Tabitha: Bride of Missouri (American Mail-Order Bride 24) Read Online Free

wagon.”
    Thomas did as he was told, trying to ignore the throbbing pain as he watched the other men finish up the job. He very much disliked the fact that he wasn’t helping them—he hated being idle. But if he tried, chances were, he’d hurt his hand even worse, and that wouldn’t solve anything.
    Dr. Gideon hurried across the mill yard, Peter on his heels. “What have we here?” he said as he came to a stop at Thomas’s side. “Bit of an accident?”
    “Yes, sir. Crushed my hand.” Thomas held it out for inspection.
    “Come out here into the sunlight.” The doctor adjusted his spectacles on the bridge of his nose and then peered at Thomas’s hand. He took hold of the fingers and straightened them, causing Thomas to suck in his breath through his teeth.
    “Well, son, I’d say you’ve broken a couple of fingers,” Dr. Gideon said at last. “Nothing that won’t heal, given time, but this hand isn’t to be used. I’d like you to come back to my office with me, where we’ll set the bones and get you squared away.”
    “Yes, sir,” Thomas said, then turned to Hoss. “Will you tell Mr. Charles I’ll be back in a little while? I know he’s waiting for me.”
    “Sure,” Hoss replied. “Go get yourself fixed up.”
    All the way to the doctor’s office, the words rang in Thomas’s ears. This hand isn’t to be used. Just how long were they talking? He couldn’t afford to be out of work—not with a bride in the offing.
    He sat on the indicated chair in the doctor’s office and held out his hand once again. Dr. Gideon shook his head as he examined it for the second time. “Sure enough, it’s broken, all right. First and second fingers. Third one’s not broken, but it’s going to be plenty bruised and sore for a while, and same with the fourth.” He peered into Thomas’s face. “How’s your pain threshold?”
    The question caught Thomas off guard. “Pretty good, I guess. I haven’t tested it too often.”
    “Well, this might not be the most pleasant experience you’ve ever had, but I need to set these finger bones, and that means I need to tug on them. Now, they’re pretty small bones, so you might think they won’t hurt much, but they will, because they’re broken. Prepare for a sharp pain, and then it will fade.”
    Thomas nodded. That really didn’t sound pleasant, but if that’s what it took to heal his hand, of course that’s what they’d do.
    “I’m going to mix up some plaster of Paris. Then I’ll soak some bandages in it and wrap them around your hand. It will harden into a cast, and this will help you keep your fingers immobile while they heal. You’ve actually broken your first finger down below the knuckle as well—see here, on the back of your hand, down toward your thumb?” He indicated, and Thomas nodded. “A cast will be very beneficial to you. Now, I’m not putting a cast on each finger—that would be a bit silly. Instead, I’m going to wrap the hand up sort of like you’re wearing a mitten, with all the fingers together. Do you have any questions?”
    “So the wrapping is going to be hard?” Thomas asked.
    “That’s right. It will hold your hand still, and it will also protect the fingers from getting bumped and further injured. You’ll just need to be careful not to punch yourself in the face in your sleep.”
    The doctor said this so seriously that for a moment, Thomas didn’t realize the man was joking. Then a slight twinkle of the eye gave him away. “I’ll do my best to avoid it,” Thomas said with a chuckle.
    Dr. Gideon reached into his many cupboards and pulled out the needed supplies. As he laid everything out on the counter, Thomas glanced around the room. Three walls were covered with shelves, cabinets, and drawers. The fourth wall held the window, the door, and a painting of a mountain range.
    “The Ozarks?” he asked, nodding toward the picture.
    “That’s right. I was born and raised in southern Missouri. What about