While Love Stirs (6 page)

“Don’t trip him, Alice. Let him in.” Mrs. Goodwin patted the girl’s blonde curls. “Your sister beat you today, Joel. She’s already in the parlor, helping the older girls with their arithmetic.”

“Sorry, I got held up at the hospital.” He handed his bag to Mrs. Goodwin, who had been his mother’s best friend, and shrugged out of his coat. Mrs. Goodwin used to be their neighbor, but when she lost her husband, she took on the orphanage. It was a perfect fit for the godly woman, and somehow being with her made him miss his own mother a little less.

“You don’t have to apologize if you can’t get here when you planned.” She draped his coat on a hook by the door. “We know you’re busy. We’re blessed that you and your sister come visit us as often as you do. Your mother would be so proud of you.”

“I wish I could do more.” He scooped four-year-old Alice Ann up into his arms. “Now, let’s go in the parlor. I have a couple of surprises in my bag to share.”

“Gumdrops?” Alice licked her pink lips.

He bounced her as he carried her into the parlor. When had this child, the youngest in Mrs. Goodwin’s care, stolen his heart? If only things had happened differently with Prudence, he might have been at a place to adopt Alice Ann. “Why do you always want gumdrops? Don’t you think the licorice and the lemon drops feel left out?”

Alice Ann stuck her finger in her mouth, seeming to give the matter a great deal of thought. “I know. You could bring those too. Then they wouldn’t get their feelings hurt.”

He chuckled and set her down on the threadbare carpet. “Maybe I’ll have to do that.” A dozen children clamored around him, so he opened his bag and pulled out the sack of large gumdrops. He let one of the older girls pass out the treats while he sought out his sister.

From her seat at the long table, Mattie gave him a mock look of disapproval. “They’d love you even if you didn’t bring them candy.”

Lowering himself into a rickety wooden chair beside her, he clasped her hand. “But I don’t possess your natural charm that so easily wins their favor.”

“You have nearly every nurse in the hospital swooning over you. I think you have plenty of natural charm.” She reached for the package he held under the table. “What are you hiding?”

He yanked it out of her reach. “It was for you to share with the older girls, but if you think
Anne of Green Gables
would spoil them—”

“
Anne
! The girls will adore it.” She kissed his cheek.

“And I got a couple of picture books for the little ones.”

“I wish you’d gotten one for him.” She glanced at ten-year-old Jacob sitting in the corner by himself. “He’s taking Harvey’s passing badly. Mrs. Goodwin says he won’t talk to anyone.”

“Maybe I can get him to play some marbles with me. They’ve always been his favorite.” He started to rise, but Mattie laid a hand on his arm.

“Wait. How did Miss Gregory do at the competition?”

“How did you—”

“You took a very long lunch. Besides, I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away.” She flashed him a smile. “Well?”

“She won.”

“And?” Her eyebrows arched, implying there was more to the story than he was telling.

“And what?” He kept his face devoid of expression, but pride swelled deep in his chest concerning Miss Gregory’s accomplishment. He shoved those feelings away. She was not part of his plans for the future. The last time he got sidetracked by a woman was disastrous.

“Did you talk to her? Are you going to let her come speak to the nurses now?”

With no desire to go into the details about his conversations with Miss Gregory, he stood. “Mattie, now is not the time or place to discuss this.”

“I don’t want you to pass up this opportunity.”

“An opportunity to spend money on something the hospital doesn’t need? An opportunity to deal with a stubborn, know-it-all woman?” He gave her a wry chuckle. “Why in the world would I want to pass that up?”

“Because you’re smart enough to know she has a point—and you’re used to stubborn, know-it-all women.” She grinned. “In fact, deep down, you like us very much.”

8

Like a rash that wouldn’t go away, Joel kept thinking about Charlotte Gregory. He turned the Model T onto Summit Avenue and passed the House of Hope Church. He could use a little hope right now—hope that this visit tonight would get Charlotte Gregory out of his mind once and for all.

He pressed the gas pedal and the car responded with an impressive thirty miles per hour. He shifted gears and sighed. Maybe he should turn around and go home, but Charlotte had looked awfully pale when he’d sent her home from the competition earlier today. Besides, if his sister learned he’d come this far and then hadn’t spoken to Charlotte, she’d harass him for days.

Joel passed one stately columned house after another as he drove. What was he thinking? Going to Mrs. Samantha Phillips’s fancy home without being summoned?

Not that he minded visiting Mrs. Phillips. She’d been an avid supporter of the hospital and was one of his first patients in the area. Even after he accepted the position at the hospital, she’d continued to retain him as her personal physician. He found her unconventional ways truly delightful, but even she might not appreciate the breach of etiquette.

Pulling to a stop at the corner of Chatsworth and Summit, he parked in front of the enormous brick mansion, picked up his medical bag, and bounded up the walk to the front porch. How
many bedrooms would a house this size have? Seven? Eight? And fireplaces? From counting the chimneys, he guessed at least five or six. No wonder Mrs. Phillips had her two nieces living with her.

The porch’s tiled floor caught his eye. His mother would have loved the rust-colored diamond pattern as much as the wicker furniture scattered along the porch’s length. He rang the bell and waited. A half minute later, a butler answered.

He stepped aside and welcomed Joel inside. “Good evening, Dr. Brooks. I wasn’t aware Mrs. Phillips summoned you. May I take your coat?”

Joel handed the man his coat and hat. “Actually, I came to check on Miss Gregory. When I saw her earlier today, she was feeling faint.”

“Very well. I’ll tell her you’re here.”

Joel shifted from foot to foot in the foyer. What was he doing here? No matter how down-to-earth the owner of this home might be, a man with his background shouldn’t be calling uninvited. He glanced from the mahogany staircase with its hand-carved curlicues to the wide crown molding on the ceiling. All of the details in this home made it truly spectacular. Even the top of the newel post had been carved to resemble a lantern.

Unable to resist, he ran his hand along the banister’s smooth finish.

“Sir.” The butler stepped into the foyer again.

Joel yanked his hand away.

“Mrs. Phillips and Miss Gregory will see you in the drawing room.” The butler opened a heavy mahogany door and motioned Joel inside.

Dressed in a brown-striped cycling costume, Mrs. Phillips stood as he entered and clapped her hands together. “Dr. Brooks, what a wonderful surprise! Have you had dinner?”

“No, ma’am, but I simply came to check on your niece.” His gaze moved to Charlotte seated on the davenport in an apricot dress. Her cider-colored hair remained pinned up, but some curls
had sprung free, framing her face. She no longer looked pale. In fact, from the blush of her cheeks and her uncharacteristic silence, he’d have to say his attention embarrassed her. “She looked quite peaked when I last saw her.”

“As you can see, I’m much improved,” Charlotte said. “You needn’t have come.” Mrs. Phillips pinned her with a stern look, and Charlotte cleared her throat. “But it was thoughtful of you to do so.”

Mrs. Phillips laid a hand on his arm. “It certainly was, and you must stay for dinner.”

He turned to gauge Charlotte’s reaction, but she quickly looked down. Although he thought this might be the perfect time to talk to Charlotte about educating the nurses, if she didn’t want him there, perhaps it was not. “I don’t want to impose, Mrs. Phillips.”

“It’s not an imposition, and Charlotte made her specialty for dessert.”

“Her specialty?”

Mrs. Phillips beamed. “Apple charlotte, of course.”

So she hadn’t followed his advice and rested this afternoon. That figured. He glanced at Charlotte again. As if she sensed what he was thinking, she gave him an I’ll-do-what-I-please chuckle. Well, he could do as he pleased too.

He turned to Mrs. Phillips. “I’d be honored to join you.”

“Perfect.” She propelled him through French doors into the dining room. “And I want to hear all about how things are going at the hospital. How’s Arthur doing? And is the new ambulance proving advantageous, as you thought it would?”

When her aunt wasn’t looking, Charlotte glared at him. Apparently she’d wanted him to decline. Dining with him must not be on her list of favorite things. Oh well. It was too late to refuse now. Mrs. Phillips was much too powerful in the community to risk offending.

Charlotte took a seat across from him, and a few seconds later, the youngest Gregory sister bounded into the room. “I’m sorry. I
was practicing my Puck—” She stopped short when she spotted Joel. “Oh. ‘How now, spirit! Whither wander you?’”

“Tessa!” Charlotte hissed.

Tessa rolled her eyes and slid into her place. “Hello, Dr. Brooks.” Her voice took on a hollow, grown-up sound. “I apologize. I wasn’t aware you were joining us for dinner or I would have made an additional effort to arrive on time.”

Mrs. Phillips smiled at the young woman, then patted Joel’s arm. “Dr. Brooks, would you please say grace?”

“Certainly.” Maybe it would give him a chance to show Charlotte he wasn’t the ogre she’d made him out to be.

The prayer came easily to him. After he visited the orphanage, prayer always did. He asked God to help them be truly thankful for each and every blessing, for every morsel of food. “And Father, help us to be content in every situation.”

As soon as he’d said amen, he looked at Charlotte. Something was brewing in those hazel eyes. He took a piece of roast beef from the platter and a generous helping of mashed potatoes. What had he said to upset her?

“Content?” The word almost burst from her lips. “Why should we be content in every situation? Some situations need to be changed. Children should not be working in factories. Men should be paid a decent wage for a day’s work. Women should have the right to vote, and—”

“Charlotte.” Mrs. Phillips spoke her name with firmness. “Shall we discuss this after dinner?”

“But—”

Mrs. Phillips hiked her eyebrows and Charlotte fell silent.

Tessa giggled.

“I didn’t mean to upset you.” Joel cleared his throat, then took a sip from his water glass. “I meant content in every situation as Paul commands us to be. Content with knowing God is in control. Personally, it’s something I’ve always struggled with, Miss Gregory.”

“Oh, call her Charlotte.” Tessa speared a carrot. “Otherwise you might get the two of us confused. Right, Charlotte?”

She didn’t answer, but if she felt familiar enough to argue with him over a prayer, he might as well call her by her given name. “Then all of you must call me Joel.”

“Joel.” Mrs. Phillips smiled. “It means ‘Jehovah is the Lord,’ doesn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am. Something my mother always said I was prone to forget.”

Mrs. Phillips looked at Charlotte. “Something I think we all are prone to forget.”

How could Joel sit there eating her apple charlotte with nary a care in the world? If she’d known he would be eating it, she’d have slipped him some of Garfield’s laxative tea to go with it. It wouldn’t kill him, but it would sure have made him uncomfortable.

Good grief. What was wrong with her? After her outburst—over a prayer of all things—he probably thought she was given to such explosions all the time. Why did he bring out the worst in her? One thing was for sure—if she wanted the policy at the hospital to change, she’d better start treating Dr. Joel Brooks with a little kindness.

“This is amazing, Charlotte.” He slid the last bite into his mouth. “I don’t know when I’ve had a dessert this good.”

“Thank you.” She forced a sweetness into her voice that made Tessa cock an eyebrow in her direction. “Would you like another piece?”

“No thank you. I couldn’t eat another bite.” He leaned back in his chair.

“Let’s retire to the drawing room.” Aunt Sam stood. “Unless, Charlotte, you and Joel would like to continue your earlier discussion outside.” She inclined her head in the direction of the side door, which led from the dining room to the wraparound porch. “Or perhaps you’d care to stroll in the garden.”

Stroll in the garden? With him?

“The fresh air would be good for you after your day.” Aunt Sam nodded. “Yes, I think that’s what the two of you should do. Do you mind escorting Charlotte on a walk in the garden, Joel?”

“Aunt Sam, he doesn’t—”

Joel nodded slowly, deliberately. “Ma’am, it would be my pleasure. Charlotte, shall we?”

Charlotte released a long breath. His pleasure? Another strike against him. He lied well.

Once outside, wearing her spring coat, Charlotte walked beside the tall doctor. Tessa was right. He was handsome—and he was stuck in his ways.
Be kind. A gentle answer
turns away wrath. Remember?

The sun hung low in the sky and the air held the crispness of imminent nightfall. They couldn’t remain out here long or it would be dark. Charlotte glanced at a group of sunny buttercups. They’d make a nice bouquet, but Tessa would be furious if she picked them. She stuffed her hands in her pockets. “Did you have a busy afternoon at the hospital after the cooking awards presentation?”

“It’s always busy, but not more than usual. I had a delivery to make at one of the orphanages.”

“Was one of the children ill?”

He waved his hand. “No, no. I took the children some books and some candy. The matron was a friend of my mother’s. My sister and I like to help out when we can.”

His statement caught her off guard. He and his sister helped at an orphanage? She hadn’t thought of him doing something so benevolent. No one who took time for orphans could be all bad. “Which books did you take the children?”

He paused and turned to her. “
Anne of Green Gables
for the older girls. Have you read it?”

Charlotte stopped and looked up into his face. “Yes, I did. I rather fancied the thought of being like Anne, but I’m afraid Tessa would take that prize.”

“I don’t know.” A wide grin spread across his face. “You certainly have Anne’s spunk.”

She started walking again and, without turning her head, cast a curious glance toward Joel. She liked
this
Joel. He was softer, more human. She never would have guessed that the man who wouldn’t listen to her in his office took candy and books to orphans.

Joel broke the silence. “You’ve had quite a day.”

“Yes, and I’m beginning to feel it now.”

“So”—he motioned to a bench—“shall we sit down for a few minutes?”

“I’m fine, really. I didn’t mean I’m unable to walk. I’m not feeling a bit faint anymore.”

He chuckled. “I know that, but I wanted to speak with you.”

“Oh.” She lowered herself to the bench, but he remained standing.

He stopped in front of a lilac bush, its sweet scent filling the evening air. “My sister feels your ideas hold some merit.”