2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

Paul Gibson takes the deaths of the children very hard and his addiction to opium appears to be getting worse. What do you think of his refusal to allow Alexi to help him?

I have to wonder about his stubbornness and wish he would let Alexi help. I'm dying to know what the method she hints at with mirrors is.

He really does seem to be getting worse. I'm still not 100% sold on Alexi staying with him out of love. She's trained as a doctor so I wonder if part of it isn't that she sees a person in pain and she wants to help him. Not out of pity but compassion.

Here's a short youtube video about using mirrors to treat phantom limb pain. I suppose there was some version of it even back during the regency era.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrqi1...

That is really interesting. Thanks for the clip, Veronica.

I was going to suggest the same idea, Veronica, but I didn't have a clip (or the ability to get one) to offer.

It's fascinating that mirrors can help "fool" that part of the brain and phantom pain. Thank God for its discovery.

I'm not sure why Gibson won't at least let Alexi try it. He doesn't have anything to lose and a lot to gain.

He's a doctor so Paul knows what the withdrawal from opium is going to be like. Plus, he's an addict...his refusal has everything to do with the stronghold of the addiction on his brain. It will take some momentous event for him to take that step.

I do believe Alexi cares deeply for him. She believes him to be an honorable man.

He is getting worse. You know it's bad when Alexi and Sebastian are actually united in wanting to help him. I believe Alexi loves him, but you can't help an addict unless they want to be helped really.