John still didn’t understand why things had panned out the way that they had, but here he was, anyway.
His life had been easy enough at home. By late-nineteenth-century standards, his family was comfortably rich. John would have to go into business for himself, there was no doubt about that - he wouldn't be able to live the life of the idle rich - but he would have every advantage when he made his own way in the world.
In the meantime, he had finished his schooling and had been enjoying some time relaxing at home. At nineteen years old he didn't think that there was any real rush to set himself up. After all, there would be plenty of time for that sort of thing. He wanted to have fun while he could.
His father seemed to have different plans, though. He would ask him every day what he wa
