A Bramwell family friend (a former military colleague of Robert), Guy le Saux, returns to London from Canada with a new wife half his age, whom Guy had ""selected"" from a Canadian orphanage. Guy confides in Robert that certain aspects on the marital front have not as yet taken their natural course, but Robert and Eleanor soon suspect he is beating his wife. Meanwhile, Daniel Bentley's widow has a 10-year-old daughter, Lil, whom Eleanor wants to propose for Guy's programme for relocation to Canada. But when Mrs. Bentley catches her son Sidney thieving, she is all too ready to send him off instead. Unfortunately, the all-scientific Guy finds Sidney substandard, on the basis of skull measurements. Dr. Marsham finds Sidney substandard on quite different grounds, when Sidney nicks his razor (and, in the process, nicks himself, as well). Robert ejects his old friend from the house when he is convinced Guy has been beating his wife, but when Kathleen collapses and Robert must perform surgery o

It is February 1896, and a Valentine card arrives, addressed to ""Dr. Bramwell"". Robert assumes (wrongly) that it is meant for him, but cannot imagine who might have sent it. Meanwhile, old Nanny Pat arrives for a visit, and immediately takes a dislike to Kate who, after all, has only worked there for three years. Nanny is full of tales about the new job she is moving on to, but doesn't seem in a hurry to leave.Eleanor has secured a substantial donation for the Thrift, and decides to celebrate by taking Dr. Marsham to a fair in a nearby street. In the ""freak show"" there, they see a young woman, named Rose Tully, with an enormously deformed head, being displayed as ""the biggest brain on earth. When Rose is injured in a disturbance caused by dissatisfied customers, she is removed to the Thrift for treatment. Eleanor believes the deformity is a large cyst which could be removed by surgery, according to a recent paper by a Doctor Woolfenden, whom she consults in the matter. Rose is agreeabl

It is the sweltering summer of 1896, and serious industrial accidents amongst the overworked, underpaid employees of the local brewery are on the rise, partly due to the fact that they are slaking their thirst while on the job. Eleanor is appalled to learn of their working conditions, but finds she must hold her tongue because the Thrift's chief benefactor, wealthy widow Alice Costigan, is not only the brewery's owner, but has also caught the eye of her father, Robert.Finn O'Neill suddenly returns from America, passing through London on his way to a six-week lecture tour on the Continent. Eleanor finds herself drawn to him just as much as before but, though he, too, claims to want to cement their relationship, there is a small political difficulty back in Chicago, where Finn's boss, Dr. Fraser, has ambitions to marry his 18-year-old daughter, Emmaline, to Dr. O'Neill.

Robert has been invited by wealthy Alice Costigan to her country house for a shooting party. He has high hopes of furthering his personal relationship with his hostess, but soon discovers that he has a rival for her affections, in the person of eminent Harley Street physician Aubrey Savier.During Robert's absence, Finn O'Neill returns to London for one day on his return route to America, and Eleanor invites him to stay the night. In the morning, they agree to marry upon his return next June.After returning to London, Alice stops by the Bramwells' house to return Robert's watch, which he had left behind. But her infant nephew Theo is clearly ill, and when Robert diagnoses an interseseption of the bowel he advises immediate surgery. Alice, however, is averse to the idea (her late husband had died ""under the knife"") and calls in Aubrey Savier, who suggests inflation of the bowel as an alternative. Next day, however, little Theo is worse than before and Robert, now with Eleanor's support,

It is October 1899 and the country is gripped by patriotism as the second campaign of the Boer War commences. Eleanor becomes the examining physician for the local Army recruiting station, to the annoyance of more than one officer, as well as Doctor Marsham, who does not approve of such duties for his fiancee. When a Dutch national is brought to the Thrift for treatment of injuries suffered in a racist attack by some British soldiers, there is staff dissention and further friction between Eleanor and Joe Marsham. When Eleanor meets the dashing young Major Guy Quarrie, she quickly falls under his spell.