When London Burned Chapter 17 - Smitten Down

When London Burned Chapter 18 - A Stroke of Good Fortune

In which Cyril, restored to health by daily rowing and the winter air, receives astonishing news that the former owner of his father’s estate, moved by gratitude and conscience, has bestowed the ancestral lands upon him, altering his prospects profoundly. The episode concludes with Cyril renewing old friendships in Oxford and preparing to journey forward under the auspices of Prince Rupert and the King’s favour.

When London Burned Chapter 17 - Smitten Down

In which Cyril, after a startling encounter with John Harvey, contracts the Plague and undertakes a rigorous regimen of sweating and fumigation to drive out the disease, guided by the wise counsel of Dr. Hodges and the steadfast care of John Wilkes. As he gradually recovers from this harrowing illness amid the desolation wrought by the Plague in London, Cyril finds solace and renewed hope in the companionship of Shakespeare’s works and the invigorating prospect of river sailing.

When London Burned Chapter 16 - Father and Son

In which Cyril tends diligently to a family stricken by the Plague and encounters the harsh realities of illness, discipline, and human frailty amidst the city’s fearful trials. He also comes to know the resolute Mr. Harvey and his household, whose troubles deepened by a violent visitation unveil the bitter sorrows and moral struggles of a father and son set in tragic opposition.

When London Burned Chapter 15 - The Plague

In which the dreadful Plague advances slowly yet surely through London, testing the courage and resolve of its inhabitants, while Cyril Shenstone, recently recovered from wounds, resolves to face the pestilence with calm fortitude and offer what aid he can amidst widespread fear and despair. Amidst the melancholy scenes of afflicted households and tireless efforts of clergy and physicians, Cyril is entrusted by Dr. Hodges to oversee a noble experiment in care and fumigation, stepping quietly into the solemn duties that lie before him.

When London Burned Chapter 14 - Honourable Scars

In which the valorous young Cyril Shenstone, despite grievous wounds and burns received in the heat of naval combat, is tenderly cared for at Captain Dowsett’s household amidst the stir of London’s uneasy anticipation of the Plague. The tale unfolds with tales of bravery and hard-won victory, yet there is a sombre shadow cast by the creeping dread of pestilence that draws the household to consider flight to safer climes.