Chapter 1

Otis got home just in time for supper, but that wasn’t unusual. Dr. Benson never really had set hours and so neither did he. He decided to ease his hunger pangs before he told the family the news of the day. He had always worded things better on a full stomach, and he hadn’t had time for lunch today.

Around the table with him were Mr. and Mrs. Brookings, an older couple with five grown children of their own, who had taken him, his brothers, and his sisters in after their father abandoned them. Also there were Olive, his beautiful nineteen-year-old sister; Ellis, a very precocious and mischievous sixteen-year-old; Mary, fourteen, quiet, and unassuming; and the baby of the family, Carter, who was eleven and much the same as Ellis.

When he’d almost finished eating and there was a lull in the conversation, Otis decided it was time. “I talked to Aunt Eleanor today.”

“How’s she doing?” Olive asked.

“Better than most women her age,” he said. “She told me something interesting today, though.”

Carter set his fork down. “What?”

“Grandpa Miller made me his heir before he died.”

No one so much as twitched for a full fifteen seconds. And yes, he did count.

Ellis recovered first. “What?”

Otis chuckled. “I was surprised, too.”

“Does that mean you’re rich?” Carter asked.

“I don’t know,” Otis said. “It might. And it might not. I’ll know more in a few days when the lawyer comes.”

“Does this mean you’ll be leaving us?” Mary asked.

He put a hand on her arm. “Maybe. If I can get accepted to Jenner Medical School, I would be leaving.”

“You want to go to medical school?” Carter asked.

Otis nodded. “I want to know as much as I can so…” his throat clogged up and he cleared it, “…so nothing would happen like it did with Ma.”

Mrs. Brookings rubbed her chin. “What do you mean?”

Otis kept his eyes on the table and picked at the grain of the wood. “Pa refused to let us get Dr. Benson when Ma was dying. That’s when I started wanting to become a doctor. I know I can’t help those who refuse to tell me their problem, but I want to be able to help everyone who does ask, no matter their illness.”

There was silence for a while in the room. Otis didn’t think he could break it without choking on his words.

Mary leaned closer to him. “I’d miss you a lot, Otis, but I think you will make an excellent doctor.”

Otis patted her hand. “Thank you, Mary.”

“What about the rest of the money? Does he have any properties?” Ellis asked.

“Aunt Eleanor said he has a farm, mill, and factory. Otherwise, I don’t know yet. I’m waiting to find out what all I own first and then decide what to do about it. I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatch.”

“Good idea,” Mr. Brookings said.

No one seemed to know what to say next, so after a short pause, he asked, “Would it be all right for me to go to Joshua’s and tell him and stay overnight if he’ll let me?”

Mr. and Mrs. Brookings exchanged a glance and both nodded.

“That is a good idea,” Mrs. Brookings said. “Joshua will want to know.”

“Thank you,” Otis said. He ate the rest of his meal hurriedly, skipped dessert, and cleaned up his dishes, then packed a saddlebag for an overnight stay.

Otis didn’t have many friends; lots of acquaintances, but few were real friends. Joshua was one of those few. They had hit it off right away when Joshua was home long enough. They had even gone on a trip to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and back once. Boy, that trip was exciting. Rescuing a kidnapped baby, wrapping up some loose ends on one of Joshua’s cases, and all sorts of things. But that’s another story.

Joshua and Otis were quite different in many respects, but they still became good friends. Of course, the fact he had three of the most adorable children in Montana probably helped some.

As soon as he had a change of clothes and his Bible packed, Otis headed out to Joshua’s house on his horse, Blaze.

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