Our place is like the Black Hole of Calcutta for stuffiness.

She is that languid and fretty that we can't get her to eat, so my wife made me take her out for an airing." Malcolm pondered for a moment.

Then a sudden inspiration came to him.
There was a fruiterer in the Strand, and he was just thinking of carrying a basket of fruit to Verity.

He bade Caleb follow him slowly, and a few minutes later a great bunch of roses and a paper bag of white-heart cherries and another of greengages were packed into the perambulator; some sponge-cakes and a crisp little brown loaf were also purchased for Kit's tea, and then they went rejoicing on their way.

As Malcolm walked on he made up his mind that his first act when he arrived at the Crow's Nest would be to take counsel with Elizabeth.
"The child will die if something is not done for her," he said to himself; "perhaps she will be able to suggest something;" but it never occurred to him to confide in his mother.