"Mrs. Quinn. My name is Dr. Andrew Strauss. I'm taking over your care."
said Dr. Strauss, more commonly known as David. Dr. Mike's thought to be killed fiancé.
"Hi. Nice to meet you. My Granddaughter was just married and her husband is a doctor and his name is Andrew too." said Mrs. Quinn.
"Andrew is a popular name these days." answered David.
"Dr. Strauss, have I met you before? You look awfully familiar." asked Mrs. Quinn.
Later that evening, Colleen and Andrew were just sitting down to dinner. Colleen was telling her husband everything about her first day of school, and Andrew was listening half-heartedly.
"And then the dead person came back to life...," Colleen began.
"That's nice, honey."
"Okay, Andrew, tell me what's wrong. Haven't you heard one word I've said?"
"I'm sorry, Colleen. I just have a lot of things on my mind."
"Well, why don't you tell me about it? It'll probably make you feel better."
"Okay, here goes. Are you cheating on me?"
"No, Andrew, of course not! Why would you ever think that?"
"You know those flowers you thought I bought for you? Well, those weren't from me. They didn't have a card or anything, so I wanted to know who did send them."
"I have no idea!"
Just then there was a knock at the door.
It was Mrs. White. She came in with a smile on her face, as usual.
"Sorry to barge in like this, children! I just wanted to see if you were enjoying the dinner I sent up for you. I figured you two needed some time alone to talk about Colleen's first day at medical school!"
"We were. Thank you, Mrs. White!" Andrew said, managing a smile.
"It was very thoughtful of you, Mrs. White."
Colleen also smiled. She was disappointed that the flowers were from somebody else as well as a little perturbed that Andrew would even consider infidelity on her part.
Mrs. White continued, "Oh well, I do expect you at dinner with the rest of us tomorrow evening."
"Well, I don't mean to disappoint you, Mrs. White, " Andrew said, "but, Colleen and I have been invited to the Penningtons for dinner tomorrow night."
"Oh....the Penningtons!" Mrs. White exclaimed,
"The very idea! Why that man..."
Noticing the confused looks on Colleen and Andrew's faces, Mrs. White stopped abruptly,
"Oh, I almost forgot, the real reason I barged in...There was a young man here earlier, before either of you came home, asking after Colleen."
Colleen and Andrew exchanged looks.
"Colleen Cooper, of all things! Well I sure set him straight, I can tell you that...I told him it was Mrs. Cook, I did! And he was none too happy about that, although he didn't say so...I can tell these things, I certainly can! He..."
"Did he tell you his name, Mrs. White?" Andrew asked, "Do you remember what he looked like?"
"Well...he was young...very handsome...he left this package...said only Colleen was supposed to see it, and I swear to you I never touched it!"
She handed the package over to Colleen.
"Well thank you very much Mrs. White!" Colleen said.
"Yes, Thank you, Mrs. White!" said Andrew, as he gently led her out the door.
"We'll see you for dinner the day after tomorrow, thanks for everything!"
Andrew finally closed the door leaving Mrs. White on the outside. He and Colleen listened for awhile to make sure she had left. Then they turned their attention to the mysterious package.
"Dr. Strauss" had just finished his examination of Mrs. Quinn when Michaela and Sully entered the room for a visit.
Before either of them could say a word, Elizabeth Quinn said, "Michaela, Sully, how nice of you to come. I'd like you to meet Dr. Andrew Strauss. He will be taking over my case."
Sully and Michaela exchanged looks. Not wishing to upset her mother, who obviously did not recognize Michael's former fiancé, Michaela said, "Dr. Strauss, may I have a word with you. Outside please?"
Sully gave her a concerned look.
"It's all right, Sully, you stay here and visit with Mother."
"I'll be right here if you need me." Sully said, never once taking his eyes off Dr. Strauss, as Michaela led the doctor outside the room.
Michaela eased her way down the hallway just out of hearing distance of her mother's room.
"Dr. Strauss" took close notice of her hint of wanting privacy.
He knew thousands of questions were running throughout her mind, and he knew that she would not accept anything less than a thorough explanation. But how could he explain what he didn't understand himself?
Suddenly, Michaela stopped in front of a little alcove which contained a small sofa. She swung around to "Dr. Strauss" like she was in a furious rage. However, her tone revealed no anger at all, merely confusion.
"David, what are you doing here?"
David was very distant, silent, appearing to be a thousand miles away. Once she turned around, he became lost to her charm and beauty. So lost that he didn't hear a word she said.
"David, did you hear me? I am talking to you."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Michaela. I lost my train of thought for a moment."
"I asked you why you are here," Michaela said becoming a little bit aggravated.
"I'm working like any normal doctor would be doing. I am trying to care and heal the sick," David replied trying to joke, but Michaela didn't receive it that way.
"I am serious, David. What is going on? The last time we saw each other you had decided to give up practicing medicine for painting and sketching. Now, you show up again unannounced and in charge of my mother's care. Why?"
Michaela felt as if she was raging with anger inside, yet a twinge of curiosity lingered on the surface.
"I know I owe you an explanation, dear Michaela. I will try to give you the best one I can,"
David answered, but in his mind, he added "At least I can tell you what I thought I did it for."
The Reverend came down the stairs to the store. It had been a week since he'd been down here. He'd caught a summer cold, and had stayed in bed the whole time. Now, except for a lightly running nose, he was better.
"Hey Reverend," Loren greeted him. "How are you feelin' today?"
"Oh, better, Loren, Thank you," he replied. He paused, and then turned towards Loran's voice.
"Loren," he began, "While I was upstairs with the cold, I had a thought. I haven't been able to write a letter to any one for a year. I haven't been able to any color, or read my bible. And I began to think, 'what about all the blind children who don't know what the bible says? They rely on others entirely to learn the Lord's work.'"
"What you gettin' at, Reverend?" Loren asked.
"I want to start up a blind school, Loren." The Reverend replied. "And teach children all about God's glory. So they can learn everything that they never could before. Being blind shouldn't handicap them. It only does because others around them treat them like they're handicapped, and I want to change that. And I want to start, by ordering some Braille supplies. And then I want someone to call a town council after Dr. Mike gets back, so we can vote on everything.
Whether or not I get this school started shouldn't stop me from learning Braille myself. I'll have to know how in order to teach other blind children, even adults. Now let's order those supplies."
Michael Brown sat in jail scowling. Daniel looked at him curiously.
"I wish you could see what you look like with stitches and a broken nose," The sheriff laughed.
"Why don't you just shut up?" Mr. Brown snapped.
"It's not my fault you're sittin' in there." Daniel said. "If you'd just done what we'd told you, you'd be a free man.....locked inside the town, no doubt, but more free than you are in there."
Michael Brown just continued to scowl.
Dorothy turned the heavy crank, spinning out one page after the other. She had to hurry, or she'd never be ready for supper with Cloud Dancing. She turned the crank faster and faster.
Jake sat down and wiped his brow. He'd been working all morning and all afternoon.
He'd gotten the foundation done, which was a miracle, seeing as he'd only been working for about a week. Teresa came outside the old cabin with a pitcher of lemonade. She was beaming.
"I thought you could use a cool drink," His beautiful wife said, smiling. "It's been so hot today. It's almost July, almost too hot to be working."
"But if I wait, it will be almost winter, and we won't have enough to time to finish it," Jake teased. He sipped the lemonade slowly, savoring the coolness.
"You always know just exactly what I need, and when I need it," Jake said. Teresa just kept smiling.
"You must get the house done before winter, because we will need more space in the spring."
She said dreamily. "We will certainly need it in the spring."
Gretta carried the lunch dishes from the table to the basin. It had been so hot! She wasn't used to heat such as this.
Katie sat playing on the floor with a stuffed lamb, Posey, who was trying to find her mother, but couldn't. The little lamb(in Katie's voice) bahhed with all its might, but no mother was ever found.
Then, tiring of this game, Katie threw the lamb down and turned her attention to some blocks and a stuffed rabbit.
Again and again, the stuffed rabbit would knock down the blocks, and Katie would shriek in delight. Then a stuffed bear came along, and pushed the rabbit away, and began to knock down the blocks himself.
When the lunch dishes were done, Gretta didn't know what to do. She'd been cooped up in the house washing and airing and cooking and cleaning ever since they'd arrived. She wanted to go exploring.
Adventure came over meekness. She was in the middle of the Colorado wilderness, and what had she seen of it? But she couldn't leave Katie. She'd just have to go exploring some other time.
When Matthew came home that night, she'd ask him if he knew anyone who could watch Katie, and then she began to plan.
Colleen opened the package and saw there was something familiar in that box. When she saw it she dropped the box.
"Colleen what is wrong?" Andrew asked. "Do you know who sent you the package?"
"Yes, Andrew, I know who sent the package, but before I tell you, please sit down. You are not going to be happy about who sent it to me."
"OK, Colleen, I am sitting down. Can you please tell me who is the man who sent my wife a gift?"
"Andrew, it's Patrick Collins." When Andrew heard that name his face just froze.
While Daniel was sitting in the jail watching Michael Brown, there came a gun shot from outside.
Daniel jumped up and ran out
just in time to see a man on horseback race out of town with Hank on his heals with his gun blazing.
"Stop that man, he just robbed me!!!" shouted Hank.
Jake, and some other man had their guns drawn and were racing for their horses, Daniel, quickly asked Robert E. to watch the
jail, then he jumped on his horse to help catch the thief...
"Andrew please say something...Andrew ??????"
"Colleen, what do you mean it is Patrick Collins that sent you the gift?"
"Andrew, will you please sit and I will tell you. Do you remember you saw me at the hotel and you saw he was grabbing my arm, not letting me go? He gave me this when he met Ma and Matthew and when you took me on the picnic I realized I wanted to be with you, and always you. I knew before, but I guess you can say he made me blind."
"Anyway, I went to the hotel to give him back his bracelet, and you know the rest," finished Colleen.
"Oh Colleen, I wish I had known," responded Andrew, "We have to do something to stop him."
"I don't know what to do Andrew...
Dr. Burke walked down the hall to see his patient, Mrs. Quinn, when he saw Dr. Lewis, Sully, and Michaela all standing outside her room. He stopped within hearing distance to see what everything was about. It appeared to be a fight.
"David, I do not want any incompetent doctor working on my mother!" Michaela was yelling.
"Incompetent! Michaela, how could you think that? That I would come back to a hospital after"--
"Don't you call her Michaela," Sully said threateningly.
"Why are you so angry with me, Sully?" David asked. "You've gotten everything that I had, and ever wanted, and yet you still continue to treat me this way!"
"You lied to us!!" Sully replied. He was getting ready to hit David, when Dr. Burke decided it was time to break up the little argument.
He walked up deliberately and said, "Michaela, how is your mother today?"
Now this, was an awkward situation. There Michaela was with the man she had married, the man she thought she could marry, and the man she had been expected to marry, and all were in love with her.
Michaela took a deep breath and placed her hand on Sully's arm.
"Fine Dr. Burke. Now, if you would excuse us, Sully and I have some other business to attend to."
With another glare at David, Michaela and Sully started walking away from the two men from her past.
David clenched his fists in anger and was ready to storm off in the other direction, but Dr. Burke stopped him.
"Excuse me, but what connection did you have with Michaela?" he asked.
"I was her fiancé many years ago...why?" David wary asked.
"Well," Dr. Burke gave a bitter laugh," we have something a lot in common...."
Meanwhile, Robert E. was keeping a close eye on Michael Brown in the jail. Or at least he was doing a half job, because he was thinking about Grace and their upcoming baby. He couldn't help but give a sigh of happiness. Michael gave a little snort.
"Look at you. What are you so happy about? The fact that you're not in jail?" Michael demanded.
"It's none of your business," Robert E. replied calmly.
"Oh really? Well, do me a favor and get Myra. NOW."
Robert E. stared at him for a second.
"Tell me this. Do you really love Myra?"
Michael laughed. "Of course! Why do you think I'm marrying her?"
"Oh, I don't know....her beauty....her kind personality....her money...." Robert E. droned on.
"Listen here!! I love Myra. And I will marry her and we'll live a happy life away from this miserable town and her pathetic ex-husband!!!" he yelled.
"What about Samantha?" Robert E. asked.
"A nuisance. We can live a life without that little creep, without that disobedient child!! And believe me, once I marry Myra, she's off to a boarding school in Europe."
Just then, Myra walked in. She had entered very quietly, but not soon enough to hear the previous exchange.
Michael saw her and cried angrily, "Myra! What are you doing here? I thought I told you and Samantha to get on that train!"
"Oh, Michael!" Myra said, "You know I couldn't leave you like that. Samantha and I got off at the first stop and took the stage back. Our business in Boston can wait."
Then Michael's demeanor changed completely.
"Oh Myra!" he said, his voice becoming eerily gentle, "This jail is no place for my most beautiful lady!"
Then Myra noticed her fiancé's various injuries,
"Michael, what happened?" Myra said, as tears of concern welled up in her eyes.
"I think you'd better leave, Myra." Robert E. said. "The sheriff should be back soon, and he can tell you all about it."
"No, Robert E.!" Myra said, pulling away from him. "I'm staying right here until I get some answers!"
Robert E. realized it would likely be worse if he forced her, and said. "All right, Myra, you can stay, but I'll be watching you, Brown."
And he withdrew far enough to allow Myra a little privacy.
"I've missed you so much, Myra! You and our sweet little Samantha..." Michael began, matching Myra's every tear with one of his own.
At Grace's cafe, a tall young man sat at a table, having a cup of coffee.
He was new in town, having just arrived from Philadelphia. He was staying at the Gold Nugget, since the Springs Chateau and Health Resort, where he had originally planned to stay, was closed for repairs by the new management.
He was reading a copy of the Gazette, minding his own business, when he heard a crash.
"Grace! Are you all right?" Dorothy had seen Grace fall, dropping a tray full of dishes.
Grace lay on the ground, writhing in pain. Dorothy rushed to Grace's side. The young man was already there.
"I'm a doctor." he said, answering the question before either woman asked it.
"Ryan Bell. Let me help you."
Colleen was sitting and thinking. Andrew called her, "Honey?" for the second time.
"Honey?" for the third time.
"Mrs. Cook?
Then Colleen heard.
"Andrew, I am sorry sweetheart, I didn't hear you. I was just thinking about the time… we have been through a lot. There was the time when I came home from college and I had to write a paper and you were sick. Do you remember?"
"Yes, I do." Andrew said.
"I told you many stories. I thought you might not make it… I thought if I lost you I would not have the chance to tell you that I love you! I love you Andrew and I always will!"
"I love you too, Colleen." Andrew said.
"Can you help her, Dr. Bell?" Dorothy asked.
"She's pregnant....and...and, she just lost her boy. It would kill her if she lost this baby!"
"I'll need to get her someplace where I can examine her," Dr. Bell was saying.
Dorothy barely heard him. She saw Matthew, with Emma, and closely behind, Brian, with Katie, and the governess they'd said they'd brought.
"Matthew!" She yelled. "Matthew!"
Matthew, with the rest of the party closely behind, ran over to see what she wanted.
"What is it Miss Dorothy?" Matthew asked. Then he saw Grace on the floor and guessed at what happened. He helped the young man get her up off the ground.
"We need you to open the clinic!" Dorothy exclaimed.
"I can't!" Matthew replied. "It's locked, and the key is at the homestead."
"Isn't Preston at the Chateau?" Brian asked.
"Yes! He'll let you use Andrew's old clinic!" Dorothy exclaimed to Dr. Bell.
"Then you'll need a wagon," Emma said.
"I'll run and get one," Brian volunteered.
"Let me have Katie, Brian," Gretta said, in somewhat of a motherly voice.
He handed her the toddler, and raced off the livery. In no time, Robert E., getting filled in quickly by Brian, who was sitting next to him, pulled up beside the cafe. Brian and Dr. Bell loaded Grace into the back, and they were off to the Chateau.
At the same time in Boston, Michaela and Sully walked the streets of Boston.
After the argument in the hospital, they thought it would be a good idea to get their minds off it.
And besides, Mrs. Quinn was sound asleep after a dose of a new medication, in a hospital with some of the finest doctors in New England. As they past the Post Office, Michaela stopped suddenly.
"Sully..LOOK!" shouted. She pointed to a poster tacked to the wall of the Post Office. He read it slowly, in complete surprise. It was a picture of Gretta! The poster read;
$5,000 reward for any information leading to the whereabouts of Victoria Anne Ryan. Wire Nicholous Ryan, Zurich, Switzerland.
"Sully..What if she's a hardened criminal!" Michaela exclaimed.
Sully stifled a laugh.
"Her?" He said. "She didn't look like she could lift a gun without falling over, much less fire one!"
"But we've sent her to Colorado with Katie and Brian!" Michaela's imagination was running away with her.
"Let's just wire this 'Nicholous Ryan' and see what he wants the information for, all right?"
"All right," Michaela agreed. They walked into the Post Office.
Inside the Chateau, Dr. Bell was examining Grace carefully.
"It doesn't appear that you've lost the baby," He said slowly. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief on the other side of the curtain.
"But you have been working too hard." The doctor finished. "I would suggest a week off, and then only half days, maybe till 2 o'clock, 3 tops. And I would advise that you give yourself a day off during the middle of the week, just to take a rest."
"I will doctor!" Grace cried. "Thank you so much!"
A few minutes later, things returned to normal, and everyone was thanking Dr. Bell. He took them graciously, but didn't really know what they were saying. He had his eye on the beautiful young girl with the deep green eyes.
A little later, Sully and Michaela received a reply.
"What does it say, Sully?" Michaela asked urgently.
"It says they think she ran away from home." Sully answered her.
Michaela drew a deep breath.
"What else does it say?" She asked.
"It says that they thought she'd died in a train crash, but now there's evidence leading them to believe she's survived, and is somewhere in America."
"Not somewhere, Sully, she's in Colorado Springs!" Michaela cried. "I think we'd better send him the information he's asking for."
"And I think you're right!" Sully replied.Previous
On to Book Two
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