Vermilion

Chapter 20

A month passed after the Haven tragedy.

There had been no news about Zach since that night. His Uncle Thomas' body was the only corpse found inside the burnt Haven though he had seen the younger cousin went in. the possibility of Zach's survival became higher but until now they have not heard a word from him. He was not even seen in Uncle Thomas' funeral.

He bluntly told that the cousin hid because of trauma. Considering the first time they met, that notion was possible for Zach was very emotionally sensitive. But he should have come to them. Zach could not possibly forget that he still got a family.

But it has been a demmed long month. Even the investigators they hired have not given them satisfying reports. He had returned to the village near Haven and asked the people about the missing cousin but they too have not seen him. The twins had made him promise to tell them if there would be news about Zach. In return, they would pray that Zach returns sooner.

Where is he? What is running in his head right now?

"Ralph."

The voice broke his train of thoughts and jolted him back to present. The drawing on his paper became evidently wrong on the scale. The gauge was too wide than the standard. He crossed the work, crumpled it, and threw it aside.

"Ralph."

He heard the voice again but this time it was louder. Looking up, he saw his father staring at him with heavy-lidded eyes. The look evoked consciousness in his appearance and to the mess in his office.

"I'm sorry. Were you saying something?"

"Ralph, son, you need a break. You can't continue like this," Arthur said.

"I'm fine."

"Really?" he said with apparent doubt.

"Really, Father, I'm fine."

"Please, obey my advice, son." Then he watched his father walked toward the door and avoided bumping to any misplaced things in his office. The door opened and closed silently.

He reclined on his chair and slowly ran a look over his office. As far as he could remember, it used to be an orderly place with all his stuff in its rightful shelves and drawers. But as he stared at its present face, he hardly recalled when it started to be a narrow garbage-strewn room with papers left here, there, and on the floor. He hardly recognized hi desk with its pile of used materials and dusting measuring instruments. The books were left open in every corner.

Maybe his father was right after all. His work and the missing cousin had taken a toll from him and he should unwind a little. Just a little.

In that thought, he reached for the decanter of brandy and poured a glass for himself. As the liquid stayed on the glass he held, he could not imagine how he forgot going to a pub or at White's to imbibe. He knew that this would be the first time he would touch liquor after Haven tragedy. He stopped drinking for he believed that even the strongest liquor could not make him forget the dead men and everything he saw that night.

The glass of brandy was put on the desk untouched and he left the office to his room. Minutes after, he went out fully dressed. He hired a hackney and intended to pay a visit to his Uncle Felton.

If there was also a person who was distressed about the situation, maybe it would be his Uncle Felton. His father managed to be calmer for he got a son with him but Uncle Felton did not have anyone to talk with every day. The death of Uncle Thomas and Zachary's missing seemed to upset the earl that the decline in his health became evident these past weeks.