As night falls,Dr Gibson arrives, much to Molly's relief. He tries to get Aimee to eat, but she remains unresponsive. The doctor carries little Osborne into the room and the child, his sleep disturbed, begins to cry. At this, Aimee stirs and reaches to comfort her child. Dr Gibson takes advantage of this and manages to get her to take some nourishment. When the doctor rejoins them downstairs, he says that Aimee's mind seems to be wandering, and he's afraid that she's going to be seriously ill. The Squire, remembering that his son is going to be buried in the morning, retreats into depression once again, and Dr Gibson tells Molly to go to bed, because between the funeral and caring for Aimee, the next day is going to be very hard. He also tells her that Cynthia has decided to return to London indefinitely. This proves true, and Molly is sorely overworked, on that and many days and weeks to come. Not only must she direct the nurses in their care of the dangerously ill Aimee and listen to the Squire alternately mourning his son and praising his grandson, but she must also see to the house and servants as, in his grief, the Squire has let a lot of his responsibilities slide. Finally, Dr Gibson pronounces Aimee out of danger and, looking at Molly, realizes with a shock how thin and worn she has become. He tells the Squire that he is taking her home to rest, and the Squire, who loves Molly as a daughter, worries that she has been made ill by everything that has happened.
Once Molly is on the mend, Cynthia is persuaded by her mother to return to her interrupted visit in London. One day not long after this, Molly comes downstairs to find a bouquet of flowers from Roger who, Hyacinth informs her, has returned to the Hall after obtaining a leave of absence from his scientific expedition. Unable to rest, Molly waits all day for her father to come home and tell her about seeing Roger. She asks the doctor if he is much changed, and he says that Roger is tanned, more muscular, and has grown a beard. He also says that Roger is determined not to accept Cynthia's dismissal of him until he has had a chance to speak to her in person, much to Hyacinth's annoyance.