Lucien was rarely at a loss to know what to do, but this was different. Since the moment he had seen Mei Lin on his doorstep, he had been out of his depth. That first night he had been angry, not so much with his wife as with fate, or God, or whoever arranged these things.
The whole sleepless night had been spent thinking through scenarios, trying to find a way to put his life back how he wanted it. He kept remembering Jean's face as the truth dawned on her; not just pain but a moment of mistrust, quickly hidden.
Now, two weeks later, Jean was stubbornly pushing him towards Mei Lin. On the other hand, every time Mei Lin reminded him she was his wife, he found himself thinking of Jean.
Usually when he had a dilemma, he asked Jean's opinion. He had often thought of her as his moral compass. But this time, she was too involved. He needed advice, but he didn't know who to turn to.
And so, later that evening, he found himself standing on Matthew's doorstep, clutching a bottle of whisky. In the end it was his oldest friend, the man who had known him since they were boys, his was the wisdom he sought.
Rose opened the door, and grinned at him. Lucien had noticed the fleeting look of surprise though. He had not visited Lawson since he left hospital, in fact he could hardly remember the last time he had called on Matthew. It had always been the other way round.
"Come in, Doctor. Have you got a story for me, or...?" Then she noticed the whisky. "You've come to see Matthew."
He nodded and followed her silently into the old fashioned parlour. It looked to Lucien exactly as it had the last time he had been there, actually the same as it had when Matthew's parents had lived there. Much like his own house, in fact.
Matthew raised his eyebrows at Blake but didn't speak. He gestured to a chair and when Lucien was seated, he reached out for the whisky bottle. Rose closed the door on her way out.
"How's the leg?" Lucien asked.
"You're the doctor," Matthew grunted at him. "Could you find some glasses?" He peered at the label on the whisky. Single malt. There must be a good reason for the visit.
When the drinks were poured, Matthew continued. "I'm sure you're not here to discuss my health."
"No...I need someone to help me."
At this, Matthew looked pointedly at his leg, still in a cast, and Lucien tried again.
"Not help to do something, just help. I don't know what to do about Mei Lin and Jean. It's all so difficult and I can't see anything clearly."
Matthew looked at him closely. He knew Lucien's wife was back, of course. The Ballarat grapevine had told him that much. But he'd never met her, and she had always seemed a romantic character - the lost wife, the reason for Blake's melancholy - yet now she was back, and he seemed unhappy.
So, that must mean...he loved Jean. Matthew had never been absolutely sure about that. Blake wouldn't answer any of his questions when he came back from Adelaide, and he'd hardly seen him since. But surely you don't follow your housekeeper to Adelaide for no reason, even if she's an excellent housekeeper?
"Tell me about Mei Lin, Blake. What's she like?" Matthew broke the lengthy silence that had followed Lucien's words.
"She's the same as she ever was, but somehow different too. When we first knew each other she was always laughing. She was beautiful, she still is. She's so strong, you wouldn't believe what she has survived, Matthew. She's very calm, always dignified. She seems more serious now, though."
"And do you love her?" Matthew asked.
"I...don't know. She's the mother of my daughter. I should love her, and in some ways I do, but it's not the same as it was. I'm not in love with her. But she's my wife."
"Alright, tell me about Jean." Matthew said, leaning over to refill their glasses.
"You know Jean. You don't need me to tell you what she's like," Lucien said. He looked almost embarrassed.
"I know what I think about Jean, Lucien, but I want to know what you think."
"Jean is...lovely. She's beautiful, she's my best friend, she's...everything to me. I can't bear the thought of her leaving, Matthew. She's all the things Mei Lin is, and more: she's strong and quiet, and fierce and smart."
"And you're in love with her." It wasn't a question.
Lucien nodded, and swallowed hard. "Yes. I was in the middle of asking Jean to marry me when Mei Lin arrived." He had told no one else this, and he knew Jean would be mortified at anyone knowing, but it was central to Lucien's dilemma. Lawson had to be told.
Matthew stared at him in disbelief.
"Poor Jean," he eventually replied. They drank more whisky, sitting in the gathering gloom of the evening.
Matthew finally spoke. "If you live with Mei Lin, three people will be unhappy; Mei Lin will realise soon enough you are only there from a sense of duty, you'll be bloody miserable, and Jean...well, you'll have ruined her reputation, broken her heart, and then left her. But if you divorce Mei Lin, you and Jean will be happy, and Mei Lin may be miserable. Does she love you?"
Lucien shrugged. "I don't know. She wants the security of being married, I think. She's not talked about love."
"Could you look after her without being married to her?" Matthew wasn't sure if this idea would be welcome, but Lucien nodded slowly.
"Maybe. A divorce could be ...difficult. I don't want to drag Jean into it."
"Whatever you do, you need to decide soon. You can't keep them both like this for long."
Lucien smiled grimly. "That's what Jean says," he sighed.
Matthew laughed at that. "Well, I think I know which woman you will choose, Lucien."
Lucien grinned at his friend. For the first time he knew what he needed to do, and that was enough for now.