Doctor Thorne Chapter XXXI - The Small End of the Wedge

In which the absence of young Frank Gresham from Greshamsbury casts a shadow over the society and affections of the place, isolating Mary Thorne amidst whispered gossip and social rebuke, while the doctor grapples with the intertwining loyalties of friendship, family, and duty. Meanwhile, Lady Arabella’s distress and precarious health bring about a reluctant consultation of rival physicians, laying bare old enmities and the uneasy hopes of those who watch over her.