"How is he doing?" she asked.
"He's sleeping like the dead," Marta said quietly. "He's had a rough day."
"He's had a rough childhood," Tessa replied, hands on her hips.
A few hours earlier the Queen had watched uncertainly as Andreo Reyes confronted the two people who had been masquerading as his parents for the past 15 years. She had returned later as Tessa Alvarado and convinced the boy that he should stay the night at her hacienda. After what he'd endured the past couple of days, she didn't think he should be alone.
"I'm going out for awhile, Marta," Tessa announced as she headed towards the door that led to the hidden room. "I'll be back later."
"The Queen rides tonight?" Marta asked curiously.
"I just want to go thank Dr. Helm for all his help with Andreo," she explained innocently.
"And you can't thank him as Tessa Alvarado?" the other woman inquired, just the hint of a smile on her lips.
Tessa returned the wry smile and answered, "Somehow I think the Queen would be more welcome."
Marta just raised an eyebrow and watched her young charge leave the room.
***
Edging along the side of the doctor's office she peaked inside the window that opened into what passed for a bedroom. She could see lantern light coming from the front office and heard the sound of muffled footsteps. Looking around her to make sure the coast was clear, she postitioned herself and gracefully slipped over the window ledge and into the empty room.
She turned the corner into the front office and found Dr. Helm leaning against the examining table, his right hand submerged in a bowl of water. On the table in front of him lay some white bandages and a scissors. Coming up silently behind him she tapped him on the shoulder. Helm jumped, sloshing water all over the table.
"Your sudden appearances work wonders for my nerves, your highness," he said wryly after he'd turned to see that it was her.
"My apologies, doctor," she said smiling. "I didn't know you were so jumpy."
"It's true, I shouldn't be surprised by your nightly visits anymore," he said, eyes returning back to his soaking hand. "Must just be human nature."
"Must be," she agreed sweetly.
"I could fairly set my pocketwatch by your arrivals," he went on, a smile tugging at his mouth.
"Well it's good to know I'm useful for something," she replied. Then looking over his shoulder she saw that the knuckles of his hands were raw and red. Both looked bad, but the right one even more so.
"What happened?" she asked, not unconcerned.
"Nothing much. Grisham and I just had a little disagreement over Andreo's lodgings. He thought the boy needed to be in jail, and I thought differently."
"You got into a fight with him?" she asked coming around the table to face him. That's when she saw the ugly bruise on his cheek. It seemed to change from blue to green right before her eyes. "Dios! I've missed a lot in town today."
"Well we can't all ride through the coutryside fighting evil," he explained, as he reached for a towel to dry his hands. "Some of us have to deal with what's in our own backyard."
"That's what I came to talk to you about," she said, taking the cloth from him and gingerly dabbing the water drops from his hands. The table between them, she caressed the strong lean hands with the towel, being extra careful of the damaged knuckles. "You don't have to worry about Andreo anymore."
His eyebrows rose and she didn't know if the look of surprise on his face was a result of her last statement or the fact that she was now gently drying his hands. "I intercepted the stage to Monterrey and we were able to confront the imposters. It wasn't a pretty sight. Andreo wanted to kill them both. I convinced him to let them stand trial instead. They'll be on El Camino Real by morning headed to Monterrey."
"And Montoya?" he asked.
The Queen grinned as she set the damp towel on the table and picked up one of the long white bandages. "Well, I'd guess he's probably nursing the new bump on his head."
Helm smiled, the skin around his eyes crinkling, as she took his right hand in her gloved ones and began wrapping the bandage around the battered knuckles.
"I also wanted to thank you for all the help you gave Andreo."
His eyes carefully following her ministrations he shrugged, "Anyone would have helped him."
"You know that's not true," she chided softly. "Grisham didn't. Montoya certainly didn't. I take that back, he did help. He just helped the wrong people. Sometimes I have to wonder about that man's priorities."
"He's a complicated man," Helm said shaking his head.
"He's a dangerous man, doctor," she replied, meeting his gaze. Having sufficiently wrapped his hand, she picked up the scissors and snipped the extra length from the bandage. Proudly surveying her handiwork she asked, "How's that? Think I'd make a capable nurse?"
"The most important things in a doctor or nurse, I think, is a kind heart and the desire to make things better," he said kindly. "Sounds a bit like your job description, doesn't it?"
His comment made her feel warm inside. It also surprised her. He usually condemned the Queen's actions. Could that have actually been a compliment?
"Then again, I don't know any nurses who carry a sword and use a whip," he added with a smirk.
Ah, there he was. There was the doctor she knew and...loved?
"Well, I'll be on my way, then," she said with a grin. "Don't worry. I know the way out."
That brought a laugh from him as he experimentally flexed his bandaged hand.
"Thanks again for caring about Andreo."
Nodding solemnly, he replied, "Can you imagine how he must feel? Knowing his parents were murdered?"
'Yes,' she answered silently. 'I know exactly how he feels.' She remained silent though, praying that what he could see of her face hadn't already betrayed her. "Adios doctor."
As she exited through the window his compassionate voice floated back to her, "Adios senorita."
