Leanna watch Miss Bronte anxiously as the carriage ride progressed. She noticed the sweat that began to be visible on Miss Bronte’s forehead, and considered saying something to distract her from the pain, but didn’t want to bother her. After a few minutes, Miss Bronte spoke. Leanna focused on her words, trying not to be too worried about the way Miss Bronte had trailed off. She was a little offended at being called young. She was five and a half years old, and that wasn’t young at all. Maybe grownups saw anyone that wasn’t a grownup as young. She chose to ignore the bit about naming body parts, as well, as Miss Bronte wouldn’t be able to see if she pointed to the appropriate parts anyway.

“Don’t worry, Miss Bronte, we don’t have very far to go, now. We’ve already entered the outskirts of the village, and Doctor Smythe’s office is on the main street. “ Leanna paused, a thought occurring to her. “I bet Doctor Smythe knows where the funny bone is. I overheard John telling one of the other stable boys that he’d hit his funny bone once, but it didn’t sound like he thought it was funny at all.”

Leanna gave Miss Bronte’s hand a little squeeze, hoping to reassure her. So far as she could tell, no sane person liked going to the doctor’s. Doctors, in her somewhat limited experience, had a tendency to poke and prod and ask embarrassing questions. The last time she been to see Doctor Smythe, he had been extremely annoying, talking to Mrs. Browne as if Leanna wasn’t even there for several minutes before he even acknowledged her presence. Still, once he had completed his poking and prodding and she had answered his questions, he had given Mrs. Browne medicine for Leanna to take for a week, and it had made her tummy stop hurting, so surely he could help Miss Bronte feel better too.