Dust to Dust Read Online Free PDF Page B

there’s much chance of that,’ said Motram. ‘Viruses can’t exist outside living tissue and these corpses have been lying there for seven centuries.’
    ‘But in a preserved state, we hope,’ Harvey reminded him.
    ‘Most preservation methods involve an end to the living state,’ said Motram. ‘Once the host ceases to exist, so does the virus. I suppose it could be argued that one particular method of preservation involves suspension of the living state, but that would involves deep freezing. If this fourteenth-century family actually came up with a chest freezer that’s been running at minus seventy degrees centigrade for the past seven hundred years without interruption, we could conceivably have a problem on our hands.’
    ‘Fair enough.’ Harvey, picked up the port decanter to refill Motram’s glass. ‘Mind you, we could be considering a virus we know nothing at all about.’
    Motram grinned and said, ‘Agreed. If it came from outer space, all bets are off.’

SIX
     
     
    ‘It’s come through,’ announced John Motram, waving the letter he’d just opened in the air.
    ‘That’s nice, dear … what has?’ Cassie was preoccupied with the morning paper.
    ‘Permission in principle from Historic Scotland to investigate the site … subject to on-site evaluation and the presence of their inspector while work is in progress. Any further permissions will depend on his or her assessment of the situation on the ground.’
    ‘Gosh, that was quick,’ said Cassie, looking over her glasses. ‘I thought these things were supposed to take ages.’
    ‘This means we can start as soon as we determine the exact location of the tomb – maybe next week,’ said John, with obvious pleasure and enthusiasm.
    Cassie looked at him thoughtfully. ‘Are you absolutely sure about this?’ she asked.
    ‘Of course I’m sure,’ replied John, astonished. ‘What d’you mean?’
    ‘I mean … have you thought about the dangers that might be involved in opening up a tomb like that?’
    ‘Cassie, I’ve been through all this with the chap at Oxford. It’s been over seven hundred years. No bacterium or virus lasts that long. You’re a doctor, you know that.’
    ‘Mmm,’ agreed Cassie, still sounding doubtful. ‘But we’re talking about Black Death here … and the Le Clerks were experts on preservation. Maybe they found ways of preserving bugs as well as bodies …’
    John could see that his wife was genuinely worried. ‘That’s another of the lines Harvey took. Look,’ he said softly, ‘I don’t believe for one moment that there’s any danger, but if it makes you feel better we’ll be wearing coveralls and masks for the disinterment – actually to prevent us contaminating them , but it works both ways.’
    ‘It does make me feel better,’ said Cassie.
    John continued opening his mail and Cassie returned to her paper until he interrupted again. ‘Damnation.’
    ‘Problems?’
    ‘It’s from the solicitors for the Hotspur Foundation – you know, the people who’re funding the work in the Borders. They’re calling in their part of the bargain. They want me in London for what they call “consultancy work”.’
    ‘What kind of consultancy work?’
    ‘They don’t say.’
    ‘Where abouts?’
    ‘A private hospital in west London, St Raphael’s.’
    ‘Will you go?’
    ‘I don’t have much choice. I agreed to their terms and conditions and they’ve been very generous with funding.’
    ‘So the search for the tomb will have to be put on hold?’
    Motram smiled. ‘For a commercial break.’
     
     
    Cassie left for work and John opened his briefcase to remove a bunch of papers which he spread out on the dining room table. His university had been so pleased about the collaboration with Balliol College, Oxford and the grant money coming in from the Hotspur Foundation that they had been more than helpful in agreeing to his taking time off to prepare for excavation. He had been excused all teaching