Martin's fear of blood has not decreased and he almost gags when he has to remove a pencil from a schoolgirl's ear. For all this he is still interested in returning to surgery. Louisa has left town and a visit from ex-student colleague Edith, now a high flyer in private practice, helps sway him. However, when Joan's friend Barbara has an accident caused by Mrs. Tishell's husband Clive, who has gone deaf working on oil rigs, Edith wants to operate on her, but Martin overrules her, feeling, correctly, that Barbara can be treated at home. Edith comes to apologize and has not been in Martin's house for more than a few minutes when Louisa returns, extremely pregnant.