Pamela and Donald met Kate in front of the massive gates at nine that morning. The reporter said a fond good-bye to the nuns, promising them she would visit at the first opportunity. She stepped up into the carriage and slid in next to Pamela.

     "How was your stay?"

     "Wonderful. I’ll have to tell you all about it."

     "After our visit with Joshua, I hope."

     Kate’s face lit up. "Is that where we’re going?"

     Donald smiled, "That’s where we’re going. Your friends, Clancey and Lottie are already there."

    "How is he?"

    "Much better. So much better, in fact, that he’s been a real problem for the staff. They’ve had to switch his doctor for a third time. The man wants to go home."

     Kate shook her head with a smile, "Poor Josh."

     "Poor Josh?" Donald snorted. "He’s driving everyone crazy. We’re counting on you to keep him appeased for a little while longer."

     "I’ll do my best." Kate saluted with a laugh.

     When the group arrived at the hospital, Donald left the ladies to attend a meeting with his colleagues. Clancey and Lottie met Kate and Pamela in the front room then the four of them climbed the stairs to Joshua’s room. Joshua was nowhere in sight.

     Pamela flagged down a passing nurse."Where is Joshua Bolt? The patient who was in this room? Tall, blonde, he had pneumonia and..." Kate explained.

     The nurse raised her hand. "Please, Miss, there isn’t a staff member here that doesn’t know Joshua Bolt. He’s made quite a name for himself. Are you relatives?"

     "Friends." Pamela smiled.

     "Well, his new doctor prescribed an outing for him in the gardens. We’re hoping the fresh air will improve his disposition."

     Katie laughed, "I’m sorry that he’s been a problem for you. He’s really not like this."

     The nurse grinned, "I’m sure he’ll be himself again, once he returns to his own environment. The staff hopes that will be very soon." She pointed the group to the doors that led to the gardens.

    Katie chuckled as they walked toward the exit, "I’ve been waiting years to tattle on Josh to Jason. He was always such a good little boy. I should wire Seattle tonight!"

     The garden was beautiful even in early autumn. Crimson flowers bloomed along the paths beside trees that burned bronze and gold.

     "There he is!" Kate spotted him at the far end of the garden wall. He was sitting in a wheel chair speaking with someone in a white coat. This person must have said something amusing because Joshua suddenly gave a hearty laugh. The sound of it made his visitors’ hearts dance.

     Joshua saw them standing together by the hospital."Hello! Everyone, over here! I want you to meet the person responsible for rescuing me from that four walled prison of mine."

     Lottie was the first to approach them. "Doctor, thank-you for..." That was as far as the woman got for the doctor spun around to her and smiled.

     "Hello, Lottie. It’s nice to see you again."

     Katie was astonished to see that the doctor who had kept Joshua under control was a young woman.

    "Allyn!" Lottie cried out, giving the woman a big hug. "Allyn Wright, of all people."

    Clancey beamed. "Why you shameless wench. What are you doin’ here?"

    "Hello, you old sea dog!" the "wench" replied, giving him a peck on the cheek. "Two years haven’t changed you one bit."

     "No, he’s still as ornery as ever!" Lottie agreed. For the next few minutes, the three friends chattered on, merrily catching up on the news since they’d seen each other last. Pamela had known Dr. Wright but had no idea she had connections with these people from Seattle. She listened to their stories with interest.

    Joshua noticed that he and Kate had been forgotten for the moment, so he wheeled his chair over to her. "Hello, Cricket. I’ve heard you’ve been hiding yourself away for the past few days. I’ve missed you."

    "I missed you too. I had some thinking to do." She changed the direction of the conversation before he could ask anything more. "You’re looking so much better, Josh."

     "I feel wonderful. Allyn says I can leave here later today."

     Kate’s heart soared. "That’s great news!" She paused and looked over at the merry-eyed doctor. "Who exactly is Allyn?"

     Josh willingly gave her a quick history of Seattle’s first doctor and good friend. "...she returned to San Francisco before the year was out. That’s when Doc Mohr came to us."

     Allyn realized her patient had left the little circle and came to wheel him back toward the others. "You can’t go wandering off, Joshua. I’m responsible for you, you know."

     Kate smiled at the fact that tiny Dr. Wright could keep Joshua under control. How did she do it?

     Joshua introduced the two women and they shook hands.

     "So this is the amazing Miss Macready. Joshua has told me plenty about you since yesterday. He said you revived him on the Seamus."

     "Clancey told me." His grateful smile made her blush.

     "I couldn’t let you die, Squid. Who would I have in my life to make it a challenge?"

    Everyone laughed, then Allyn said, "We’ve been outside enough for today, Joshua. I want you to get a little more rest before I let you back out into that cruel world."

    This was news to Lottie and Clancey. They happily began plans for their trip back to Seattle. Kate walked behind the group watching Dr. Wright with interest. Here was a professional woman, who had left San Francisco to venture out into the wilds of Seattle but had returned to the big city again. Why, the girl wondered.

     When Joshua had been returned to his room, Lottie and Clancey were given their time to visit. While Kate waited for the others to finish, she went looking for Allyn who had withdrawn to her office to begin Joshua’s release papers.

     "Doctor Wright, may I bother you a moment?"

     Allyn placed the papers down and sat behind her desk, motioning for Kate to sit beside her. "You won’t be bothering me at all. What is it, my dear?"

    Katie took a deep breath. "I don’t know how to say this. We’ve just met and I want to ask you something that might be too personal..."

    "Ask me anything, Miss Macready." Allyn smiled, "Joshua tells me you are an excellent reporter. I’m sure you won’t hurt my feelings. What is it you want to know?"

    "You went to Seattle to practice medicine but you only stayed a few months. Why is that?"

    Allyn formed her answer carefully, "Seattle was my first real position and I’m afraid the challenges I faced there were too much for me. It was such an isolated area. I had no other doctors to compare notes with. Not only that, the brides and the men in town had a difficult time accepting me as their doctor. There were a few exceptions but the majority of the residents just didn’t want me around."

    "So you were forced out?"

    "I wouldn’t say I was forced, I just got tired of facing the silent resistance. To be completely honest, I also missed the variety of cases I had here in San Francisco. Seattle needed a midwife more than anything. I stayed long enough to be certain the Perkins baby was active and strong enough to survive childbirth. Once I was home, I started my practice. Have I answered your questions?"

    "Oh, yes, thank-you, Doctor."

     The girl started to rise but Allyn placed a hand on her wrist.

    "It seems you are facing much of the same challenges I faced, Katie, but there is one major difference between us. I was only a visitor in Seattle: I passed through without leaving much of a mark, but Seattle did leave its mark on me. If things had been different, if I were not so settled here, I would go back to Seattle in a second. It’s a beautiful place with a bright future ahead and some very handsome residents."

     Kate smiled, "It is that. I need to make some decisions about my life, Doctor and I hoped I could learn something from your experiences. Thank-you for sharing with me."

    Allyn walked Kate to the door. "Joshua has told me of your history. He also told me a few things I don’t think he realized he was saying."

     "What was that?"

     "He cares for you a great deal."

     "That’s what makes all of this decision making so difficult!" Kate sighed.

     The doctor held her hand on the doorknob for a moment. "Katie, the one thing we women can not claim or attain through sheer will power is the heart of a man who will love us the way we need to be loved. If ever you find a man who will do that for you, hang on to him as best you can. Any hardship or loss in the area of your profession can be endured if you have someone who loves you with all his heart standing beside you."

    Kate smiled, "Doctor, Seattle would be very fortunate to have you back." She guessed at something the doctor hadn’t mentioned, "Jason hasn’t changed. He’s still handsome, wise and unattached."

     Allyn blushed and waved her off, "Go see the patient."

     Joshua was in good spirits when Kate entered the room. He was going home. Katie only had time to tease him about his reputation among the hospital staff when Pamela stuck her head in and told her that she and Donald were on their way back to her parents’ home. The couple offered her a ride back to Nobb Hill with them. Clancey and Lottie were going to take in some sights around town before returning to pick up Joshua later and bring him to the Wilkerson home as well.

     Kate agreed to leave with them, gave Joshua a quick hug good-bye and promised to see him at supper.