Soothing the feathers of Mr and Mrs Irving was a delicate endeavor, and James did not have the best talent for delicacy. But he managed it, after a while, assuring them that Robert often spoke thoughtlessly but seldom meant anything by it, that he had cold feet about giving up his bachelor lifestyle but truly had no objection to their son, that it was all going to be fine.
James hoped he was telling the truth. He thought he was, but Robert was hard to predict. Once he’d gotten the bit in his teeth, there was no telling what he might do. James wished Dalton Irving had been present to be reassured, but he could not blame the boy for running off, as stung as he must be feeling. Hopefully his parents could find and comfort him.
James’s anger at Robert was a simmering thing at the back of his
