The quiet forge

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

Nathan entered the forge and listened. Usually the hammer answered before he reached the door. Today the hearth was cold, and the anvil carried a fine layer of dust. His father’s apron hung from its peg. Nathan touched the leather, then drew his hand away as though the gesture had been noticed.

He opened the shutters. Light fell across the bench, showing the unfinished horseshoe his father had left a week earlier. Nathan selected a hammer and stood beside the anvil. He did not strike immediately. First he cleared the dust with a cloth and set the horseshoe where the light was strongest. Outside, a customer called his name. Nathan went to the door carrying the apron over his arm.

Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to show Nathan’s awareness of his father’s absence. Support your answer with references to the passage.