Nevermore

Chapter 40

I S A A C

The night started with the five boys dusting and sweeping the little cottage while the cranky old man sat in his armchair, reading a book. Mr. Elmore did not spare the time to thank them afterward, and even felt the need to point out the places they hadn't cleaned properly. But at the end of the night, when the boys were done, they saw that the old man had prepared a large table of supper for them in the kitchen.

While they stood around the table (there was only one chair behind it) and enjoyed their meal, they listened to Mr. Elmore with amazement as he told them stories of his youth, of his dangerous days in the army and war, of how his parents had been one of the few 700 survivors of Titanic and how he had luckily refused to join them in the voyage because he wanted to study and get himself into Oxford.

"And did you manage to get into Oxford, Mr. E?" Shawn asked him, hopping on top of the kitchen counter as he took a bite of his bread loaf.

"No. But I got to study at Cambridge." Mr. Elmore glared at the way Shawn was seated. "Now where did your fifth one go?"

It was only then when Isaac realized that Luca wasn't in the kitchen. Looking around, they found the boy in the living room, standing by the antique piano which was leaned against the wall.

"Whatever are you doing there, boy?" Mr. Elmore asked him sharply, causing Luca to take a quick step back from the piano.

"I-I'm sorry, sir," Luca said briskly. "I was only admiring your pianoforte. It's very old, isn't it?"

"Hmph. 1870s. I used to collect antiquities," The old man grunted coldly, observing Luca under his sharp gaze. "And do you play?"

"Yes, sir. I've been playing piano since I was a kid," Luca answered. "I loved it more than anything."

"Then why didn't you study music?"

Any sign of confidence vanished from Luca's face, falling to the floor like powder. "I... my father preferred that I studied somewhere close to home. I always loved books, so I chose to study Literature."

"Do all of you study Literature, then?"

"No." Arthur shook his head in response. "Only Nicholas, Shawn, and Luca. I study philosophy, and Isaac studies Latin."

"I now know about Nicholas and Luca. Why did you choose to study Literature?" Mr. Elmore asked Shawn.

"I want to become a journalist. Like my father," Shawn said proudly, his chest puffed out.

Mr. Elmore scoffed, shaking his head in disappointment. "These people can't teach you anything at college. They try to explain poetry like math, and teach you how to become a writer by taking exams. The world is out there; you can't live it in classrooms, and you certainly can't learn how to live it by reading textbooks."

"Hear, hear!" Shawn bellowed, raising his glass of water.

Ignoring Shawn, Mr. Elmore turned his eyes back on Luca. "Play."

Luca blinked a few times, caught off guard. "I beg your pardon?"

"Play a song." The old man gestured at the piano, sitting on his usual armchair by the piano.