Prologue

Kent, England. 1882

"Mr. Darwin, you have a visitor." A series of coughs were heard by the maid before an answer.

"Send them on their way. I cannot accept callers at this time."

"Sir, it's Dr. Essex to see you, he says it concerns a letter you sent him."

"Nathaniel? Offer him some tea and tell I shall be down to greet him presently." Charles waved his hands and jumped out bed, throwing on his clothing.

"Of course, sir."

"Forgive my appearance, Nathaniel, I hadn't expected any visitors. To be honest, I had almost begun to think I wouldn't see you in time." Darwin coughed into a silk handkerchief and collapsed into a tall oak chair. "How was the trip out?"

"Unfortunately, it seems Kent has not made the leaps in transportation that London has managed. Still, news of your ill health was important enough to draw me from the city."

"Never did care for the city life."

"Yes, well, I find the overall atmosphere more welcoming to men such as I."

"One of many differences between us." Nathaniel laughed.

"Of all the burdens to scientific enlightenment, ethics must be the saddest. Mental fallacy of the worst kind."

"You can believe whatever you want, Nathan. Come, I want to walk in the garden while I still have the strength." Nathanial held open the door as Charless limped out onto the spring air. The estate on which Charles Darwin lived was extraordinary, long green hills only marked off by a low stone wall that only extended some five hundred odd feet from the house

"How long have you been on that cane, Charles?"

"I fell maybe a week ago, in front of my wife. By the time I was able to get a word in, the doctor had already arrived. Fitted me with this and wouldn't hear a word of protest. " Nathaniel nodded but offered no response, and the two stood, drinking tea for several minutes. "You look the same as the day I met you."

"You're surprised?"

"No. It is why I called you out here, however."

"A scientist to the end?"

"You would expect the painter to put down his brush, or the musician to retire his piano? Death is as natural as anything else the human body does, I refuse to let something so trivial halt my studies."

"We can agree on that article."

"Yes," Charles limped over to the stone wall and sat down, shifting uncomfortably as he did so. "I used to play with my children on this wall."

"I didn't see your family around the manor."

"Shakespere at the theatre. I don't feel too much like limping about town these days. You really don't appear to have aged even a day. It's been almost forty years."

"What did you expect, Charles? You are the one that must suffer the sins of humanity." Charles grunted.

"I find that I am always more impressed by your analytical mind than your moralistic one."

"Morals bore me, Charles. Is this why you so urgently required my presence-an ethics lesson?"

"Hardly. You know why I invited you here Nathanial. A scientist to the end, as you would say."

"Is that all I am to the great Charles Darwin-a study?"

"Mutual respect, Nathanial, mutual respect."