"Shooh, woman!" developed with the Dumplings. He discovers that eating the kernels of green almonds are a tasty treat, and invites the Dumplings to do so. All of them get very sick, but Cuffy quickly recovers, and Lallie does not come out of it. Even bringing in another doctor fails to help her. The funeral for Alice Mary Townshend-Mahony makes Christmas for the other children a financial hardship. Part Two Ten chapters. Mary in deep grief takes the children on a seaside holiday at Tilly's invitation. Richard is left at home alone. Richard becomes obsessed with the idea that he has seen Lallie's spirit visit him, and that she informed him about her expensive wax doll with a nose melted in a fire. This information is true, but Mary insists that Richard already knew about it and had forgotten. He continues to become more and more interested in spiritualism. His practice virtually ends and he wonders why he had ever left Melbourne. His dislike of black armbands, an apparent obsession of the locals for funerary customs, and his dislike of prayers for the children invoking "Gentle Jesus" in favor of prayers to a universal God blessing all are seen as rather heathenistic. Mary returns after some concerning letters from Richard who is not coping in her absence. She learns of their debt and sets to work to revive Richard's ailing practice. A visit from the local bishop, even though it doesn't go well creates a boost for business. Hempel having died, Zara is installed as new governess. Richard believes his end is near and advises Cuffy to look after Mary and Lucie after he is gone, but Cuffy seems too young to understand. He is called to help a boy without being told that they suspect a broken leg, and he makes do with the equipment he has brought. At a public gathering, he is asked to speak before the Bishop, who is planning to speak on "Our glorious country: Australia". This peeves Richard so much that he goes into a diatribe that ultimately ends with reiterating the story about Lallie's doll, and gets himself ridiculed as a drunk. Mary considers blasphemous his claim that his ideas are facing the persecutions of the early Christians. Mr. Nankivell, father of the boy he put in splints, claims that his leg is significantly shorter because he fixed it wrong, and is suing