The Doctor's Family - Chapter 4

'The Doctor’s Family' (1861) by Scottish author Margaret Oliphant is a beautifully observed Victorian novella, set in the fictional English town of Carlingford, a little out from London.

In Chapter Four, Dr Edward Rider sees just how determined the young Australian woman really is.

After a tense scene at the hotel, she requests that they drive out together to inspect a humble cottage she hopes to rent. Their long buggy ride — and the visit to the small, shabby house she has set her heart on — shows Edward the full extent of her responsibility, courage, and self-sacrifice.

A quietly revealing chapter that deepens the story and shifts Edward’s understanding of the burden she carries...