After her shaky start in life, Nell continued to thrive. Lucien soothed Jean when she worried she was such a small baby, that she may always be a little child, but that didn't mean she wasn't strong and healthy.

'After all, she's a lot of you and a little of me.' He kissed her gently.

'It's just that the boys gained weight faster, and although she regained her birth weight...' Jean settled the baby in her bassinet, 'she seems to have slowed up a little.'

'She's still making the mark, though,' he put his arm round his wife and stroked the sleeping baby's head. 'She feeds well, sleeps as long as I would expect her to, does what she should do; really Jean, you worry too much.'

'It's my job,' she smiled wanly, 'I'm her mother.'

'...and I'm her father, and a doctor, specifically her doctor.' He led her out of the nursery, 'now, they are both asleep, it's time for your sherry, my whisky and some 'us time', my dear wife.'

Jean giggled, her six week check had gone smoothly, he was gentle and they had resumed intimacy. She had confided in him her worry that she might catch again, as she had done with the boys, and much as she loved her children...

'I understand, darling,' he had smiled, 'we'll use protection for now, then I'll see about having the snip.'

Jean blushed, 'Really, you'd do that, for me?'

'Of course I would. I think our family is complete, unless...'

'No, you're right, and even if I did have another baby, at my age there is a risk of Down's Syndrome or miscarriage, and there is no guarantee it would be a boy. I was lucky with Nell, two children is just right.'

'Boy or girl wouldn't matter to me, just that you were both alright. So that's settled then.'

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Mattie and Charlie settled into the flatlet on the upper floor of the house, joined them for meals and helped with the housework, but otherwise were hardly encroaching on the private time of the doctor and his wife.

Mattie helped with surgery on occasion to lift the load from Jean. Amelia was walking and into everything. Jean didn't want to shut her in the bedroom when there were patients about but the house was so open downstairs. She decided to put a gate in the doorway and try to persuade the rather stubborn little girl to have a nap during the afternoon. Sometimes she just gave up, left Mattie to deal with the patients and took both her girls out into the garden or for a walk to the Botanical Gardens in Ballarat. It was when she was on one of these walks, one day, she bumped into Father Emery.

'Mrs Blake,' he smiled, 'how are you?'

'Very well, thank you, father.' She smiled back, 'I'm glad I've seen you, I keep meaning to call, to arrange Nell's baptism.'

'Well, I'm free now, perhaps...' he waved her in front of him.

'If you don't mind a rather active toddler in your living room.' Jean reached down to grab Amelia's reins before she could make a run for it.

'I'm sure a glass of milk and a biscuit will keep her occupied for a while, if the mother doesn't mind.' He raised an eyebrow. Jean looked shocked, not thinking a priest would have any idea how to placate children.

'The mother doesn't mind at all.' Jean fell into step beside the priest and they headed up to his house.

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'Good walk?' Mattie asked as she heaved the pram through the door. Amelia had finally given up her insistence on walking and was curled up, next to her sister, fast asleep.

'Mmm...' Jean agreed, 'we met Father Emery and organised Nell's baptism.'

'Oh, how was Amelia with that?'

'He gave her milk and a biscuit and now she's putty in his hands.' Jean laughed, 'the service will be the Sunday after next, in the afternoon. Sorry it's short notice but if we don't get on with it we'll be combining it with her wedding.'

Mattie lifted Amelia out of the pram and took her to her cot, to finish her nap, while Jean attended to Nell. She was brought tea by the young nurse, and they sat and talked about what kind of celebration would be had.

'Just a quiet one, I think.' Jean tipped her head to one side, 'the god parents, of course, and their spouses. Nurse Holmes, some of our close friends and family. I'm hoping to persuade Christopher, if he's available.

'Will you want him to go and see Ruby?' Mattie remembered the last visit hadn't gone too well.

''I won't force him to,' Jean sighed, 'but it's up to him. I don't think I'll even suggest it.'

'Probably for the best.' Mattie agreed, 'but what will he do? I mean, Ruby will never be a wife to him again, to divorce her would be harsh, so what is left for him?'

'I don't know, perhaps he should see his priest. Maybe, if he meets someone else he could get an annulment. I'm not sure how it works, I've never had to think about it before.' Jean decided to change the subject, she hadn't been to see Ruby recently, with Nell's illness, which she had not wanted to pass on to anybody and, of course, recovering from the birth. Lucien was due to go in a couple of days perhaps they should all go. 'Now, we need to see about dinner.'

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'You sure about this?' Lucien asked as they put the children in the car. 'Amelia is unlikely to sit still, and I don't know how Ruby will take to a small child possibly touching her art things.'

'Well, if it doesn't work, then I shall have to start leaving the girls at home, I won't take one without the other.' Jean smiled, she too thought it was probably going to be messy, if nothing else. 'But with a short break at the cabin...' Though there would be no chance of 'adult time'.

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After gazing out of the windows for a short while, Amelia dozed off in her seat. The drive continued and Jean remembered all the times they had driven there with Amelia as a baby and while Jean was pregnant, which intrigued Ruby.

They pulled up on the drive and smiled as Mrs Arthur came out to greet them.

'Doctor, Mrs Blake, how lovely to see you.' She smiled her broad, welcoming smile, 'how are you? Recovered I hope...of course you are. You look very well.'

'Lovely to see you again, Mrs Arthur.' Jean held out her hand as Lucien unstrapped Amelia; who had woken as soon as the car stopped; and lifted Nell out of the carry cot. He passed the baby to his wife and took hold of Amelia who was now wide awake and looking to see what kind of mischief she could get into. 'This is Nell,' she showed the sleeping baby, 'and Amelia, you may recognise.'

'Haven't you grown, Amelia?' Mrs Arthur spoke to the older child first, knowing what it was like to be overlooked in favour of a younger sibling. Amelia' eyes were like saucers, she barely remembered this lady, but she seemed nice. 'Are you being a good girl?'

Amelia nodded enthusiastically, and gripped her father's hand, tightly.

'And this is Nell. How sweet. The doctor told me she had been unwell, I trust she is fully recovered?'

'She is.' Jean smiled.

'Well come on in and I'll tell you how Ruby is doing.'

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There was no change in Ruby's condition, she remained healthy and happy but her memories had not returned though she was able to retain everyday tasks and routine occurrences, such as Dr Blake's visits. As Jean had been unable to visit towards the end of her pregnancy and until Nell had recovered from her illness, Lucien had told her all that was happening in the hope she would remember when Jean resumed her visits.

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Ruby was sketching the view from her window when they went over to see her. The trees were starting to lose their leaves and there were birds taking off from the pond in the field beyond.

'Hello, Ruby.' Lucien stood next to her, 'how are you today?'

Ruby paused in her sketching and looked up, 'Dr Blake. I'm quite well, thank you.'

'I'm sorry to interrupt you,' he smiled, 'it's time for your check up and Jean has brought our baby and Amelia to see you.'

'Oh,' she turned round and looked at the others. 'Can I hold the baby?'

'After your check up and when you are sitting down.' Jean smiled, 'we'll meet you in the lounge, shall we?'

'Um, yes, alright.' She took Lucien's offered hand and meekly went out with him.

Mrs Arthur touched Jean's elbow, 'Perhaps Miss Amelia would like some milk and a biscuit, Mrs Blake, some tea for yourself?'

'Would you like that?' She looked down at Amelia who had watched her father take the other lady out. She nodded.

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Amelia settled with a biscuit and a picture book, Mrs Arthur asked Jean about Nell, how old was she now?

'Three months.' Jean adjusted her hold. 'Time flies when you're so busy.'

'Indeed, and how has Amelia taken to being a big sister?'

'Quite well, we include her in everything to do with Nell. She's into everything now she's walking, surgeries can be interesting, if I can't get her down for a nap.'

Lucien reappeared with Ruby and smiled at the sight before him. He sat Ruby next to Jean so she could see the baby and watched as Jean allowed her to hold Nell.

'She's so sweet,' Ruby gazed at the sleeping child, 'does she sleep a lot?'

'Yes, they do when they are so young.' Jean smiled, wondering if she would remember Amelia at this age. 'She'll wake when she's hungry.'

'What will you give her?'

'Milk, just milk. She's too young for anything else.'

'Let me know if you need to warm it for her, Mrs Blake.' Mrs Arthur went to take the tea tray.

'I feed her myself, thank you, though.'

'So few do these days, it's nice to know.'

'She's so light,' Ruby whispered, not wanting to wake her, 'so tiny.'

'She'll grow.' Lucien quickly interrupted, as this was something Jean always worried about.

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After feeding Nell, they headed over to the cabin for the rest of the day. As it was warm they had a picnic by the stream, keeping an eye on the over inquisitive Amelia who seemed to find 'interesting' things to show her parents at every turn. She had no fear of insects and picked up anything that moved to show her father. Lucien patiently told her the names and then suggested she put them back as that was where they lived.

'We really must extend the place,' Jean sighed as they packed up to go home, 'we have to find someone to make it big enough for the four of us.'

We have rather forgotten about that, haven't we, love?' Lucien kissed her forehead, 'I'll see if Matthew knows anyone who would be able to do it.'

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Matthew knew a few builders,

'...but you need to see how much of the land you own.' He warned, 'the Land Registry will be able to tell you.'

'Right, never thought of that.' Lucien scratched his head. 'Just knew dad had the cabin. I'll do that first then see which builder can do what we want. Thanks, Matthew.'

'Pleasure.'

'You and Alice and Paul are welcome to use it, if you want to.' He offered, though he thought it would be too primitive for Alice.

'Ri i i ght,' Matthew muttered.

Lucien grinned at his friend's hesitation. 'Perhaps you could take Paul, and give Alice a day off.'

'Huh.' Matthew grunted and left him to go to the Land Registry. It would serve him right if Thomas had built the cabin without permission.

But Matthew was wrong, Lucien discovered there was plenty of land to extend the cabin, even fence off round the sides so the children would be safe to be left to play.

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Jean doodled on the diary as she talked to one of the builders, her floor plan did not change much from the original. The front living/kitchen area remained the same, but she extended it to give them more space for two active young children. The bedroom stayed pretty much the same with the 'bathroom' next to it. Now she had an 'L' shaped building. She scribbled that out, she couldn't work out where to put the second bedroom. Perhaps... she drew again, at the same time agreeing to a meeting with the builder the following day. This time she made the front living/kitchen area much bigger, effectively separating the kitchen from the living room by putting a wall with a doorway cut into it across which also kept the wood burner in the kitchen. She also thought they should close off their bedroom, move the 'bathroom' to the rear of the cabin, create a hallway and put a small bedroom for the girls opposite their room. Beds built in an 'L' shape with sides they could take off when the girls no longer needed them, it would give them a square space to play in without waking their parents early. They could put a gate across the doorway. It was more of a rebuild than an extension. She signed off the call and sighed. Was it really worth it?

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After consultation with the builder they said they would think about the options and contact him.

'I love going to the cabin, Lucien,' Jean sighed over her sherry, 'but it's awfully expensive for how much we use it.'

'I agree, especially given the restrictions placed on it, the bathroom, the waste water. Perhaps it would be better if we sold the land back to the park and thought about something else.'

'Perhaps something on the outskirts of a small town by a park or woodland area.' She wriggled closer and put her head on his shoulder. 'We could always rent it out for holidays.' A throw away remark, but...

'You know, Jean, that's not a bad idea.' Lucien put his glass down and turned to her, 'the income could pay towards any bills, like the rates, on it.'

'But if it's occupied when we go to see Ruby...'

'True, but it won't always be, especially out of holiday season. We wouldn't use it at Christmas, worth thinking about.' He kissed her head and squeezed her shoulders.

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The park was more than willing to get the land back, and, after some negotiating Lucien got a fair price for it. The builder was disappointed, it had been a good project for him and would have earned him quite a bit of money, but at the same time, he had to admit to Mrs Blake that she was probably right.

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Nell's baptism was upon them before they knew it. Jean had washed the gown again and prepared a buffet for the guests with Mattie's help, and set the dining room out to be welcoming. Amelia got under their feet wanting to help so Jean passed her to Lucien and told him to take the girls out for a short walk while she finished up. They would then have a light lunch, feed Nell and head to church.

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Lucien pushed the pram along the road in the direction of the Lawson home. Jean had told him when he was to be back at the house and he reasoned he couldn't go far so he would go and see Matthew and Alice, and maybe Paul would entertain Amelia.

'Getting under Jean's feet, are you?' Matthew laughed as he opened the door.

'Amelia is, she's trying to help Jean and Mattie with the buffet for the baptism.' Lucien pushed the pram into the porch and picked out his daughter. Amelia had been lifted up by Uncle Matthew as she had decided to make a run down the hall.

'Toddler alert!' Matthew called into the house then set the little girl down again. She knew just where to find Auntie Alice and Paul, in the living room playing a game, which usually involved some of Paul's shells.

'Mum,' Paul whispered, 'Amelia's a bit...'

'Let's put them away, then,' Alice picked up the shells, 'go and get a ball and take her out into the garden ' Amelia had broken a few of his shells the last time she had played with him. Alice had soothed him, saying they would go and get more on their next holiday, but she was a little bit young to understand. He had accepted this, knowing his parents had decided to take a short break at Woollongong again, he liked it there.

Nell slept in her father's arms while he and the Lawson's drank tea and talked about this and that.

'That's quite a good idea,' Alice noted when he told then they had sold the park land and were thinking about a small cottage somewhere. 'Then you'll have proper facilities.' Jean had told her how basic the bathroom was.

'We don't know where yet, but probably near a forest or park. Somewhere quiet.' Lucien smiled, 'she also suggested we rent it out for holidays, it would be better than leaving it empty for long periods of time.'

'Going into the property business is she?' Matthew smirked, 'trying to outdo Patrick.'

'God forbid,' Lucien laughed. He looked at his watch, 'best get back, Jean will want to wash Amelia before church, and she doesn't like it. She says she should have been a boy.'

'It stops her doing what she wants, playing, or getting into mischief.' Alice took the cups to the sink. Lucien had noticed quite a change in his colleague, she was much softer, had slipped easily into the role of working mother and housewife. She was still a damn good pathologist but with more... insight into the human condition, he supposed.

'Amelia!' Matthew called from the back door, 'daddy wants you!'

'No! Play!' She stamped her little foot and Matthew had a hard time not laughing at her.

'Another day. Come on now.' He held out his hand.

'No!' She stuck out her bottom lip. Paul picked up the ball and appeared by her side.

'C'mon 'melia.' He pushed her forward, gently, 'it's Nell's christening today, your mummy will want to get you ready for church.'

She sat down on the grass and wrapped her arms round her in a failed attempt to fold them. 'No!'

'Why do they learn that word first?' Alice sighed.

'Because we say it far too often, to stop them hurting themselves.' Lucien joined his friends at the door and looked at his elder daughter. So like Jean. 'The next one is 'why',' he stepped out to her and picked her up by the straps on her dungarees, carrying her kicking and screaming to the pram, where Nell lay, still sleeping, though not for much longer. The noise Amelia was make, Lucien noted, would wake the dead.

'As a scientist,' Alice laughed, 'I'd like to see that.'

Lucien plonked her in the end of the pram, thanked his friends for the tea and said he'd see them later.

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Jean heard them before they opened the door, both the girls were screaming, Nell from disturbed sleep and hunger, she recognised that, and Amelia from fury. She shook her head and went to meet them.

'Now then, madam, what is all that dreadful noise?' She drew her brows in as she looked at the older child.

'Want play,' Amelia hiccupped.

'Later, sweetheart,' Jean picked her out of the pram, 'Paul is coming to church and then he'll come here with Auntie Alice and Uncle Matthew.' She wiped her face, 'now come and have some lunch with Auntie Mattie while I feed Nell.'

Amelia obediently trotted down the hall to the kitchen and Jean took Nell off her husband and headed to the nursery.

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Amelia had calmed down and accepted her fate by the time Jean washed and changed her into a pretty dress and tied her curls up with a matching ribbon. She was assured she could have her dungarees back on when they got back. Jean had been criticised for dressing a little girl in 'boys' clothes, but she ignored them, dungarees were so much more practical when she was in the garden or toddling around the house. And anyway, she always had a pretty blouse on with them. Jean, herself, had adopted slacks for everyday wear, and Lucien had commented she could even make them look elegant.

'Flattery, doctor,' she had teased, 'will get you everywhere.'

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The baptism went as well as could be expected, Nell hollered when the holy water was dribbled over her head, Jean wondered why they didn't warm it a bit. Ok, so it was supposed to show the devil leaving the child, but...

Amelia wanted to explore the church and had to be restrained, in the nicest possible way, by Uncle Charlie.

'Your time will come,' Matthew whispered as he went to agree to being Nell's godfather, he grinned at the thought, especially as Mattie had declared her intention to have 'hoards' of children. They'd make good parents.

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Amelia was so much happier in her dungarees, running around the garden with Paul while the adults talked over food and drink. Nurse Holmes had been surprised and delighted to be invited to the baptism,

'It's because of you we still have her, and that so many other babies survived. We wanted to say thank you.' Jean told her.

'Well, you're most welcome, but I was only doing my job.' She blushed.

'And if ever you apply for another I will be more than happy to supply you with a glowing reference.' Lucien joined them, 'but I'd rather you stayed.'

'I don't plan on moving on, I like it here.'

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Jean sat with the paper on the kitchen table. The appointments had been cancelled due to Lucien being called to a crime scene, Amelia and Nell were having their nap, she had no housework to do, so what better time than to peruse the property pages in the paper. Ever since they had sold the cabin Jean had been looking, not seriously, it wasn't as if they were about to lose their home, but keeping an eye on the paper just in case something came up.

They had decided to look out towards Mount Clear, perhaps a little beyond, somewhere they could just be themselves. The only condescension would be a phone. With young children, Jean said it would be essential, though the only people who would have the number would be the Lawson and the Davies' families.

'Quick Sale!' That caught her eye, 'two bedroom bungalow, all usual facilities, Dunstown.'

She put a ring round it, the photograph was hazy but it appeared to be a small place, surrounded by trees and set back from the road. There were few other details, other than it needed a 'little attention', estate agent speak for 'run down', or 'in need of modernisation.' Still the price was good and it would leave them with something to do the place up to how they wanted it. She would see if Mattie would have the girls and suggest to Lucien that they go out and view it.

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'Slow down, Lucien!' Jean laughed, 'we'll shoot straight past!'

'Sorry love,' he grinned, he had been like a child at Christmas when Jean had shown him the details for the bungalow, and was very eager to go and see it.

'It could be dreadful, you know.' She had warned him, 'you know how vague estate agents can be.'

'Even if it's little more than a shed, we can make it our own, Jean.' He'd looked at the further details she had picked up from the agent, 'you can choose whatever colours you want, furniture... ours Jean, not what dad left, or has been handed down.'

'I like our house,' she pouted, 'it's our home, warm and welcoming; or so I've been told. Look how Mattie and Charlie are still with us.'

'I know, darling, and you're right. You fill the place with love, and, even if I didn't show it when I came back to Ballarat, it was what brought me back after going to see Li, you and home.' He pulled her into a long slow kiss, to show just what he meant, which led to breakfast being made by Mattie that morning!

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'There! Pull over.' She pointed to the right hand side of the road.

Sitting in the car at the end of the tree lined drive they could just see a small bungalow with a verandah, and a door and screen with a window each side.

'It's like a child's drawing.' Jean smiled. 'Look, there's the agent's car, drive up.'

'It needs more than a little attention,' Jean whispered to Lucien as they wandered through the run down building. Windows needed replacing, the kitchen and bathroom updating, it needed decorating throughout, but... it was structurally sound.

'Size-wise and layout, it's ideal.' He muttered in her ear, 'simple. The girls can have the bedroom at the back, us at the front.' The bathroom separated the two rooms on that side of the building, it was small but serviceable. On the opposite side was the living room with the kitchen behind it, looking out over the overgrown and neglected garden, which Lucien thought Jean would enjoy making it hers.

'We don't need anything else, really,' Jean agreed, 'but it will take some time to get it habitable. I wonder why it is so run down.'

They spoke to the agent who just said the owner wanted a quick sale as he was moving to Queensland. He rarely used the place, apparently it belonged to an aged relative and he just wanted shot of it.

'I'd like to bring my builder out, before we actually say yes.' Lucien stood with his hands in his pocket. 'It will hang on his quote for the alterations and repairs we want, but, as of this moment, I think we are very interested.' He looked at Jean, who nodded her agreement.

'I notice there is no telephone point, is there a line here?' She asked.

'There's a telegraph pole outside, at the back, I believe it can be linked up, but I can check for you.' The agent smiled.

'Thank you.' Jean gave him one of her most grateful smiles, but made a mental note to look into it herself.

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'So,' Mattie and Charlie asked as they sat to dinner that night, 'what's it like?'

'The right size, but dreadfully run down.' Jean put the roast out, 'we're going to speak to the builder before we finalise the details. Part of our offer will depend on his quote for the repairs. There's plenty of garden room for the children, though that needs some attention, too.'

'We'll pitch in, won't we, Charlie?' Mattie grinned, 'I'm sure you can handle a paintbrush.'

They spent the rest of the meal dividing up the potential tasks to get the bungalow habitable, once the builder had done the structural work.

'And you, doc?' Charlie smirked, 'what can Mattie put you down for?'

'Child minding, I'm useless with a hammer, nails or a saw, unless it's a bone saw.' He laughed back at him. 'Jean's more use than me.'

'Oh, I'm sure we can find something for you, dear,' Jean smiled, 'perhaps tea boy...'

'Ri i i ght,' he held his hands up in surrender, 'let's buy the place first.'

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So, a little bit domestic, with not much really happening. Hope it keeps you going until I next update, though this story has just about run it's course.