Love Takes Wing

##[Woman Vocalizing]

[ Horse Whinnies ]

- Hyah! Hyah!

- ##[ Vocalizing Continues ]

[ Horse Whinnying ]

[ Woman's Voice ]

Dearest Belinda...

Your father and I were glad to hear

you're off on your journey west...

though I must confess we can't help

but worry about you.

I know how difficult your life has been

since Drew's death last year...

and I wish there was more

we could do to help.

I hope the new start in Missouri

will be just the change you're looking for.

just remember that no matter

how far away you go...

you will always be welcome

back in Anderson Corner.

Your journeys can always

bring you back home.

And know that you are always

in our thoughts and prayers.

Please write to let us know

when you have safely arrived...

and give our regards to Annie.

Thank her for being able

to stay with you for a few weeks...

before she goes

to her own practice.

Love, Mama.

Can't sleep again?

Thinking about Drew?

Yeah.

I 'm worried about

the children in Sikeston.

You're an amazing doctor.

And you can take care of anyone.

You and I both know that's not true.

I couldn't save Drew.

##[ Vocalizing Continues ]

[ Horse Whinnies ]

[ Horse Whinnies ]

- [ Bell Tolling]

- [ Chattering ]

##[ Continues ]

[ Horse Whinnies ]

[ Horse Whinnies ]

- [ Horse Whinnies ]

- [ Chattering ]

- Ho! Ho!

- [ Horse Whinnies ]

Morning, folks.

- Welcome to Sikeston. Ma'am.

- [Rooster Crows ]

- Here.

- Thank you.

- [Man ] I'm gonna talk to her

about it, see what she says.

- [ Woman ] That's a good idea.

Why, it's lovely.

- What is?

- Sikeston.

There's nothing here.

Annie, what were you expecting,

an opera house?

I don't know what I pictured exactly.

I certainly didn't think

it would be this...

primitive.

[ Chuckles ]

[Footsteps Approaching]

[ Chattering]

Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you.

I don't know who

we're supposed to speak to, but-

Mayor Evans,

I can't believe you'd put the interests...

of those no-account orphans

over the good of this town.

I am doing no such thing, Ray.

Thank you, Cyrus.

I am trying to be fair to everyone.

There's no reason to believe those

children are a danger to anybody.

You tell that to my brother.

The entire town is sorry

about what happened to Carl...

but you can't blame his death

on the orphans.

I- It could all be some

terrible coincidence.

Ah, you might be, uh, looking for me.

Please, come on in.

I am Maxwell Evans, town mayor.

- Belinda Simpson, the new doctor.

- Welcome.

Well, thank you, Cyrus.

Uh, you can go, please. Thank you.

I trust you were told I was a woman.

Oh, absolutely. Yes. Uh, but I was

expecting one woman and not two.

Oh. This is my friend, Dr. Annie Nelson.

She'll be taking over as the circuit doctor

for the Kansas Territory...

but the position

doesn't open until next month.

- She'll be staying with me until then.

- Oh.

It's a pleasure meeting you, Mayor.

It's a beautiful hotel.

Thank you very much.

Welcome to Sikeston.

If youll permit me,

I'll escort you over to the clinic...

and we can, uh, get you

all settled in to your new home.

Thank you. And then I'd like to see

the sick children as soon as possible.

Uh, yes. Of course.

Right up here.

Well, here we are.

- This is my clinic?

- Uh, yes.

We have made plans to expand it...

but something always seems to come up

that needs tending to.

You understand. Uh, you're gonna

want to take those inside.

The living quarters are through

the clinic and up the stairs.

Come right over here.

[ Door Hinges Creak]

When was the last time

you had a full-time doctor here?

Well, Doc Ross died six months ago.

We've been pretty much

on our own since then.

Under these conditions?

Yes. For 30 years.

And I don't ever recall him complaining,

as a matter off act.

We'll fix this place up in no time.

Well, given the nature of the illness

at the orphanage...

I would guess that house calls

might be a necessity.

The children- the sick ones-

have all taken to their bed.

But it's not just the orphans anymore.

In town, Carl Russell died two days ago.

And john and Meredith Pine

have come down with it as well.

The sickness is spreading, Doctor,

and the town is getting a little edgy.

And quite frankly, so am I.

Y- Your quarters

are at the top of the stairs.

[ Horse Whinnies ]

[Annie ]

Well, it isn't that bad.

At least there's a balcony.

- ##[ Woman Vocalizing]

- [ Chattering]

[ Exhales Deeply ]

Do you think all frontier towns are like this?

A lot of them, yes.

I knew it would be a change

leaving Boston.

The two of us went through three years

of medical training...

at Boston University without so much

as a lick of help from the men.

And without a woman in sight.

You're gonna be fine.

And so am I.

[ Exhales ]

##[ Continues ]

- Hello, Lee.

- Mayor.

That's, uh, Lee Owens. He's been the smithy

here for years. Here. Step over here.

[ Birds Chirping]

Well, here we are.

[ Scoffs ]

You aren't coming inside?

No. I, uh- I have some appointments

this afternoon.

Um, but I'm sure we'll be

seeing each other soon.

So if theres anything that I could do

to make your stay here...

in Sikeston more comfortable, you, uh-

you just let me know, all right?

Until then, good day.

[ Groans ]

I'm sorry. We're not accepting

any visitors at this time.

I'm not here to visit, Miss Clarence.

My name is Belinda Simpson.

I was sent here to tend to the children.

I was told we'd have a doctor...

but-but I'll take a nurse.

- I am a doctor.

- Sorry?

I'm not a nurse.

I'm the new doctor in Sikeston.

Please come in.

Follow me.

[ Sighs ]

Pardon me.

Where are the children?

Oh. I try to keep

the healthy children outside in-

in the- the fresh air as much as possible.

Ah.

Ma'am.

All I'm saying

is something's gotta be done.

Evans thinks we're just gonna stand by...

and let our families suffer for the deeds

of these orphans. Well, we need to show him.

- We need to show him who's really in charge here.

- Ray.

You're driving away all my customers.

Not my fault if these people

don't want to listen to reason.

Apologies, ma'am.

[Birds Chirping]

We lost one just this week.

Lost?

I'm not sure what this

illness is called...

Dr. Simpson...

but, uh...

it's unlike any kind of

influenza I've ever seen.

[ Exhales ]

On any day, this orphanage...

is home to about 30 kids.

When the sickness started...

it hit five of my charges

in the first week.

- [ Child Groaning]

- And at the end of the month-

Three died.

I've got 10 sick.

Hello, sweetie.

Dropped your doll. Here you go.

- Huh?

- [ Girl ] Thank you, Miss Clarence.

I've enlisted the healthy children

to run the place...

but-

[ Sighs ]

I'm worried that I-

I'm endangering them too.

[ Exhales ] Lillian's the only one

who will work in the ward.

May I?

Oh, please.

It's very nice of you

to help the other children.

I don't need help.

It's an important job.

And nobody does it as good as me.

I had no intention of taking your job

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