Frederick Needham smiled. “It’s a common disease. It’s called being young.”
“Nonsense,” John interrupted, surprising Thomas both with his tone and his agreement with the bishop. He had heard some stories of his father’s youth, and knew that John Flarety was not one to talk. “The problem,” John continued, “is that these young folks have lost their sense of what’s right.”
“Quite correct,” agreed the bishop, warming to the topic. “Not to reflect on you, Merchant Tripoli, for I am sure you tried—” the words slid out of the bishop’s mouth in a way that was just this side of insulting, “—but you have to admit that the young of today are much wilder than what they were. And what’s worse, rather than keeping them close to hearth and home, where they can be properly disciplined, fathers are sendi
