The Wonderful Bouquet

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: The mine

The sun had risen far above the horizon, finally shining not directly into Andrew's study anymore. He opened the curtains to let in the light, and saw Vicky and the children walk through the garden. He smiled at the sight.

The children had become more dependent on their mother, wanting to spend every moment of the day with her. Andrew must admit he was jealous of them, so often he would leave his work behind and join them in the fun.

Just when he was about to walk to the door and make his way outside, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter," he called before turning to the door and seeing Mr. Lennard enter the room.

"Your brother and his wife and children are here, my lord," the butler said. "But the lord of Lindenberg requested a private meeting in your study."

Andrew nodded. "Let him in. And call Vicky and the children. Tell them to meet Madilyn in the parlour. They are in the garden," he added, informing the man. Twas not something usually done, for the staff ought to know where their masters and mistresses were, but Andrew did not see why he should make their lives harder than they were.

Mr. Lennard bowed before making his way out of the study and allowing Thomas to enter.

"To what do I have the pleasure?" Andrew asked his brother with a smile.

But Thomas did not seem too happy like him, for he sighed and put his hands on his hips. "I am worried. Madilyn got crazy, so she sent me to you, upon Gwendolyn and Hazel's request."

Andrew chuckled, thinking that whenever Francis was not asking for his daughter, Thomas' oldest twins were.

But he was happy with the people who loved her so much. Alice was quite shy - even more so than her mother. If she were to make a list of her friend, Andrew was certain everyone on it would be family - just like her parents' list.

"What is your worry?" Andrew asked as he motioned for Thomas to use the chair in front of his desk.

"Hugh," were his brother's words. "He is missing."

"Missing?" he asked surprised.

Thomas nodded. "I wrote letter after letter to him, but I never received a reply. So I went by his house to speak with him in person, but he was not there. His wife said he had not come home in days!"

Andrew understood his brother's panic. He did not know Hugh that well, but he was certain that the man would not leave his wife, children and friends behind without notion.

"You wish for me to help you seek him," Andrew said, knowing he did not even need to ask it.

Thomas nodded as he looked his brother in the eye. "He was searching for Arthur."

Andrew's heart stopped for a while. Again everything led back to his bloody older brother. That man was everywhere at every moment, but nowhere to be found.

He did the most evil of things, and it would be no surprise if he had something to do with Hugh's disappearance. Arthur was resorting to terrible things - like lighting a fire - to destroy any evidence against him. Even a witness would not suffice, for the only people who could witness him doing something bad, was a Brompton. And who would believe the Bromptons after the lies Arthur told?

"We need to find him, Andrew," Thomas pleaded. "Him and Nora."

Andrew nodded, for indeed they had not only one person to find. And chances were that if Arthur indeed had something to do with Hugh's disappearance, he was kept near Nora. So if they found one of them, they would probably find the other one too.