Page 63 of Calling on the Matchmaker
Without another word, she stepped outside and headed directly for the gig parked in front of the house. Riley’s gig.
“Remain out of his room, Miss Shanahan.” Winston’s worried command followed after her. “And be home in one hour.”
She ought to tell him she would do exactly as he said, but she climbed up onto the bench and gave him a nod, which was her way of acknowledging that she heard him, not that she intended to follow his instructions. It wasn’t her fault if he couldn’t tell the difference.
On the ride over to the wagon shop, Bellamy relayed the events of the previous two days, indicating that Riley had started getting sick while he’d been at the pub two nights ago. Bellamy had driven him back to the workshop and then fetched the doctor.
Big Jim had stayed with Riley for most of the time he’d been sick, but then a messenger had arrived just this morning with the news that Big Jim’s pastor friend was sick. Since Bellamy had been there at the time checking on how Riley was faring, he’d offered to stay for a short while and find someone else to help Riley in Big Jim’s place.
“The doctor is with him now, so he is.” Bellamy drove the gig as fast as Riley had on their way home from skating, and Finola clung to the seat to keep from toppling out as they approached the wagon shop.
“What about Riley’s family?”
“Riley asked me not to be telling them he’s sick. They were planning to leave the city today, and he doesn’t want them remaining behind on account of him.”
“We need to inform them, Bellamy. They deserve to say good-bye more than I do.”
“He loves them and is wanting to keep them safe, especially since his father is still weak.”
“That makes sense. But mind you, they’re going to be sorely disappointed.” Not many survived cholera. They’d be muchmore than disappointed if he passed away. They’d be devastated.
Everyone in the Kerry Patch would be shocked and saddened to lose Riley.
She had the feeling Riley would disapprove of her exposing herself to the illness too ... if he knew about it. “You didn’t tell him you were coming to get me?”
“He’ll probably be too sick to notice.” This time Bellamy didn’t meet her gaze, focused instead on the entrance of the workshop ahead. “But I know you were starting to care about him.”
“I won’t deny he’s the first man I’ve liked.”
“He’s the first man to withstand your wiles.”
“What wiles?”
Bellamy shot her a sideways look. “I’m no fool, Finola. I think you’re pushing Riley away even though you don’t want to.”
It wouldn’t hurt to admit what she’d done ... now that Riley was sick and could very well die. “After I shared my desire to enter the convent, Riley decided he didn’t want to manipulate me into a union the same way he did his first wife.”
“I’ve been puzzling how you persuaded a determined man like Riley Rafferty to walk away from you.” Bellamy halted the gig in front of the shop. “Now the mystery is solved.”
“I’m just sorry I ruined your first match and got you off to a poor start.”
“You’re a clever girl.” Bellamy started to get down. “But let’s get one thing straight. You’re not cleverer than me.”
When he tossed a smile her way, she released the tension that had been building during their conversation, relieved that he wasn’t taking her severing the match with Riley too personally. Even though he’d failed with them, hopefully that wouldn’t prevent others from seeking him out and trusting him.
As she climbed down from the gig and followed him to a sidestairway on the outside of the building that led to the rooms above the wagon shop, the silence from inside was eerie.
“Where is everyone?” she asked, following him up the steps.
“Big Jim sent the apprentices to stay at a nearby livery, hoping to keep them safe.”
The riverfront was as busy as always with steamboats coming and going. And Front Street was still teeming with people but also with the fleets of drays, mule-drawn wagons that formed a steady stream of traffic to and from the waterfront.
Clearly, the growing spread of cholera wasn’t holding most people at bay.
It wouldn’t hold her back either, especially with Riley. After all, as a woman on the verge of entering a life of service, she was duty bound to provide aid to the sick no matter the consequence to herself.
Maybe he’d object to her being here because he was hurt after their parting. She wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t want to see her again. Even so, she wouldn’t be easily swayed from tending to him.
