‘Of course I protested, but he would not hear of my remaining at the hotel. I suggested Mr Gibb might have something to say in the matter, as I had planned to stay in his establishment for a week, but the hotelier simply smiled and shook his head. “We here in Edinburgh do rather much as the professor says,” he told me. And so, within the hour I found myself comfortably ensconced at Queen Street. There I remained for some time – longer than I had originally intended – and there I met Sarah.’

‘You live in Perth?’

‘I had my practice there.’

Raven noted the past tense. He would not be returning, and nor had there been any talk of him setting up a practice elsewhere.

Archie paused for a moment and looked at Raven before continuing.

‘I came to Edinburgh to consult with colleagues about a medical problem. I have an ulcer on my tongue and came to seek advice and treatment.’

‘I see,’ Raven said. He knew now that his theory was about to be confirmed, but felt no satisfaction about being proven correct in his deduction.

‘There have been a number of rather painful procedures performed in an attempt to rid me of it, but thus far they have only been partially successful. I met with Professor Syme again yesterday and he is recommending further surgery, a more extensive operation than before. Because such an operation comes with an attendant risk of considerable blood loss, the proposed procedure would have to be performed without the benefit of anaesthesia.’

Archie laughed, then added: ‘I am of a mind to respectfully decline.’

Raven was unsure how to respond to this. One question was imperative, however.

‘Does Sarah know?’

‘Yes, of course. How could I have kept it from her? After all, it was her intellect and curiosity that attracted me to her in the first place. Was it the same for you?’

Raven was beginning to feel uncomfortable about just how much this man, this relative stranger, seemed to know about him. He was quite unprepared to be as open as Archie had been with him. Perhaps it was easier for Archie because he had greater worries. Or perhaps it was simply easier for him because he had been the one who married her.

He shifted in his seat. Archie seemed to sense his awkwardness and smiled at him benignly.

‘If it’s any consolation, I think one of the things that attracted her to me was that I reminded her of you.’

Raven got to his feet.

‘I am not sure this conversation is entirely appropriate, or that Sarah would like us to be having it. I think that I had better leave.’

‘Oh, don’t be daft,’ Archie replied. ‘Sarah and I have no secrets from each other.’

‘If you truly knew her, you would not be so sure of that.’

Raven had meant it to unsettle Archie, but it made him laugh instead.