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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

‘One of the great benefits of my condition is that I can be honest without fear of the consequences.’

Raven remained on his feet.

‘Then you will indulge me if I am equally candid,’ he said.

‘Fire at will.’

‘If you are as ill as you are implying, why did you marry her? Do you love her, or did you merely need someone who would be obliged to take care of you? She was a housemaid after all and is well used to hard labour.’

‘Neither of us would be having this conversation had she been merely a housemaid,’ Archie replied. ‘But I suspect you think that I have taken advantage of her good nature. I don’t suppose I can blame you for that.’

He got up from his chair and moved towards a cabinet in the corner of the room, from which he removed a decanter and two glasses. He poured a measure of what turned out to be rather good brandy into both and offered Raven a glass.

‘I know that this is difficult for you, but I would like for us to be friends.’

Raven took the drink and sat down again, thinking to test Archie’s new-found enthusiasm for honest conversation.

‘Did she know how serious your illness was when she agreed to marry you?’

‘That a cure is unlikely? Yes, she did.’

‘And do you think that is perhaps why she agreed to marry you?’

‘You think it was unfair of me to ask? I long pondered that question myself. There was a growing mutual affection between us. Plenty of people get married without that.’

‘But in the circumstances, it would have been hard for her to refuse.’

‘If you know her as well as you claim, then you will also know that she would not be forced into something against her will or better judgment. I have not deceived her in any way and there are a great many benefits for her in marrying me.’

‘Guaranteed loss and pain do not seem like much of a benefit to me,’ Raven muttered, downing the rest of his brandy in one gulp. The burn in his gullet felt good. Counter irritation.

‘I have given her status,’ Archie said, ignoring Raven’s surly comment. ‘Should the worst happen – when the worst happens – she will inherit my money, and with it certain freedoms and opportunities. Believe me, Will, I have her best interests at heart.’

Raven sat quietly for a moment as the truth of what Archie had said began to seep into his irritable mind. He knew his ire was being misdirected. He was angry with himself more than Archie. There was little point in resenting Archie or Sarah for seizing something he had lacked the fortitude to pursue himself.