Page 349 - The Grotesque Children's Book
P. 349
Chapter 57.
A life bet
There were many things in his conversation with Duke Francesco which worried
Valerius, not the least of which was hearing that Zaccario somehow had finagled his way into
prescribing treatment for Bianca. That was not good, either for Bianca or himself. If Bianca
survived, Zaccario would be credited. If she died, Valerius would be blamed. And blame, in the
eyes of a grieving duke, would turn into despair, then hatred, and then vengeance.
Valerius had promised the Duke he’d try theriac. And so he would. But only if first his
scientific approach with arsenic failed. Valerius believed in science. And now he was betting
his life on it.
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