Free Wintermoon Ice (2010) by Suzanne Francis

on top and she quickly shoved it to the back of the drawer before handing Marja the bottle. "He isn't any better?"
    Marja shook her head desolately. "If anything the fever is higher than yesterday. He won't eat, and it is all I can do to get him to sip a little water now and then. I think he is going to..." She burst into tears, and sank onto Suvi's bed.
    Tom carefully leaned the yitar against the wall. "What is it?"
    Suvi crossed the room to comfort Marja. "Her little boy is very unwell. I brought him some medicine last night, but it must not be the right kind."
    "May I have a look at him?"
    Marja's head flew up. "Who is that? Is he a doctor?"
    Suvi shook her head. "This is Tom Finn. He fixed my motapede." She stared at him, her expression doubtful. "What do you know about milk sickness, Tom?"
    "Me? Not a thing." He seemed surprised by her question. "But I have a friend, a very kind friend, who is a healer. If I see the boy, I can tell her of his condition and perhaps she will come and help."
    "Truly?" Marja's expression grew hopeful. She stood and grasped Tom's arm. "This way. Riku and I live in number twenty-two."
    He knelt at the boy's side and felt his forehead. Then he ran his fingers on either side of his head. Riku moaned in pain, his eyes flickering through the half-closed lids. Tom checked his legs and back. Each time, his prodding elicited the same response.
    "What are you doing?" Marja spoke worriedly. "Does that hurt him?"
    Tom sat back on his heels and looked at Suvi and Marja. "He doesn't have milk sickness. That is why the medicine is no good. I think it is Trench fever. It's passed by infected louse bites." Tom lifted Riku's shirt and pointed to his abdomen. "Look, he has red spots here, and here and here."
    Marja frowned at Suvi as she pulled her aside. She kept her voice very low. "I thought you said he was a Rose mechanic. How in hell does he know what troubles Riku?"
    Suvi looked at the tent, where the backlit silk left Tom Finn's silhouette clearly visible. He seemed to be waving his hands above the boy in an incantation. "I am not sure
what
he is. But if he wants to help then maybe we should let him. I can't see how it could hurt."
    By the time the women came back into the tent, Tom had the camera stashed away again.
    * * * *
    She walked him to the side door where he had left his battered pick-up. "Thank you for everything you did today, Tom. If you hadn't shown up when you did, I might still be buried under a ton of bricks in the office."
    He shrugged. "I was happy to help. And I would like to come back in the morning, and patch those broken windowpanes for you. The wind will be howling by tomorrow night. There is a solid freeze ahead and a lot of snow."
    Suvi gazed at him. His eyes were clear blue, like Lake Copaheg on a sunny day, and yet the suggestion of clouds lay just underneath, as if there were grey thoughts hiding within them. Under her scrutiny, he rubbed his cropped hair and grinned.
    "And yes, I will play at the dinner if you really want me to." Suvi still said nothing, and Tom got the uncomfortable feeling she wanted to ask him a question, but could not quite find the words.
    Finally, she said, "Your friend, the healer? Will she come with you tomorrow?"
    He nodded uncertainly. "I will ask her, but if she cannot, I will bring some medicine anyway. Tell Marja not to worry too much. Trench fever is painful, but can be cured very quickly. If we give Riku some sulfa drug..."
    Suvi frowned. "Who are you really, Thommats Finn? You are like no Rose man I have ever met."
    Tom thrust his hands into his pockets and chewed the edge of his red-blond moustache. "Come now, Suvi. I thought you, of all people, would be the last to judge a man by his Soli."
    She laughed ruefully at this. "Fair enough. I guess I owe you an apology." Suvi held out her hand. "Until tomorrow, then. It was very nice meeting you, Tom."
    "And you." Tom shook her hand, very formally. "Expect me in the morning some time."
    He jumped