'Everyone dies differently,' I say. 'Some more gracefully than others.'

'And this week has done no favours for his mood.' Didier shakes his head. 'Doctor, I would like to move quickly past this ... incident. I want a swift and painless transition, as I'm sure you do. So if you need anything from me, anything at all, do not hesitate to ask Emile. [...] You needn't leave the chateau. In fact, it's best if you don't. With winter rolling in, you don't want to find yourself caught outside our walls. It would be a great shame if we were to lose two physicians in the space of a week.'

In a small clinic on the prairies, a brain with a paranoid predisposition tries to decipher that as a threat, while another laughs at the suggestion. Didier does not threaten - at least not nearly as adeptly as his father.

'You will not lose me,' I say, with all sincerity. This particular host might succumb to the freezing storms and debilitating illnesses the winter brings, but I will not.