Medlock soon discovered Neville Craven packed up his chambers and things into trunks and left for London in a carriage in the dead of night.
The next day, Medlock walked in to Archie's study.
"Milord, may I ask, where has Dr. Craven gone? To leave in the night like that was a bit sudden. I only wondered if there was some emergency?"
"Dr. Craven will now make his life and take his practice to London for good. We are not to speak of it again, Medlock. Understood?"
"Yes, Sir."
Weeks and weeks passed, Archie in somber moods, as he mourned the loss of his one brother whom he thought he could place his trust.
Archie was anxious-the thought that he might not be able to have children with Lilias as he knew it was one of her dearest wishes-plagued his mind. The memory of the doctors' laughter and conversation was nightmarish in his head. He agreed to see Dr. Gibson for answers. Archie was quite traditional in his speech and ways and would not find it at all comfortable to discuss such matters or endure an appointment concerning such a private and personal issue, but he felt he must. Dr. Gibson in fact-to Archie's bewilderment-concluded that everything was as it should be with him. There was nothing wrong in his ability to father a son.
Privately, Lilias scheduled an appointment with Dr. Gibson as well. Dr. Gibson suggested that Lilias not become so anxious about the ability to conceive. She and Archie were not quite married a year yet. After an examination, Dr. Gibson said to her that though her body was very delicate-her womb unusually delicately shaped, she should be able to carry a son. There was nothing wrong with her ability to conceive or her fertility for that matter he told her- nor Archie's. She was overthinking matters and rushing into believing there might be problems. Everything was indeed as it should be with Archie's and Lilias's bodies in terms of Archie's ability to father a son and Lilias's ability to conceive and bear the child.
This news was some light in weeks of darkness.
Rain came to Misselthwaite. Another month, and it would be Spring.
Archie and Lilias were in the music room. The rain slapped at the window panes.
"Sweetheart, I have a request...well, a thought...an idea."
"Yes? Tell me." Archie replied.
"What do you say to us hosting a party...a garden party? In our garden...as if introduce the Spring once all our flowers have bloomed? You have not had the chance to bring your camera out into the garden. The perfect opportunity to try it out then."
"It's a lovely idea, darling, but I thought you wanted our garden to remain a secret-a place for us alone?"
"It will still be a place for us alone, for we have the key and can lock ourselves in any day we want." She smiled.
Archie nodded.
"Let us only invite our closest friends. Surely others should know that such beauty exists in our garden. I never am one to want to show off or be the center of attention-that's Rose, but...It would be good for them to admire what we created together." Those words allowed Archie's thoughts to drift to the idea of another of their future creations-a child. He found himself smiling.
"Archie?" Lilias spoke as she noticed her husband seemed lost in his thoughts.
"Sorry, dear. Yes, they may admire its beauty, my darling. It would be grand."