Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Mater est en tablino.

No, mater est en triclinio.

That's right.

-Your Latin's getting very good.

Hey!

Oops. Sorry.

What are you doing?

-I'm trying to figure out how a catapult works.

-We're having a contest at school for Roman Day.

Roman Day?

-We've been studying about Rome.

We're gonna spend a whole day

doing things like the Romans did.

We're gonna make speeches in Latin and even wear togas.

And build catapults!

Whoever makes the catapult

that can shoot a rock the farthest

gets a laurel wreath.

-There's a book in the library about the Roman Empire.

There might be drawings of catapults.

Does it have chariots?

Probably.

Are you gonna ask Sully?

Brian!

Ask me what?

-There's a father-daughter chariot race.

The fathers pull the chariots, and the girls drive them.

Sounds like fun.

-Well, since my Pa's not around...

I'd be glad to.

Sully's like our Pa anyway.

-Dr. Mike and I have been talking about that.

When we get married,

we wanted to know if you'd like it

if we'd go ahead and adopt you and make it legal

so that I'd be your Pa and Dr. Mike'd be your Ma

in everybody's eyes.

That'd be great.

Could you do that?

We'd have to look into it,

but I'm sure there's a way.

-I'm of age, but I think that's a good idea.

Mater sum pater.

Mater et pater.

-Says here, if a child's been left

and the Ma and Pa are still living,

then you gotta get his or her consent.

-But we don't even know where he is.

San Francisco.

We can't be sure of that.

He never sent us a letter.

-That was more than two years ago.

No telling where he might be now.

-But you gotta show you made a -- what do they call it --

a bona fide effort to find him.

-Well, then, we'll put an ad in the San Francisco Chronicle.

-It says you gotta put notices in at least two places.

-Then, we'll advertise in Denver as well.

How long we gotta wait?

-Well, after you file the papers,

the parents got three months to answer.

If they don't, then you get the kids.

-Perfect. Be just in time for our wedding.

But what if our Pa says no?

Oh, he doesn't care about us.

-Chances are he won't even see the notice.

What if he does?

-Well, I'm sure he'll give his consent.

He knows we're your family now.

We just want to make it legal.

It'll all work out.

Let's go.

Let's play the geography game.

Good idea.

Sully, why don't you start?

All right, uh...Mississippi.

Um, England.

-No, Brian. Come on.

England begins with an E.

Matthew, look at that.

-You need something that begins with an I.

Uh, India.

Well, I'm gonna say Africa.

That sure is a fancy carriage.

I wonder who that belongs to.

Your turn, Matthew.

-Nobody from around here, looks like.

-Come on, Matthew. A place that starts with an A.

I'm thinking.

-Look at this, Ma. -Careful, Brian.

-Fancy. -Hey.

Hello, Colleen.

Oh, my gosh.

My, aren't you a vision,

a vision I've been longing to see?

Come here, son!

Well, children, Dr. Quinn, Mr. Sully,

I'd like you to meet my wife, Lillian, your new stepmother.

Stepmother?

I'm pleased to meet you.

Ethan's told me so much about you.

But you didn't tell me how beautiful Colleen is

or that Matthew's not a child.

He's a young man.

That you are, son.

Brian, my, you're gettin' big,

big enough to have your own horse, I reckon.

Tell you what.

I'm gonna buy you one, teach you how to ride.

-I already got a horse. -Ah.

-Mr. Cooper, I take it you saw our...

Yes.

Lillian and I were on our way to St. Louis on business

when we saw your notice in the Denver newspaper,

so we thought we'd stop by and visit.

-How come you never wrote to us?

Yeah, Pa.

-I sent you presents last Christmas.

Never got nothing.

-Well, stagecoach must have been held up.

-The stagecoach wasn't robbed last Christmas.

-Well, something must have happened.

I was wondering why you never wrote back.

I'd better go.

I'll be seeing you.

That you will, son.

Lillian and I are gonna be staying here

for a couple of weeks.

What for?

-Why, to see you all, of course?

It's all right, isn't it, Pa?

What's that, son?

That Ma and Sully adopt us?

Well, I think that's something

that we're gonna have to talk about.

-Well, we'll have lots of opportunities

to visit with each other now.

-Mr. Bray tells me that the Hogan place may be for rent,

so we're gonna be here for awhile.

I'll take you over there.

-Well, it's a little rustic for Lillian.

She's used to servants and clean, white linens,

but I think she'll adjust.

I'll tell her it's a Western adventure.

What're you doing here, Ethan?

-Sully, I have a different life now.

Meeting Lillian has inspired me to set off on a new foot.

Is that right?

By the way, just so I'll know,

what exactly did you tell the children about my departure?

-They were real upset, and we read them your letter.

My letter?

Said you were sorry that you

couldn't take them with you to San Francisco,

but you knew they were in good hands.

They are, Ethan.

I can see that.

And I'm very grateful to you for looking after them so well.

-It's wonderful to have you with us again, Ethan.

And I want to thank you for that generous contribution.

-Very welcome. -My father always says

the soundest investment you can make

is in the spiritual life of a community.

Well, he sounds very wise.

Wise, indeed.

Afternoon, Reverend.

Can we look at the carriage?

Can we, Ma?

-All right. -Thanks!

-Oh, my. A fine-looking horse.

-Look! Look inside!

Where'd you get this rig?

Had it made special.

Awful fancy.

Mm-hmm, only one of its kind.

-It was a wedding gift from my father.

-Colleen, Brian, let's go for ride.

I gotta get home.

Brian?

We gotta eat lunch.

-Oh, do you like deviled eggs? -Yeah.

-Well, because I have fixed a lovely basket.

We could go on a picnic.

-We wouldn't want to interfere with any of Dr. Quinn's plans,

of course.

-I don't have any special plans.

It's up to the children if they want to.

Well, of course they do.

Come on, Colleen.

Look at this.

Cushions are made of velvet.

Ah!

-You can't let them go off with him.

-But he's their father, your father.

And I don't trust him.

-I know what you're feeling, Matthew.

What's important is we get those adoption papers signed.

Best not to start any trouble.

Bye, Ma.

How long will you be?