“Wild horses wouldn't have made Daniel admit that his wife, Anna, would have lectured him for an hour if she'd known what he was up to.Daniel considered it basic strategy not to tell her until it was done. "Since she's been moping and sighing around here," he lied without qualm, "I thought I'd bury my pride and call you myself.It's time you took a weekend and came to see your mother."Alan lifted a wry brow, knowing his father all too well. "I'd think she'd be all wrapped up in her first prospective granchild. How is Rena?""You can see for yourself this weekend," Daniel informed him. "I-that is, Rena and Justin have decided they want to spend a weekend with the family. Caine and Diana are coming too.""You've been busy," Alan murmured."What was that? Don't mumble, boy.""I said you'll be busy," Alan amended prudently."For your mother's sake, I can sacrifice my peace and quiet.She worries about all of you-you especially since you're still without wife and family.The firstborn," he added, working himself up, "and both your brother and sister settled before you. The eldest son,my own father's namesake, and too busy flitting around to do his duty to the MacGregor line."Alan thought about his grueling morning and nearly smiled. "The MacGregor line seems to be moving along nicely. Maybe Rena'll have twins.”

“You'll make a good First Lady, Shelby Campbell."Shelby's fingers tightened on her wineglass, an involuntary gesture noticed only by Alan and his mother. "Perhaps," she returned calmly. "if it were one of my ambitions.""Ambitions or not,it's fate when you're paired with this one," Daniel stabbed his fork toward Alan."You're a little premature." Alan cut cleanly through his meat, swearing fluidly in his mind only. "I haven't decided to run for president, and Shelby hasn't agreed to marry me.""Haven't decided? Hah!" Daniel silled down wine. "Hasn't agreed?" He set down the glass with a bang. "The girl doesn't look like a fool to me, Campbell or no," he continued. "She's good Scottish stock,no matter what her clan.This one'll breed true MacGregors.""He'd still like me to change my name," Justin commented, deliberately trying to shift the attention onto himself."It's been done to ensure the line before," Daniel told him. "but Rena's babe'll be as much MacGregor as not. As will Caine's when he's a mind to remember his duty and start making one." He sent his younger son a lowered-brow look that was met with an insolent grin. "But Alan's the firstborn, duty-bound to marry and produce and sire..."Alan turned, intending on putting an end to the topic,when he caught Shelby's grin. She'd folded her arms on the table,forgetting her dinner in the pure enjoyment of watching Daniel MacGregor on a roll. "Having fun?" Alan muttered near her ear."Wouldn't miss it.Is he always like this?"Alan glanced over, watching his father gesture with his lecture. "Yes."Shelby sighed. "I think I'm in love. Daniel..." She interrupted his flow of words by tugging sharply on his sleeve. "No offense to Alan,or to your wife,but I think if I were going to marry a MacGregor,he'd have to be you."Still caught up in his own diatribe, Daniel stared at her.Abruptly his features shifted and his laugh rang out. "You're a pistol,you are, Shelby Campbell.Here..." He lifted a bottle of wine. "Your glass is empty.”

“It's a fine thing for a man and a woman to have a common interest," Daniel began in a pontificating voice. "Makes a strong marriage.""I can't tell you how many times Daniel's assisted me in surgery," Anna put in mildly.He huffed. "I've washed a few bloody knees in my time with these three.""And there was the time Rena broke Alan's nose," Caine put in."It was supoosed to be yours," his sister reminded him."That didn't make it hurt any less." Alan shifted his eyes to his sister while his wife snorted unsympathetically."Why did Rena break Alan's nose instead of yours?" Diana wanted to know."I ducked," Caine told her.”

“Hello,Dad.""Well,well,well, so you're still alive." The booming, full-bodied voice was not so subtly laced with sarcasm. "Your mother and I thought you'd met with some fatal accident."Alan managed to keep the grin out of his voice. "I nicked myself shaving last week.How are you?""He asks how I am!" Daniel heaved a sigh that should have been patended for long-suffering fathers everywhere. "I wonder you even remember who I am. But that's all right-it doesn't matter about me.Your mother, now, she's been expecting her son to call. Her firstborn."Alan leaned back.How often had he cursed fate for making him the eldest and giving his father that neat little phrase to needle him with? Of course, he remembered philosophically, Daniel had phrases for Rena and Caine as well-the only daughter,the youngest son.It was all relative.”

“What the hell is all this I read in the papers?""Narrow it down for me," Alan suggested."I suppose it might have been a misprint," Daniel considered, frowning at the tip of his cigar before he tapped it in the ashtray he kept secreted in the bottom drawer of his desk. "I think I know my own flesh and blood well enough.""Narrow it just a bit further," Alan requested, though he'd already gotten the drift.It was simply too good to end it too soon."When I read that my own son-my heir, as things are-is spending time fraternizing with a Campbell, I know it's a simple matter of misspelling. What's the girl's name?"Along with a surge of affection, Alan felt a tug of pure and simple mischief. "Which girl is that?""Dammit,boy! The girl you're seeing who looks like a pixie.Fetching young thing from the picture I saw.Good bones; holds herself well.""Shelby," Alan said, then waited a beat. "Shelby Campbell."Dead silence.Leaning back in his chair, Alan wondered how long it would be before his father remembered to take a breath. It was a pity, he mused, a real pity that he couldn't see the old pirate's face."Campbell!" The word erupted. "A thieving, murdering Campbell!""Yes,she's fond of MacGregor's as well.""No son of mine gives the time of day to one of the clan Campbell!" Daniel bellowed. "I'll take a strap to you, Alan Duncan MacGregor!" The threat was as empty now as it had been when Alan had been eight, but delivered in the same full-pitched roar. "I'll wear the hide off you.""You'll have the chance to try this weekend when you meet Shelby.""A Campbell in my house! Hah!""A Campbell in your house," Alan repeated mildly. "And a Campbell in your family before the end of the year if I have my way.""You-" Emotions warred in him. A Campbell versus his firmest aspiration: to see each of his children married and settled, and himself laden with grandchildren. "You're thinking of marriage to a Campbell?""I've already asked her.She won't have me...yet," he added."Won't have you!" Paternal pride dominated all else. "What kind of a nitwit is she? Typical Campbell," he muttered. "Mindless pagans." Daniel suspected they'd had some sorcerers sprinkled among them. "Probably bewitched the boy," he mumbled, scowling into space. "Always had good sense before this.Aye, you bring your Campbell to me," he ordered roundly. "I'll get to the bottom of it."Alan smothered a laugh, forgetting the poor mood that had plagued him only minutes earlier. "I'll ask her.""Ask? Hah! You bring the girl, that daughter of a Campbell, here."Picturing Shelby, Alan decided he wouldn't iss the meeting for two-thirds the popular vote. "I'll see you Friday, Dad.Give Mom my love.""Friday," Daniel muttered, puffing avidly on his cigar. "Aye,aye, Friday."As he hung up Alan could all but see his father rubbing his huge hands togther in anticipation. It should be an interesting weekened.”

“Damn your eyes, Justin Blade; you've the luck of the devil.""Sore losers, those MacGregors," Shelby sighed, sliding her gaze to Alan's."We'll see if the Campbells can do any better.New blood," Alan announced from the doorway.Smoke hung in the air,the rich, fragrant sting of expensive tobacco. They were using Daniel's huge old desk as a table, with chairs pulled up to it. The three men looked over as Shelby and Serena walked in."I don't like taking my wife's money," Justin commented,sending her a grin as he clamped a cigar between his teeth."You won't have the opportunity of trying." Serena lowered herself to the arm of his chair with a quiet sigh. "Shelby'd like a game or two.""A Campbell!" Daniel rubbed his hands together. "Aye then,we'll see how the wind blows now.Have a chair,lass. Three raise, ten-dollar limit, jacks or better to open.""If you think you're going to make up your losses on me, MacGregor," Shelby said mildly as she took her seat, "you're mistaken."Daniel made a sound of appreciation. "Deal the cards, boy," he ordered Caine. "Deal the cards.”