His smile broadcast the positive nature of the news he carried, before he had time to get into the house. ‘It’s as I thought, a bronchial complaint. In addition, the girl is anaemic, which accounts for her pallor and most of her other symptoms. That’s what fooled Denton.’ Dr Elliot plunged his hands into his bag and placed two bottles of liquid on the table. ‘I’ve brought her an iron tonic, as well as some cough medicine.’ Esmé pulled a face when she saw it. ‘I only bring the best medicine for my best girl. It tastes like cherries,’ the doctor told her. ‘It should get rid of your cough. You won’t need the mask any more, so you can take it off.’ ‘Can I go and tell Chad? He’s in the garden.’ ‘You most certainly can, but put your coat on first, then off you go.’ He turned Livia’s way after Esmé went skipping off. ‘If she gets a cold in the future we must be careful it doesn’t go to her chest. The trouble with being in an orphanage is that they only get the bare essentials, and they don’t receive enough nourishment.
