"Well, it's a positive thing that you're still among the breathing." Jonah offered a faint smile as he checked the pulse at Elias' wrist. "Rest, of course, for several days, and avoiding stress."
He knew full-well that there were men who didn't have the capacity to take it easy, and he was fairly certain that Elias was one of those. From what Jonah knew of him, he did things a specific way and didn't trust that to anyone else.
"Keep some of that nitroglycerine on hand, Ling can tell you more on using it. And you do have a bit of an irregular heartbeat, so I'll give you some digitalis pills for that." Sitting back on his heels, he looked up at the older man. "It's difficult to predict the long-term outcome, some people live years after something like this, others..." He shrugged.
"It seems you are lucky, I believe the outcome may have been quite different had Ling not been here. I should probably stay the night, in case something else happens." Not that he really wanted to, but it wouldn't be good if Elias Steelegrave died shortly after he left.
"Well, it's a positive thing that you're still among the breathing." Jonah offered a faint smile as he checked the pulse at Elias' wrist. "Rest, of course, for several days, and avoiding stress."
"I wasn't sure what was happening, a wave of nausea, then the pain. and that was all I remember of this until I woke to Ling here making me comfortable, guess I helped him get me up off of the floor and on to the settee." Ling meanwhile was standing by.
"Keep some of that nitroglycerine on hand, Ling can tell you more on using it. And you do have a bit of an irregular heartbeat, so I'll give you some digitalis pills for that." Sitting back on his heels, he looked up at the older man. "It's difficult to predict the long-term outcome, some people live years after something like this, others..." He shrugged.
"I have and can get more if we need." Ling said without explaining how or where he could come by more of the substance.
"Ling here's a good man, but right now I am tired, worn to a frazzled!" Elias admitted. "Could use some sleep.
"It seems you are lucky, I believe the outcome may have been quite different had Ling not been here. I should probably stay the night, in case something else happens." Not that he really wanted to, but it wouldn't be good if Elias Steelegrave died shortly after he left.
"Of course, I've more room than I need, and there's a spare room. Can't send you back in this weather, and in the dark to boot.": He merely looked to Ling who nodded and rushed off. "He'll prepare a room for you Are you hungry? Need a drink? Anything I can do for you, Doctor?
"From what you describe, it was some sort of cardiac issue," Jonah explained, "and since your pulse occasionally becomes irregular, that can explain it." He took a bottle from his bag. "Take two drops of this in the morning and evening." He made a note to be sure that Ling knew the information as well. "It's very toxic, lethal if misused. Stop taking it if you start having headaches, severe nausea, confusion." He chuckled. "And your children don't count as severe headaches!"
He stood then, looking around the opulent room where Leah had grown up. "A meal sounds good, thank you, and I don't know about you, but I could use a drink."
He stood then, looking around the opulent room where Leah had grown up. "A meal sounds good, thank you, and I don't know about you, but I could use a drink."
"Then a meal will be prepared for you when Ling returns. As for the drink, the cabinet over there, you'll find several brands." Elias was not much for more conversation but he had a question or two that Doctor Danforth could certainly answer. "I have to ask, the hospital? How's it coming along?" He had heard from some of the men who had been to town, but Danforth would have a better feel for it.
"And, not that I have the right, but I must ask, your intentions, sir, about Leah, that is." He did not have the strength to be his overbearing self, and in that moment, he actually only wanted to know, not force any issue.
"Then a meal will be prepared for you when Ling returns. As for the drink, the cabinet over there, you'll find several brands."
"Thank you, sir." It seemed odd to be having a conversation with someone he'd only heard horrible things about, but who seemed to be pretty normal.
Jonah had cut back on drinking quite a bit since establishing himself in Kalispell (nothing to do with Leah), but he still appreciated a good shot now and then, and Steelegrave had the best! He chose a true Scottish whisky, savoring the aroma...one of the perks of a lifestyle he yearned for but would never have.
"I have to ask, the hospital? How's it coming along?" He had heard from some of the men who had been to town, but Danforth would have a better feel for it.
"We're getting close to completion," Jonah explained, turning to face Elias. "Fortunately we had a mild winter, and now that the weather has gotten better, building is coming along quickly." He felt a bit the traitor, giving away secrets, but anyone with eyes could see how the building was going, and he had no doubt Elias knew full-well what was going on with the hospital.
He was pouring the whisky when the next question came.
"And, not that I have the right, but I must ask, your intentions, sir, about Leah, that is."
"Leah? Miss Steelegrave?" Jonah nearly spilled the whisky, but he caught himself. It was a question he'd often began to ponder, but had stopped the speculation, giving Elias the same answer he gave himself. "We're business partners, nothing more." Well, maybe she would call him 'friend'. "She deserves better than me...she deserves to get out of this place, go to a city, where she can shine."
And perhaps those words spoke more truth than he cared to admit.
"Odd, a man not attracted to my daughter, romantically, that is. I have heard rumors from some who have seen the two of you together, and they seem to tell a much different story, Doctor Danforth." Elias said. "Now I am not about to pretend I have any say in what she does, or with whom. I can neither give nor withhold my blessing. And, I am not about to allow anything to happen to her, or you, or that hospital, at least where it is within my power to prevent it."
The man paused. His voice was steady, but not with the strength one might expect. "Understand me, sir. I am no fool when it comes to this hospital, not at all. It is needed. So you can tell Guyer and Wentworth that I, or any of my men will—" Elias suddenly lost his voice, as in he gasped for breath. Then, with his hand and a shake of his head, he waved Danforth off. "Tired. maybe in the morning or another time."And those words came in gasps.
Ling entered the room as this was happening with his little bottle. He spoke to Elias quietly and then applied a drop or two of the formula to the man. "Come Missa Elias, we go up to your room. I be back, fix you food. Come, Elis, you need rest, no talk."
Jonah listened as Elias spoke about the hospital, and while the man seemed earnest, the con man in Jonah knew that words were just that, and with a lifetime of conning, it was easy to make words seem sincere. And in the wake of nearly dying, and being reminded of his mortality, Elias may very well be sincere at the moment.
"Thank you for that, sir." Jonah raised the small glass of liquor in toast, then downed it. "I believe you'll feel better in the morning, once you've had some rest," he assured the man, knowing that it would be easier to assess his condition after some sleep.
"Come Missa Elias, we go up to your room. I be back, fix you food. Come, Elis, you need rest, no talk." Ling approached, offering an escort to Jonah's room.
"Yes, thank you." While he didn't have a great deal of experience with the Chinese, he knew that they had some good ideas on medicine, and Ling seemed to have a good grasp of that knowledge. "I'd like to discuss Mr. Steelegrave's condition, if you've a few moments?"
In what seemed like moments, the Chinese, Ling, was standing before the doctor, "I fix steak and eggs for you. Maybe go in kitchen we talk while I cook. Missa Steelgrave not a healthy man, not want eat proper food, not want take medicine he has. I not know what to do about it." He has the stove going and a chuck of beef in a frying pan.
"You like beef rare, medium, well done?" He looked over at the doctor, "Coffee also on, always on. This can be hard place to work. Many men in and out. Always Granger and others plan trouble with neighbor. You say you want to talk me. About?"
"That sounds wonderful, thank you." Jonah followed the man into the kitchen, relieved that he'd be in the more casual room than an dining hall. "Hopefully, this will shake Mr. Steelegrave a bit and he'll strive to take care of himself." Elias was a grown man, so there was only so much that could be done to get him to change his ways.
"He's showing signs of heart failure, but if he takes care of himself, it should be manageable. I've prescribed digitalis, just two drops in the morning and evening. Are you familiar with it? It can be quite toxic if mis-used...even lethal."
Maybe he'd come back around to the trouble with neighbors later, maybe find out more about impending range wars.
"Him strong willed. Do as he please, not take heed of health or suggest what would be good for him. Stubborn man." Ling stated, "Maybe he make change, maybe little, maybe a lot. No can tell about him or what he might do any time."
"He's showing signs of heart failure, but if he takes care of himself, it should be manageable. I've prescribed digitalis, just two drops in the morning and evening. Are you familiar with it? It can be quite toxic if mis-used...even lethal."
"Oh yes, doctor, I know of this digitalis and know is dangerous. Will be one to give medicine, he not care to take himself but allows Ling to do for him." The Chinese said as he dished up the steak and eggs. "Here sit, eat, and then to room and sleep. ling get you up early, have food, and then you go home."