Courting the Doctor's Daughter Read Online Free

town?”
    “The Becker House’s food is second to none. Classy accommodations, too.”
    “Sounds expensive.”
    The sheriff rubbed his chin, thinking. “Last I knew the room over the Whitehall Café was empty. Try there.”
    “I will. Thanks.”
    Whistling, Sheriff Rogers moseyed off, hopefully overlooking Luke’s concern about the orphans. Early on, Luke had learned asking too many questions made folks wary, even led them to ask some questions of their own. He’d have to be more careful.
    Pocketing the key to the padlock, Luke headed for the Whitehall Café. Someone waved to him; it was probably one of the morning’s customers. Along the way, he passed prosperous brick buildings, gas streetlamps, paved avenues. Trees on the lawn of the impressive three-story courthouse had changed to hues of gold and orangey-red. A crispness to the air hinted at the approach of winter, but on such a sunny day, winter appeared a long way off.
    Noblesville looked like a good place to pause. He’d had an arduous trip, exposing him to the elements—rain, cold, heat. It was hardly his existence back East. In most ways, he’d found the journey good, even pleasurable. The towns where he’d stopped in the past weeks may have blended in his mind, but he’d enjoyed seeing the middle part of the country, meeting everyday people living everyday lives.
    Mostly he’d found hard-working, good people whounderstood what mattered. He’d been glad to give back, to offer them a medicine he believed in. And yet, always searching, seeking that one last piece of his family puzzle.
    No matter what that aggravating female thought of his remedy, of him, she wouldn’t thwart his quest to find the boy.
    He wasn’t here to ruin a child’s happiness, or get involved. Life had taught him to hold people at arm’s length. He’d learned the lesson well.
    If Ben had a good home and was happy with a family, Luke could return to New York and his lab.
    Yet he couldn’t help questioning how it would feel to leave his flesh and blood behind. To forsake his responsibility to Ben as his parents had to Joseph.
    Could Luke leave and repeat the family history he despised?
     
    Geraldine Whitehall was dying. Again.
    Mary bit her tongue, searching deep for a measure of patience, then greeted the café owner with a smile. All afternoon, the office had a constant parade of patients. Hoping to leave when the Willowbys arrived, Mary sighed, resigned to the delay.
    Geraldine leaned close, her eyes wide with fright, her face creased with worry. “I need to see Doc.”
    “He’s with a patient.”
    “I have this cough. It’s worse at night. I’m sure it’s consumption,” she said, her tone hoarse like the words scraped her throat raw on their way out.
    Mary patted the woman’s hand. “Have a seat. I’ll get you in as soon as I can.”
    The patient collapsed into a nearby chair. Within seconds she flipped through a magazine, stopping at an article. Even back at her desk, Mary could read the title, “Tumors of the Eye.” Soon Geraldine would find enoughsymptoms to keep her tossing tonight with yet another worry. Awareness thudded in Mary’s stomach. She had no right to criticize.
    Mary rose and eased the magazine out of the woman’s clutches. “How’s your daughter?”
    “Oh, my poor, darling girl.” Tears welled in Geraldine’s eyes. “What will Fannie do without a mother to help plan her wedding?”
    “Fannie’s engaged?”
    “No, but she and James are madly in love. It can’t be long until he asks.”
    Frances Drummond walked into the waiting room. Another woman saddled with a man who’d hurt her. Fortunately Ed would spend the rest of his life behind bars for the years of abuse he’d heaped on Frances. Not nearly long enough for murdering Frances’ mother last year and all but killing Frances and Addie too. The short time the children lived in the Drummond house had taken a toll on Emma and William. Thank God those orphans were out of Ed’s