Susannah’s whole body grew tense. “No, please. No doctors.”
Maria came over and bent to smooth a hand over her hair. “There’s a new man, sugar. Just came to town a while back. Don’t know it for a fact, but local people claim he doesn’t belong to the group. He’s supposed to be a good doctor without ties to them. Or at least he don’t spout that crud like the rest. I think we need to try. For Melody’s sake.”
She wasn’t thrilled to hear Maria bad-mouthing the Devotees’ philosophy. What was so wrong with becoming a great new person? But the idea that her daughter needed medical attention was the central most important thing to her right now.
Looking to Nathan, Susannah pleaded, “Please help my baby. I know you won’t let any of the Devotees take her from me. But Melody needs a doctor. We have to call this new man now.”
“I’ll call. But afterward, you remember what I said.”
“Of course. We’ll leave as soon as Melody can travel.”
“The child shouldn’t travel for at least ten days.”
“What?” Nathan barked at the doctor. “Why not?”
Before he’d called the man, Nathan had dialed up May Frommer for a recommendation on the doc and also for a brief discussion of his current uninvited guests. May had said it was still up in the air as to whether Dr. Rafe Black was secretly a Devotee or not, but her best guess was he was not. And then she went on and on about how Nathan should be gentle with Susannah and the child—as if he was ever too rough on any woman. He simply wanted her gone.
“The baby seems lethargic because she’s dehydrated,” Dr. Black answered and brought him back to the moment. “I’ve given her electrolytes, but this kind of thing takes a toll on infants. Babies take cues from their mothers. In this case, the mother is anxious and exhausted, so the baby is, too. Stress can kill a child that small.”
Hell, he was no ogre. He couldn’t throw them out now.
“Have you treated the mother yet?” He wondered what Susannah would have to say about the doctor’s orders. “Have you talked to her?”
“Not yet.” The doctor picked up the second case he’d brought into the house and looked ready to go back into the bedroom.
But he turned first and asked a question of his own. “Is this woman a Devotee? She looks familiar, like I’ve seen her in town. But Devotees don’t often come to me.”
“She was a Devotee for a few months. Having the baby seems to have changed all that.” Nathan hoped to hell that what he just claimed would turn out to be the truth.
He had no intention of having a practicing Devotee on his ranch, in his house, in his damned bed.
“But she lived in Cold Plains during the past six months?”
It was an odd way of putting the question, but Nathan nodded his head.
“Very well. I’ll go back to treat her now. Your housekeeper tells me her name is Susannah and that she has a few cuts that qualify for suturing. I’ll check them out.”
Nathan let him go and then headed off to find Maria.
He didn’t have to search long. He found her where she was most of the time: in the kitchen.
“Looks like you’re going to have houseguests for the next couple of weeks,” he told her. “Hope you’re ready.”
“The doctor says they have to stay? Good. We’ll handle it. I’ll fix you up a spot in one of the guest rooms.”
Damn. “Why can’t they move to a guest room?”
“Rooms are too small and there isn’t one that’s connected to a bath. This won’t be forever. Don’t whine about it.”
Gritting his teeth, Nathan got his temper back under control. “What did you think of Rafe Black? The way he talked to me about the Devotees, I got the distinct impression that he wasn’t one of them.”
“Naw. He’s no Devotee. He don’t stink like they do.”
That made Nathan chuckle. All right, so he was stuck with Susannah and the kid for a couple of weeks. He’d make the best of it. For quite a while now, he’d been wondering if it was possible to deprogram a Devotee. Actually, he guessed what he would be doing in this case was called exit counseling since Susannah left of her own free will. Once, before circumstances made him give up the idea, he’d been sure he could accomplish the steps necessary.
This might be a good time to find out for sure.
“There’s only one wound I see that might need a couple of sutures. But it’s probably been too long to keep it from scarring.” The doctor spoke softly to Susannah even though Maria had taken the baby into the kitchen.
“Which wound? Where is it?”
“On the back of your arm. It won’t show unless you wear sleeveless blouses or bathing suits.” He opened his bag and took out the necessary equipment. “I’ll make a couple of quick sutures to be sure it heals without any trouble.”
“Thank you.” She bit the inside of her cheek and waited for him to numb the area.
While he worked, Dr. Black said, “Haven’t I seen you around Cold Plains? Have you lived there long?”
Was he asking her because he was a Devotee or because he wanted a new patient?
“I lived there for a while. But I’m leaving town tonight. Why?” She held her breath, waiting for his answer.
“Afraid you can’t leave the ranch just yet. As I told Mr. Pierce, the baby needs at least ten days’ rest and regular feedings before you two can travel.”
“You told him that? What did he have to say?”
The doctor’s eyebrows went up. “He didn’t seem pleased, but he agreed.”
Well, that was a relief. However, if the two of them were staying on the ranch, she would have to find some way of getting around Nathan. They couldn’t conduct World War III between them for the next couple of weeks. It wouldn’t be good for Melody.
“I’ll give you instructions before I leave.” Dr. Black finished working on her, and whatever he’d done hardly hurt at all.
But as he put his things away, he seemed to have more to add. Was there something very wrong with the baby that he hadn’t told her?
“Could I ask a favor?” he asked softly.
“I guess so. What is it?” This was an odd way for a doctor to start a conversation, but she waited to hear the favor.
“While you were living in Cold Plains, did you happen to meet a woman named Abby Michaels? She was a new teacher’s aide at the day care center. She disappeared from town a while back, and I’m trying to find out if she had a baby with her.”
“The name kind of rings
