“As I thought,” Archie cut in as well. “But ye ken for yerself tha’ for most o’ the year ‘tis nae wise tae travel far in the Highlands, even for those who live there. Yet ye’d hae the lad doing it? Or are ye suggesting that his duties here would be more important than his duties in Scotland? Or mayhap yer just suggesting that he come home, tae the only home he’s ever known, for only a few weeks oout o’ each year, during our short summer?”
“No, what I think is that you don’t have enough confidence in him to manage an empire on his own. But he’s got Thackeray blood in him. Unlike you, I have little doubt that he can do just that.”
“That boy can do anything he sets his mind tae,” Archie all but shouted. “I’m just nae wanting tae see him kill himself trying tae spread himself tae thin, asyerwilling tae let him do.”
“So we disagree on what he’s capable of, or rather, what you’ll allow him to be capable of. This is beginning to sound like those ridiculous letters that passed between us. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if you would disagree and end up spiting yourself,justso you can disagree.”
Archie actually laughed. “They dinna raise fools in the Highlands.”
“I beg to differ—fools aren’t raised, they are born, and theycanbe born anywhere. That you’re sitting here arguing with me in my own house is proof of that.”
“So yer calling me a fool now?” Archie chuckled. “Actually, sounds tae me like yer calling yerself one.”
To which Neville said in crisp abruptness, “Get out, MacTavish.”
“I’ll be staying till the lad is wed, sae the sooner ye make sure that happens, the sooner ye’ll be rid o’ me. Sae when is the wedding?”
Neville gave up the idea of getting rid of his nemesis, as aware as Archibald no doubt was that Duncan wouldn’t be very pleased if this grandfather of his was refused a welcome. “Your guess would be as good as mine, since he has no one at the moment that he wants to marry.”
Archie shot out of his chair in a grand display of Scots temper. “He wouldna have her? I could’ve swore he said he’d at least meet the lass afore—”
“He did meet her.”
Archie’s brown eyes narrowed on Neville at the conclusion that answer drew. “Then she wasna as bonny as you claimed she was?”
“Oh, she’s definitely the most beautiful chit I’ve ever seen,” Neville replied.
Archie sighed as he sat back down, truly disappointed. “I’d hoped the lad wouldna let his anger get in the way o’ his own happiness, but apparently he needs a wee bit more time tae adjust tae these changes being forced on him.”
“Whether he does or doesn’t has nothing to do with his refusal of the girl. Would have done the same thing myself, after the way she insulted him. A pretty shell is all she turned out to be, with the sense of a twit, not at all what we want for the boy.”
Archie made a mumbling sound, then, “So who was next on yer list of brides for him? Or did ye no’ investigate more’n this one lass?”
“There are a few other possible choices, but I won’t be making the same mistake again of not meeting them prior to making an offer.”
“Ye’ve made arrangements tae bring them here, then, tae get the meeting oout o’ the way?”
Neville stared up at the ceiling for a moment. He would have preferred to roll his eyes for effect, but doing so these days gave him headaches.
Calmly, though, as if explaining to a child, he said, “He only just refused the first girl this afternoon. I’ve barely had time to absorb the fact of all that time wasted on her, much less think of how to go about meeting the others without letting them know why—”
“Yer tae much of a recluse, mon, or ye’d ken tha’ the easiest way tae bring folk t’gether is a blasted party. Throw one, a big’n, and make sure each o’ yer other candidates shows up for it. The lad can then do his part and decide which he wants tae offer for.”
Neville almost laughed. A party? After he’d just kicked a good portion of thetonout of his house, he was now to invite them back?
“A party might not be a good idea—”
“Och, yer disagreeing just tae disagree wi’ me, and well I ken it. A big party is just the thing tae gather ‘em all in sae the lad will be having a good selection tae choose from. If ye dinna know how tae throw one, get one o’ yer society dames in here tae show ye how.”
Neville flushed with color once more. “It hasn’t beenthatlong since I’ve entertained.”
Archie was less restrained. When he felt like laughing, he laughed, and just now was no exception. Neville did grind his teeth a bit this time, listening to him, and longed for the days when a duel at dawn was an acceptable way to get rid of one’s enemies.
“I do know how to go about it, thank you very much,” he continued, tight-lipped.
“Then should ye no’ get started sending oout the invitations? Ne’er put off tae t’morrow what can be accomplished t’day.”
“If you don’t mind, I’ll finish my dinner first, Neville gritted out.
