Chapter Seven
Whenever he lost a patient, it took something from Trevor. Death was unfair and without honor in his opinion. Those he suspected to survive would die without any reason that made sense and sometimes those who seemed like lost causes sometimes survived.
The unconscious man, a Daniel Pearson, was firmly in the latter category. Pearson was unresponsive and had not uttered a single sound since Trevor had arrived that morning. His left arm had a wound that had become horribly infected.
He felt for the man’s pulse. It remained strong and steady. Interesting. Then he ran his hands over the patient’s stomach feeling for any internal injuries. When he turned the man on his side to inspect his back, a moan sounded and Trevor hurried through the rest of the examination. Ever so slowly, he lowered Pearson to his back.
“Can you hear me?” Trevor spoke into the man’s ear. “If you can, squeeze my hand.” He took the man’s hand and it remained limp.
“Try again. Squeeze my hand.” Again nothing happened.
He caught movement at the man’s throat and watched intently. He’d swallowed. Once and then again.
“Hank,” he called his assistant, whose task that day was to continue what Ruby had done the night before. She’d astonished him with her ease around the patients and how she’d taken matters in hand. Already the room smelled better and although many of the men remained as sick as yesterday, two had recovered enough to sit up.
When Hank neared with a cup of broth, he asked, “Should I try to feed him?”
“Yes. He needs sustenance. According to Captain Beauregard, he’s not been feed in three days.
With a soldier’s help, Trevor lifted Pearson up enough so he could be fed. Then moments later as Hank spooned broth into the ill man’s mouth, he decided to go and seek nourishment himself.
That afternoon, he pronounced the first man fit enough to return to his quarters. Although still a bit weak, the young soldier would recover faster away from the illnesses surrounding him there.
Ruby entered with a soldier by the name of Smith who seemed to have been appointed as her guardian. The young boy seemed barely old enough to be in the army, and he followed Ruby’s orders as if she outranked him.
They began feeding the sick men. Some immediately threw up, while others had better luck holding down their food. Trevor neared as Ruby tried unsuccessfully to feed a man who was one of the sickest. She held up a bit of bread. “Let’s try just some dry bread. Your stomach is obviously much too weak for the broth.” The man eyed the bread with distrust before opening his mouth and biting off an even smaller piece.
“You seem comfortable around the sick,” Trevor said to her as she gave the patient another small piece of bread.
Her gaze met his for a split second before returning to the man who’d closed his eyes, probably battling another bout of nausea. “I did more than my share of volunteering. I worked for many hours taking care of injured men in Charleston.”
He’d not considered it. “I’m sure it was greatly appreciated. I wasn’t aware until you told me.”
She smiled up at him and held up a bedpan when the patient became sick. “War is not something pleasant to speak of.” Ruby frowned as she placed the pan on the floor. “What can we do for him?”
“Wait a few minutes and try some of the herbal tonic that you made.”
Trevor returned to where Hank wiped Pearson’s face and neck. “He swallowed a few drops here and there. Not enough, but I’ll try again later,” Hank informed him.
The sounds coming from his stomach were becoming loud and Trevor realized he’d only eaten a biscuit that he’d washed down with coffee earlier that morning. It was almost supper time, and he was famished.
In two days, they’d established somewhat of a routine. Unfortunately, it included them falling into bed exhausted from all that had to be done. Thankfully there were no new cases of ague. Yet two soldiers were new patients, one had fallen and broken an arm, and the milk cow kicked the other in the face.
Trevor took walks and tried to figure out how to deal with Pearson, who remained unconscious. The man had developed a fever overnight and was now sicker than ever.
“Ah, there you are Doctor.” Captain Beauregard approached. “I am grateful that you’ve come to take care of my men. The army hasn’t been able to recruit enough men in your profession, which leaves small posts like mine without doctors.”
Trevor understood, although doctors didn’t make a lot of money in the west, he still made triple what an army officer did. “Captain, I am not sure I can do much more for Pearson than what has already been done. He is unresponsive and doesn’t seem to be improving. In fact, quite the opposite.”
The man scratched his beard. “He is one of my finest men. I hate to hear it. A damn snake scared the horse. A horse that’d been to many a battle and had remained calm during turmoil.”
“It happens,” Trevor replied. “Tell me, was Pearson conscious when brought in?”
“Oh yes,” Beauregard replied. “He was yelling up a storm. Demanded nothing be done to his horse and that he be let to die rather than be paralyzed.”
“I’m going to have to amputate his left arm,” Trever stated calmly. “Better to do it while he’s unconscious. I believe that is what’s causing his fever.”
The captain’s gaze met his. In his eyes, Trevor saw trust. “If you must. Do what you can Doc. I’d hate it if the man died.”
“I presume you hate losing any of your men,” Trevor said
“Despite what could only be described as a harsh life, Pearson is a good man. He’s had more than his share of tragedies. Lost his wife and child in the civil war and came out here to forget. That this happens now makes no sense. That horse caught him by surprise.” The captain shook his head.
Trevor admired those that, despite the odds not being in their favor, persevered. “I’ll fight to save him.”
The captain’s gaze met his and he nodded. “I know you will.”
***
Ruby was banned from entering the infirmary even though she insisted to Trevor she’d witnessed more than one amputation. It seemed for a long time as if it was the quicker way for doctors to deal with injuries. Although she wasn’t schooled in medicine, some of the injuries seemed as if they would heal if left alone and kept clean.
Rather than dwell over what happened, she decided to wash some clothes even though it was rather cold. She only had two of Trevor’s shirts and some underskirts that she’d wash and hang to dry in their room. Just as she began her chore, movement behind the trees got her attention. Ruby kept her face down as she scrubbed the clothes in a tub that had been set up behind the kitchen area.
Cookie insisted she remain close by and she was grateful for his protection. A soldier watched her from behind a tree and although she could not make out his face, somehow she knew it was the same man who avoided her during meals.
A shiver went up her spine at the continued perusal by the man who didn’t try to hide very well. He casually lit a cigarette and continued to stand there.
Even though he was too far to cause her any harm, the man’s scrutiny made her uncomfortable. When she finished rinsing the clothes and tipped the tub over to allow the water to spill out, he was gone.
She went back to her room after promising Cookie to return shortly for her cooking lesson. Providing meals for the soldiers was hard work, however, she was grateful because she was learning to cook and passing the time being useful and not idling in the back of the wagon or in their appointed room.
She tugged a thin rope that was nailed to the wall to another corner and wrapped it around the nail there. Once that was completed, she placed the wet clothing over it. Ruby backed away feeling satisfied. Although she’d been raised in a family that could afford help, it was good she’d been a curious sort and had insisted on learning basic housekeeping skills. Unfortunately, cooking had been the one area her father had not allowed her to participate in.
When she was about to head back out for her lesson on biscuits, a package in the center of the bed got her attention. The package had a blue ribbon wrapped around it tied in a simple bow. Her name was written on it, the handwriting not at all like Trevor’s.
Her lips curved. It had to be from Trevor. No one else would think to give her a gift. The smile lingered as she untied the ribbon and opened the parcel. It was at that moment that her smile was replaced with something else. Anxiety and fear turned her blood to ice.
It had to be a cruel joke. Ruby took a shaky breath and lifted the small item in her hand allowing the crumpled wrapping to fall to the ground.
She held a dainty embroidered handkerchief. The pale yellow fabric was weathered and discolored, but there was no mistaking it. She’d made it and carried it with her often. When her fiancé had gone off to war, he’d taken it with him.
Could it be possible? Was the man she and his family had grieved for not dead? Ruby swallowed.
Just then she heard footsteps and kicked the crumpled paper under the bed. Quickly, she tucked the handkerchief and ribbon into the pocket of her skirt. When she turned, Trevor was at the doorway. “I came to find you. I was just in the mess to get coffee and Cookie told me you and him plan to prepare biscuits.”
Ruby mustered a smile. “Yes. I was just finishing hanging up the wet clothes before returning to the kitchen.”
“I’ll escort you back then,” he replied, searching her face. “Are you unwell? You seem a bit pale.”
Of course this would be the one day since they’d arrived that he paid attention o her appearance. Every day he’d been to busy to do more than grab a quick meal and fall into bed exhausted at the end of the day.
“I’m fine. Just a bit tired. There is so much to do here.” Ruby threaded her arm through his. “How is Pearson?”
“He’s alive for now. I believe removing the bottom portion of his arm will give him a better chance to recover.”
She shuddered. “I feel so bad. He’s young isn’t he?”
Trevor shrugged. “Not really. I’d say mid-thirties. However, no matter the age, losing an arm or leg is not something a person relishes.”
They made their way to the kitchen and Ruby was immediately glad for the distraction of the activity in the room. As promised, Cookie was ready to make biscuits and had all sorts of ingredients set out for the lesson. Ruby looked to Trevor. “I am not sure we have all this at home.”