Fiction Reviews Nuns And Soldiers By Iris Murdoch

 

Guy Openshaw is dying of cancer, he is confined on his bed, in a luxury apartment in central London.

He is assisted by his wife Gertrude Openshaw and by the Count, a Polish immigrant.

The apartment is crowded with people who want to say farewell to Guy. The flux of these persons are managed by Gertrude, her main thought is thinking on how her life will be without Guy.

After his death she receives a rich inheritance.

Guy tells to Getrude that she can marry the count if make her happy.

Gertude is devastated by the loss of her husband, she is comforted by Anne Cavidge, their plan is to live together.

Tim Reed is a penniless artist who is on the brink of bankruptcy as he will no longer receive the money given to him by Guy when he was alive.

Tim asks Gertrude to be helped, his desire is satisfied giving him the role of caretaker at her remote house in the South of France.

Gertrude, oppressed by the grief, decides to go to France to change the air. 

Gertrude,  in a moment of weakness, falls in love with Tim. They decide to marry despite the negative opinions of her friends. 

Their relationship is jeopardized by Tim, who can't separate himself from Daisy. A diabolical plan emerges. Gertrude must believe that Daisy has left the scene after having interrupted her relationship with Tim. The reality is that Daisy and Tim will continue their secret relationship, Gertrude is unaware that she also has to maintain Daisy.

The marriage is ended, Tim suffers greatly. The count writes a letter to Gertrude, saying that Tim is still in love. He returns to France, his desire is to see Gertrude again. As he approaches the French house, he nearly drowns on a canal.  He sees Gertrude again, and their love affair resumes without interruption.