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Back The Art of Dying Save as PDF
Chapters (90)
  1. PROLOGUE
  2. 1849
  3. ONE
  4. TWO
  5. EDINBURGH
  6. THREE
  7. FOUR
  8. FIVE
  9. SIX
  10. SEVEN
  11. EIGHT
  12. NINE
  13. TEN
  14. ELEVEN
  15. TWELVE
  16. THIRTEEN
  17. FOURTEEN
  18. FIFTEEN
  19. SIXTEEN
  20. SEVENTEEN
  21. EIGHTEEN
  22. NINETEEN
  23. TWENTY
  24. TWENTY-ONE
  25. TWENTY-TWO
  26. TWENTY-THREE
  27. TWENTY-FOUR
  28. TWENTY-FIVE
  29. TWENTY-SIX
  30. TWENTY-SEVEN
  31. TWENTY-EIGHT
  32. TWENTY-NINE
  33. THIRTY
  34. THIRTY-ONE
  35. THIRTY-TWO
  36. THIRTY-THREE
  37. THIRTY-FOUR
  38. THIRTY-FIVE
  39. THIRTY-SIX
  40. THIRTY-SEVEN
  41. THIRTY-EIGHT
  42. THIRTY-NINE
  43. FORTY
  44. FORTY-ONE
  45. FORTY-TWO
  46. FORTY-THREE
  47. FORTY-FOUR
  48. FORTY-FIVE
  49. FORTY-SIX
  50. FORTY-SEVEN
  51. FORTY-EIGHT
  52. FORTY-NINE
  53. FIFTY
  54. FIFTY-ONE
  55. FIFTY-TWO
  56. FIFTY-THREE
  57. FIFTY-FOUR
  58. FIFTY-FIVE
  59. FIFTY-SIX
  60. FIFTY-SEVEN
  61. FIFTY-EIGHT
  62. FIFTY-NINE
  63. SIXTY
  64. SIXTY-ONE
  65. SIXTY-TWO
  66. SIXTY-THREE
  67. SIXTY-FOUR
  68. SIXTY-FIVE
  69. SIXTY-SIX
  70. SIXTY-SEVEN
  71. SIXTY-EIGHT
  72. SIXTY-NINE
  73. SEVENTY
  74. SEVENTY-ONE
  75. SEVENTY-TWO
  76. SEVENTY-THREE
  77. SEVENTY-FOUR
  78. SEVENTY-FIVE
  79. SEVENTY-SIX
  80. SEVENTY-SEVEN
  81. SEVENTY-EIGHT
  82. SEVENTY-NINE
  83. EIGHTY
  84. EIGHTY-ONE
  85. EPILOGUE
  86. HISTORICAL NOTE
  87. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  88. Extract from A Corruption of Blood
  89. 1850
  90. ONE

They had been at close quarters and yet unable to communicate. Sarah had felt at once both a powerful need to talk to Raven and a profound gratitude that the circumstances precluded it. In her time here, she had observed that there was much human congress that could be avoided through protocol, decorum and the practical demands of duty. Sometimes it was a frustration, sometimes a relief, and occasionally both at once.

‘Would you like some tea?’ she asked, thinking that in her current state Mrs Glassford was unlikely to be able to make the short trip home.

‘Tea would be most welcome.’

Sarah returned a short time later to find Mrs Glassford already significantly improved. She watched as Sarah poured the tea, a frown creasing her brow.

‘What is your position here? If you don’t mind my asking.’

Sarah smiled. ‘My role is rather unconventional. I help with the patients and administer chloroform on occasion.’

‘And do the patients find this arrangement acceptable?’

Sarah stopped smiling. ‘I’m unaware of any complaints.’

‘That is refreshing. Some would have us believe that making ourselves useful will bring about the end of civilisation as we know it.’

Mrs Glassford leaned forward and placed a bony hand on top of Sarah’s.

‘I have long thought that there should be more to life for a woman than being a wife and mother.’

‘But you were married,’ Sarah observed.

‘Yes. I had thought that it would be an adventure. He was in the army and we were going to live in India. I wished to see the world and experience other cultures. But it wasn’t to be. He died shortly after we arrived, and I was forced to return. If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. Though I suppose it could have been worse.’

‘Worse? How so.’

‘In India there is a tradition that the widow throws herself onto her husband’s funeral pyre.’

Sarah made no reply as she struggled to take in what Mrs Glassford had just said. It brought to mind the burning of witches and martyrs and she decided she must have misheard or misunderstood.

‘The widow is immolated alongside her dead husband?’ she asked.

‘Yes. It is known as suttee.’

‘And would I be right in assuming there is no tradition of the reciprocal?’

Mrs Glassford managed a smile, despite her obvious discomfort. ‘A curious oversight.’

She drained her cup and with some effort got up from her chair. ‘Thank you for the tea. I shall return to my home and rest in preparation for tomorrow.’ As she reached the door she turned. ‘Perhaps we can talk more when I return.’

Sarah hoped that would be the case.

NINE