In contrast Archie seemed to care little for how their attachment might be perceived. Idle gossip held no fear for a man with his perspective. ‘Life is too short to be held back from pursuing one’s wishes by something as vapid as what other people might think,’ he said. ‘True opportunity is by its nature fleeting and must be seized before it evades one’s grasp.’

Life is too short. Words to live by, indeed.

Nonetheless, it had come as a surprise to Sarah when Archie proposed marriage. Though it constituted an ever-decreasing share of her duties, it was still as a household servant that she was perceived. It was one thing to have a friendship with such a woman, but quite another to marry her.

Archie had made his feelings clear: ‘I no longer need to care about whether someone’s patronage is jeopardised by my conduct, or contingent upon acceptable behaviour and opinions. I know what it is to truly live in a way most men never will.’

Most significantly, he had made it clear that he did not expect her to give up her cherished work at Queen Street. Unlike some, he did not regard it as pointless for her to expand her knowledge in an area from which she was effectively barred. In the circumstances, she had found it difficult to refuse his generous offer.

Sarah not having any surviving parents, Dr Simpson had taken the role of giving her away, and any residual feelings she had for his one-time apprentice were soon forgotten as Archie took her hand at the altar.

It was easy not to think about Raven when he wasn’t there, but she was about to discover the truth of the corollary.

The rustling of newspaper brought her attention back to the room, the breakfast things still littering the table. Sarah stopped herself stooping to clear them once again and this time reached for the bell.

‘My goodness,’ said Archie, smoothing down the page in front of him. ‘Four members of the same family fell ill and died over a period of two weeks. Dreadful. There is always some poor soul worse off than yourself.’

‘Were they very old?’ Sarah asked, still fighting the urge to take the tea tray down to the kitchen herself.

‘The oldest was in her sixtieth year, but her son, his wife and their daughter perished too, all of them previously healthy.’

Sarah looked up, suddenly concerned.

‘What was the cause? Not cholera again?’

Everyone was terrified of its return after the last outbreak.

‘There is no mention of cholera. All natural causes.’

‘Where was this? The Old Town?’

Sarah thought of the squalor she had witnessed there, how easily disease could ravage the unfortunates forced to inhabit the cramped and unsanitary tenements.