Social Gazette

The problem began with a newspaper.

Ernest did not know that yet.

At seven-thirty on Monday morning, he sat behind the broad oak desk in his study at Oriel Estate, reviewing the preliminary engineering assessments for the proposed Helmarte-Dunwell maritime corridor.

The route was exceptionally promising. One hundred and eighty-six kilometers across stable gravel plains, two major river crossings requiring standard steel-plate girders, moderate grades that remained well beneath zero point seven percent, and several thriving market towns situated along the right-of-way. Most importantly, Dunwell would grant the Belfast National Railway direct physical access to one of the kingdom's premier deep-water commercial ports.

Ernest circled a proposed bridge abutment on the survey draft. "No. The riverbed silt is too deep at that bend."

He drew an alternate alignment two kilometers upstream. "Better. Solid limestone shelf on both banks."