Aether Spirit
better.”
    “What? What happened?”
    “She got a reminder from the past that was too much for her.”
    “What?” Now Bryce didn’t catch himself until his fingers curled too close to his arm for Chad’s comfort.
    “Someone said her given name. If you see her, call her Doctor McPhee, but please just try to stay away from her.”
    “You can’t make me. It won’t hurt her to see me. I’m her cousin.”
    “You’re right, I can’t make you.” I can’t make anyone do any damn thing, not even myself. “But I can only caution you. Go slowly. And whatever you do, don’t mention to her that she and I were once a couple or that her father is dead. Melanie and your mother have kept that from her, and I can see why after talking to her. Someone installed a block around her being related to a tinkerer in Boston.”
    Bryce nodded. “I’ll be careful. And thanks for helping my arm.”
    “You’re welcome. I’ll have the nurses put another poultice on it tonight, but in the meantime, let the wound breathe.”
    “And I’ll try to stay away from Claire, but it would be nice…” He trailed off, and Chad saw tears in the boy’s eyes for the first time, even since the wound that had led to the infection in the first place.
    “Thank you. I promise, I’ll let you know when it’s safe for you to speak to her.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    Bryce left, and Chad sat back and ran a hand over his face. How on earth did he end up being so unfortunate that both Bryce and Clair landed at his fort? He sat up.
    What are the chances that we would all end up here? There are certainly enough places along the border…
    He would have to do some investigating to see exactly how they had all come to be there. Meanwhile, he had other young men to patch up.
    His next patient knocked on the door of the examining room, and he called out, “Enter!”
    * * * * *
    Claire opened her eyes to the waning light of the day. After the first dream of the accident, she’d been bothered by fragments of memories. The headache had subsided to a dull ache, and she groped for her glasses, relieved to find them nearby on a nightstand. They didn’t give much of a clue to her surroundings once she could see. She wasn’t in her room in the general’s house, but she wasn’t at Distillery Hospital, either.
    She closed her eyes against a wave of disorientation. It reminded her of what happened when she had first come aware in Paris, but at least this time she wasn’t the star of the stage in a medical observation theatre. And her memories were no less intact than previously. She knew better than to chase the memory of what had put her in a sleep state. Whatever it was, it was probably best avoided lest she black out again.
    “Ah, you’re awake, then.” A nurse entered the room.
    Although Claire sensed no malice, she drew away from the woman, one of the ones who had waited with Nanette on Wednesday evening for their dinner escorts. She had some sort of English accent.
    “Don’t worry, Doctor, I won’t hurt you. I didn’t know who you were when I first saw you. I’m Lillian, one of the nurses here at the women’s hospital.”
    “So now you know I’m a doctor, you’re going to be nice to me?” Claire wrinkled her nose. I’ve no use for people who aren’t generally respectful of others.
    Lillian shrugged. “You can choose what to believe about me, but I meant no offense the other night. Now let’s take your temperature before you heat yourself up with your redheaded temper.”
    I don’t really have one. But rather than argue, which she didn’t have the energy for, Claire allowed Lillian to help her to a sitting position. She opened her mouth, and the nurse placed a thermometer under her tongue. Claire watched as Lillian walked around the room and lit the two oil lamps, one on the table beside her and one on a dresser across the room. They plus the golden light from the setting sun gave the room a warm glow, but Claire didn’t relax until Lillian

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