All of this was uncomfortable, scary, no, maybe disturbing was the best word. Mr. Carrington looked like he was about to fall over and die, the servants were searching the grounds while they were sitting here not drinking brandy, one of the Carrington children might have harmed Miss Pearl, he still had no idea where Joe was, and all of this might just be a trick to distract him.

He wanted to excuse himself and go with the servants to look for the children. But this place was huge and he knew he'd be no use if he got lost.

"Are you quite alright, Mr. Carrington?" he asked, mostly to avoid an awkward silence. It was hard to feel pity for a man of such fortune, even if his children were a disappointment to say the least.