PART IV – Mai
July 1882

Chapter 15
Decisions in Haste

Eugene passed a fitful night of sleep in the Esler household, but not from a lack of their hospitality. Something bothered him terribly and that was something Dr. Esler had told him. He had been more than horrified and a little skeptical that his friend could have been involved with the assaults on the nurses, but as he continued to think on what he had observed he had begun to have little doubt in his mind.

That begged to bring him to the subject of the quiet, shy maid that Dick employed. Her actions had been one of someone who was fearful, now he knew what it was that she feared and he sympathized the girl. But as he thought it through there was nothing that he could do to change her condition, and she could easily have gone to work somewhere else he supposed.

But she bothered his conscious all during the night and the next morning as he gathered up his things and took the Esler's carriage to train station, Alvin Esler accompanying him. "I've enjoyed seeing you again," Gene told his mentor. "I can't tell you what the days that I was under your tutelage meant to me. I learned a lot from you."

"I'm glad," the man replied with a fatherly gleam in his eye. "You've become a good doctor, Eugene, and I hope you can get your practice going out west. I'm sure they'll be much demand for your services."

"Thank you sir," Eugene nodded. He let out a sigh and went to the cars. He boarded and put his case in the compartment above. But as he sat there he began to grow uneasy. Mai was heavily on his mind. He barely knew the girl, but somehow he felt as if he needed to do something for her. With a suddenness of decision he rose from his seat and retrieved his bag.

He had to run to catch Esler before he drove off, the elder doctor looking a little puzzled. "What's wrong Eugene?" he questioned.

"I have something I need to do," he said. "Would you drive me to Orden's?"

Esler agreed but he still looked puzzled. "What is it that you need to do? There's nothing more that you can say to change Dick. He's made his decisions."

"It's not him I need to speak to. I…just have a feeling, I know that sounds strange, but I do." Eugene worried that his mentor would laugh at him for going on a feeling. He knew that some of his brothers would have likely laughed. But instead Esler only nodded and drove him to Dick's townhouse.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" Esler asked.

"No, I can handle this." Eugene strode the space to the steps and rang the bell. It was answered by the butler who let Eugene in. He asked him immediately where the maid, Mai was. The butler shrugged and told him that he supposed she was in the kitchen. Looking in the kitchen he found no one there and returned to the main part of the house and went to the parlor. He found both her and Richard in the room. Mai was darting from one corner of the room to another, her face deathly pale. Dick was following her, his steps wobbly and his speech slurred.

Eugene stepped into the room and between Mai and Dick. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"Just having some fun," his body swaying from side to side, his speech slurred so badly it was hard to understand anything he said, and his eyes bloodshot and glazed. "Don't you ever have any fun?"

"I'm ashamed I ever considered you my friend," Eugene spat angrily. He took Mai by the arm and pulled her out of the room.

"Oh, no sir!" she looked pleading. "If you not let me stay and work I have no place to go."

"Surely you can get a job somewhere else?" Eugene asked stopping and turning towards her.

She shook her head. "I can't get job anywhere else. This only place hire me."

"I doubt that." She shook her head.

"You go. I be okay."

Eugene raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so. I'll make sure you have another job Mai, even if I'm the one that has to give you one." She looked at him for a long moment. Finally she nodded.

"Okay. I go with you."

Leah O'Leary stood beside Heath apprehensively as the train chugged into the station, a week later than the family had originally expected the youngest brother. She didn't know what to expect and wasn't sure how his reception of her would be. If the rest of the family as any indication he would welcome her with open arms, but she understood, he had been away for several years.

The train hissed to a stop and she leaned a little closer to Heath who put a protective arm around her shoulders. She would have recognized Dr. Eugene Barkley even if Nick had not enveloped the tall, blonde young man in a welcoming bear hug, Jarrod shaking his hand in a warm, fatherly fashion and Heath patting him on the back, Audra's sisterly kiss or Mrs. Barkley's motherly one. There was an air about him that reminded her of each of the brothers, from that very moment. Yet, while he had a resemblance in his manner, and looks he was his own person. He was unique.

But, though in the brief moments while the family hugged, kissed and kissed and hugged, she noticed a petit, young, blonde woman standing off to the side and she immediately felt the urge to introduce herself to the woman. With her dark braid swinging she walked over to her and said, "Hello, my name is Leah."

The woman smiled at her a wide smile that spread across her face and her blue eyes shown. "I…am Mai. Mai Borden."

"Did you come with Dr. Barkley?" Leah asked.

The woman's eyes narrowed in surprise. "Yes, he…he help me." She seemed to be struggling with her words as Leah patiently waited.

"You'll soon find out that, that is a Barkley trait."

"Trait?" she asked, puzzled.

"Yes, helping people is a Barkley…" she searched for a better word. "Feature."

"Feature? Ah, like blonde hair or nose?" she pointed at her own nose.

"Exactly."

Heath finally broke away from the crowd and brought Leah to be introduced to the young doctor whose small mustache made him look rather distinguished. To the surprise of the rest of the family Eugene turned to introduce Mai. But after the introductions were made they all welcomed her and the party headed for the ranch.

(To be continued…)

With Part V. A part of many weddings. Heath and Leah are about to be married and Nick and Scotty just might discover where their relationship is headed. Eugene is setting hi his new practice, but will he figure out how he feels about Mai? The new factory is underway and Audra and Clarke have plans to make. Meanwhile the first Barkley grandchild is awaiting its arrival, but will sorrow overshadow its birth?