Contents

Map of Warwickshire 1787

Prologue

Family tree: From the 4th Baronet Boughton of Lawford to the 10th Baronet (1663–1856)

Family tree: The early Boughton line

1. Poison

2. The Following Days

3. The Major Players: The Boughtons

4. The Major Players: The Cursed Quartet

5. The Major Players: John Donellan

6. The Major Players: John and Theodosia

7. ‘Wonderful News …’

8. A Very Long Winter

9. The Trial Begins

10. ‘No Such Thing’

11. ‘Not Particularly Intended for Anatomical Pursuits’

12. A Man of Judgement

13. ‘Against Him Every Circumstance’

14. ‘With My Last Breath …’

15. Aftermath – The Female Line

16. What Killed Theodosius Boughton?

Notes

List of Illustrations

Further Reading

Acknowledgements

Index