Page 21 of The Scholar (Emerson Pass Historicals 3)

“I hope you don’t mind?” I said. “Mrs. Kelley said to eat in here.”

“Not at all. Feel free to make yourself at home.

“How was Mrs. Cassidy?” Dr. Neal went to the wash basin and scrubbed his hands with soap and water, then dried them on a white towel that hung from a rack on the wall.

I filled him on our visit. “All in all, I’ve no idea what could be wrong with her,” I said.

“I’m stumped as well. Other than a case of severe reactions to pollen or something else in the air. It’s strange, though, because it’s lasted since last fall. At first I thought it was simply a bad cold. But to persist this way is baffling.”

I nodded before finishing the last of my sandwich. “We’ll come up with something,” I said.

“We have to. Or I’m afraid we won’t be able to keep her alive through next winter.” Dr. Neal sat across from me at his desk. “Tell me, Theo, do you have any plans to marry?”

“Not in the immediate future,” I said. “Why do you ask?”

“It’s important for a doctor to have a wife. Especially a doctor who will be delivering babies. It’s an intimate job—if you know what I mean.”

I hadn’t thought of it that way. “I see.”

“Was there anyone back east?”

“No, I was busy with school.”

“Fair enough,” he said. “But you won’t be now. There are a few ladies here in town who would be only too happy to marry Theo Barnes.”

I chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“There’s another thing I wanted to make you aware of. It’s about your brother.”

“What about him?” I tried to keep the edge out of my voice, but it slid in there anyway.

“You know he’s running a bar in the basement of the lodge.”

“Yes, I’ve heard,” I said. “What does that have to do with me?”

“Nothing, really. Other than some of our finer citizens have expressed disapproval. I’m simply bringing it up in case you run into questions or problems.”

“Duly noted.” Once again, my twin was making my life more complicated.

6

Louisa

* * *

As promised, Quinn and Alexander called on us later that day. I left them alone with my parents and went out to take a walk. When I returned an hour later, the Barnes motorcar was no longer parked by the house. I let myself in through the back door, feeling hopeful. We would be all right. Staying at the Barneses’ would give us time to come up with whatever the next phase of our life as a family would be.

What I found, however, ruined whatever hope I had.

Father was on the floor. Mother knelt next to him with her hands on the sides of his face. “Simon, wake up. Wake up.”

I went numb for a moment, unable to understand what I was seeing. “Mother?”

She looked up at me, her eyes wild with panic. “He collapsed. I can’t get him to answer me. Get the doctor.”

I didn’t stop to think or ask questions, turning around and running out the door. Breathing heavily, I ran as fast as I could toward Dr. Neal’s office. Still, it felt like hours before I yanked open the door and stumbled into the waiting room. Nurse Kelley jerked to her feet at the sight of me.

“It’s my father. Something’s wrong. He’s not moving.”