RED WINE

by Eliza
elizawpg@shaw.ca

CATEGORY/RATING: Helm/Marta G
LEGAL STUFF: The Doc and Marta don't belong to me, it seems that Fireworks Entertainment has the paperwork. No copyright infringement intended. No money made.
FEEDBACK: Always welcome.
SUMMARY: The Doc and Marta share a bottle of wine. Second in the series.

"As I said before, optimistic." The cheeky grin that was on Marta's face was the same one that he had last seen from his bathtub.

He had been wondering about that little scene for the past few days, unsure of how much to read into her final comment -- "There are some things I prefer to keep for myself." He tried to put it out of his mind for the moment.

"What did you bring me today? More sage?" Damn, stop flirting with the woman.

"Rue, comfrey and some more willow bark," she said.

That brought his attention to the matters at hand. "You want some more medicine." Marta nodded in confirmation. "What happened that caused you to finish the jar? If there has been illness or an accident you should have called me."

"No Doctor, nothing serious, I haven't used the whole jar. We had a visitor who required treatment for some bruising and I remembered you said that it was good for pain and swelling. I gave her some to take with her."

Although neither mentioned her name, the identity of the woman in question was not difficult to determine. Helm had wondered at her careful movements into the coach on the day she had left Santa Helena.

"I will certainly save some for you the next time I make it. Was she badly hurt?" Helm had danced with the young lady and had enjoyed her company.

"Bad enough, but it could have been much worse. She should recover without any problems. I wonder about next time though; it is a good thing that she will be getting married soon." Marta had also taken a liking to her during her stay at the Alvarado hacienda and worried about the noblewoman.

There was an awkward silence. It was unusual for them too be at a loss but then the previous visits had been all business. When business was done Marta would leave; today she seemed to be searching for a reason to stay.

Helm spotted a good excuse. "Don Borica brought over a bottle of his latest vintage. I could say I was saving it for a special occasion but the truth is I hate to drink alone." Marta's sharp look brought back the memory of the bourbon. "Usually. Would you care to join me? It is becoming embarrassing trying to think up excuses for not trying it."

Marta nodded. He pulled out a chair for her with an exaggerated bow and she swept into it like a grand lady. He paused behind her, just for a moment, before getting the bottle and glasses.

The little pantomime had lightened the mood a bit. It assured Marta that the Doctor did not take his place in Santa Helena society too seriously. But he should. This is a bad idea. A little teasing is one thing but any sort of real relationship was impossible. It would just be the dalliance of a gentlemen with a gypsy girl. She almost snorted at the thought of herself as a "girl".

When the Doctor returned to the seat in front of her, he returned her restrained laughter with a questioning smile of his own. She just waved it off as nothing and saluted him with the glass he offered. They both sipped and immediately met each other's eyes.

Marta was the first one able to speak. "That is vile!"

Helm was nodding and wiping tears. "Yes, vile. I hope not poisonous." He moved to the window to dump out the bottle.

"Don't do that! It would be like salting the ground. No wonder your garden is in such a state."

"What am I going to tell Don Borica?" Helm had been contemplating the offending bottle, but as her words sank in he suddenly turned his attention to Marta. "What's wrong with my garden?"

"It's full of weeds and not watered properly and you don't have a good enough fence so the rabbits get in. Tell him you dropped the bottle."

"He would likely give me a case then. It's not full of weeds, those are plants. I don't see how anything can grow in this desert. The rabbits dig under the fence."

"Dios mio, I'll go through it with you. You have to start the fence about a foot under the surface. Tell him that you don't drink red wine."

"And have to spend Montoya's parties completely sober? No, thank you! Do you think sinking the fence will work?"

"Of course. You get drunk at all of Montoya's parties? I never noticed you drunk."

That brought a pause to the rapid conversation. The cheeky grin returned, this time to Helm's face. "You've watched me before?"

Marta turned a beautiful shade of rose. "I have to go," she said. She moved quickly from the chair and headed for the door.

As she reached it , Helm came up behind her and placed his hand on the door above her head. He whispered into her ear, "If I do get drunk, it is on your beauty."

She rolled her eyes at the impudent compliment, threw him a disgusted look over her shoulder, and elbowed him in the ribs. He let go of the door with a chuckle. As she opened it she said, "I'll be by another day about the garden." She paused to look directly at him. "No more wine."

A hand went over his heart solemnizing the promise. "No more wine." There are far more intoxicating things in this world.

THE END