"No," Arthur said, with a dismissive shrug of his shoulders. That wasn't why. If anything, it would have been easier if that was why - then he could have just given up on his marriage, whereas as things were — sooner or later, he was going to have to try again. And right now, trying felt impossible — not just because of the laudanum, but because nothing over the past few months had convinced him that the trying was actually helping anyone.

He sighed and met Ester's eyes. "I decided it would be easier to just burn my life down," Art admitted, "Than to keep going."

That was what he was doing here, wasn't it? Ruining his life so thoroughly that maybe he wouldn't have to try anymore.

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