Unexpected Outcomes

Lets go and finish this

Several weeks later

The weeks following your death were trying to say the least.  Jacob quickly became uninterested and uncommunicative with those around him, choosing instead to become increasingly withdrawn and rarely step from his private car on the train.

Evie would look on, her brow furrowing in concern at the seeming downward spiral her brother had taken himself on "poor laddies nursing a broken heart Ms Frye" Agnes would explain when she'd carry back yet another trayful of untouched food  "tis just time he needs Miss Frye..... That's all, I'm Sure of it " she would sigh

It was a particularly dark and miserable autumn evening, the sun had breathed it last weakened gasps of summer sunshine and the capital was soon threatening to be enveloped within the long pea soup thick smogs and life draining freezing frosts of winter once again.

With a deepened determined sigh, Evie secured the last fastening on her thick assassin coat before picking up a folded manuscript from her desk and placing it securely inside her coats lining for safe keeping.

"Right!" She huffed deliberately  before She stepped purposely from the neatness and order of her own carriage and headed tentatively into her twins.

Jacobs car was dark, the blinds down, the dim glow from the oil lantern lit closeby barely gave Evie just enough light to find her way amongst the random litter of papers and empty bottles that had been strewn haphazardly across the floor.

Her nose crinkled at the thick musty smell of stale liquor that hung heavy in the carriage.

"Jacob?" She tested softly as her eyes lifted from the littered disorder of the floor and found his darkened form sat lounging back at his desk. His ankles were firmly crossed upon the surface and his body slumped deep within the chair.

His meagre, sorrowful state brought a sympathetic abatement to Evie's intended harshness. With a softened sigh, She tentatively stepped through the mess and lowered herself down upon the chaise close by.

"Jacob?"  She attempted again as she watched him nonchalantly tear a page from the leather bound book he was holding. Without word he crumpled the page nosily before taking aim and tossing it, attempting to land it in the waste paper bin that sat some distance away.  Evie's brow furrowed as the page landed just short of its target and rolled into countless other failed attempts.

"I've not seen you lately" she said softly as she turned her attentions back to him. The soft glow of the nearby lamp bathed his face and for the first time Evie saw the tired pain etched upon his now heavily whiskered face.

"That's because I've not been out much" he husked sharply before he tore another page from the book and took aim once more.  she paused and  watched him throw the paper across the room missing his intended target  once more.

"I'm just on my way out if you fancy joining me?" She broached carefully, her head tilting sympathetically

He stifled the suggestion of a laugh within his nose as he began to tear yet another page out "do I look like I want to go out?" He replied quite sharply.

Evie's eyes narrowed slightly  as she tried to glance a closer look at the book he was destroying.

"Jacob?......Jacob is that your Silas Marner book?" She asked inching slightly forward on the chaise, a little taken back "but you love that book!" She added as he tossed it slightly more vermantly this time

He cast his head back in the chair, allowing a loud laugh to bellow from his chest. "That's a good one sister!" He smiled as his laugh quickly slowed "'love' it's a funny thing isn't it hm?........ I've finally drawn the conclusion that Love is for losers" he seethed as he tore another page out