A Gentleman Of Substance. Deborah Hale

man flashed Alice Leadbitter an apologetic glance. “Fraid I wouldn’t know that, ma’am. Don’t know as the chaps doing the digging have any notion how soon they’ll break through. They’ve shifted a pile of earth and rock, though, I can tell you. There’s one fellow there—a stranger. Big tall man, digging for all he’s worth.”

      “My husband,” Lucy cried, barely aware of the pride in her voice.

      “Oh, that explains it,” said Anthony. “I offered him a drink from one of them bottles. Well sir, he takes a swig and then he says, ‘Best use this brandy’s ever been put to.’ Another swig and a sandwich and he was right back to shoveling again.”

      Lucy nodded. “Go ask the women over at that table to refill your basket, Anthony. I’ll be with you directly.” She turned to Mrs. Leadbitter. “You heard what Anthony said. My husband is personally leading the dig. He’s a very determined man, Mrs. Leadbitter. He’ll get your Geordie out safe and sound.”

      Alice Leadbitter’s reply was drowned out by a low, rumbling sound in the distance.

      Someone cried, “There’s been another rock slide!”

      A furor erupted in the overseer’s office as anxious women rushed to the windows. Lucy sat rooted to her chair. Drake was out there now, burrowing toward the trapped miners. What if he was now entombed, himself? Or crushed by a falling boulder? With a start Lucy came to herself again. She and Mrs. Leadbitter were holding each other’s hands so tightly, their knuckles had gone white.

       Chapter Seven

      The first of the injured rescue crew arrived at Lucy’s makeshift aid station within minutes. She pushed down her paralyzing fear for Drake’s safety by concentrating on her duties.

      “Bring him this way. Put him on the bed. Shift that settee into this room as well. Has anyone seen my basket of bandages?”

      Peering closely at her first patient, Lucy recognized him as the stranger who had appeared at Silverthorne that morning. Had it been this very day? Lucy felt as though she’d been at High Head for a week at least. The man’s leg was distended at a painful-looking angle below the knee. Fortunately the fractured bone had not pierced the flesh of his leg.

      Lucy glanced around, hoping to spy the doctor she had sent for. She did not feel confident to set a broken bone. The man’s other injury, a gash on the forehead, she immediately tended with a clean cloth and hot water.

      “Will he be all right, Mrs. Strickland?”

      Lucy looked into the anxious face of Mrs. Leadbitter, who now held the man’s hand as tightly as she’d recently held Lucy’s.

      “It could have been much worse, Alice. Once the doctor gets here, he can set your husband’s leg.” Lucy handed over her cloth and water basin. “Since you’re here, I’ll leave you to wash and bandage his forehead while I see to the others.”