and ordered her off her feet.

"But who will take care of things if I don't?" Lydia wailed, as Sarah Mullens tucked the covers about her.

Dr. Trowbridge glowered at her, as he took her pulse. "I see no shortage of females around here, and none of 'em pregnant, madam, except yourself."

"But I just sent five of them packing to their parents!" Lydia confessed with a furtive glance toward Sarah Mullens, who had been next on her list.

"You still have me, Mrs. MacGregor," spoke up Sarah.

Lydia looked at the silly young woman and tried not to shiver too obviously. She had more patients to deal with now than she had gotten rid of, and she needed a fresh bevy of volunteers! She lay back against her pillows, permitting herself a moment to recover.

"I know at least ten girls like myself, who are just dying to help," Sarah gushed.

Lydia's eyes flew open at this unexpected answer to prayer. Grasping Sarah's arm, she yanked the girl over on top of her own slightly curvaceous belly. "How long will it take to get them here?" she asked breathlessly. She was exhausted, but if reinforcements were on the way, she knew she could get through the rest of the day somehow.

"I could send my little brother into town," said Sarah. "I think if you wrote a note to each of my friends' parents, most could be here by noon."

Every uncharitable thought she had ever thought about Sarah flew completely out of Lydia's mind. The dear girl was practically a saint!

"I shall never forget you for this, Sarah," she promised. "Please get my writing materials." She smiled jubilantly up at Sarah, who looked dumbfounded that for once she had actually done something terribly clever. "Hurry, Sarah! We haven't a moment to spare."

Dr. Trowbridge shook his head. "As long as you stay in that bed until tomorrow morning, Mrs. MacGregor, you can do as you please. But if you set foot outside this room—"

"Dear me, no! I shall be a model patient.

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