“That is a sensible observe, Christine. There will be nae harm in doing what it calls for.”
“Now I’ll awa’, and write to Neil. Hae ye ony special message for him, Mither?”
“You might say I would like to ken something anent thae Raths. They arena Fifemen, nor Shetlanders, Highland Scots, nor Lowland Scots; and I’m thinking they may be Irish, and if sae, I’m hopin’ they hae the true faith.”
“Mither dear, I wouldna fash wi’ the Raths. They are simply naething to us, and if we set Neil on ‘praising and proving,’ he’ll write pages anent them.”
“Sae he will. You might name the ninety pound he’s owing you.”
“It wouldna be advisable. Neil will pay when it’s 124 fully convenient to himsel’. I’m not expecting a farthing until it is sae.”
“I can think o’ nae ither thing. It seems vera superfluous to tell Neil to be good, and to do good. He has the gift o’ admiring himsel’. Tell him he can be thankful, for it isna every man that has the same capability.”
“I’ll read you my letter, Mither, when I hae written it.”
“You’d better not. You’ll say lots I wouldna say, and naething I would say, and the amends and contradictions would require another letter o’ explanations. I’m going to look through my ain lads’ outgrown breeks and jackets. I’ll warrant wee James will come to us next door to naked.”
“I didna know that you had saved the lads’ auld claes.”