“So you think he’ll shake me?” James demanded.

“Oh, no, James, I don’t think he’d do that, but I wouldn’t put it past him to pull a gun on you. I wouldn’t really. Besides, if you’re going to put through this real estate deal for Carrie, you may have to come to the Castle some time, and you wouldn’t want to start off talking business the way they do in a wild west film.”

“Myrtle’s right,” Carrie said. “You’ll spoil everything, James, if you start quarrelling with Ben Nevis. My husband won’t understand it.”

“Och, that’s all right, Carrie. Don’t fash yourself about my behaviour. I know when to be professional.”

“I’m sure you do. Well, I’ll write to you in Glasgow and give you full instructions.”

“I’ll need to know the name of Mr Cameron’s lawyer.”

“Yes, I’ll find that out. But now there’s another thing. Do either you or Alan know of a really good young Scottish architect? I guess we’ll pull the lodge to pieces quite a lot, and it would probably mean a good job for him.”

“What about Bob Menzies, James?” Alan asked.

“I was just thinking the very same.”

“Is he young?” Carrie asked.

“No, no. Robert Menzies is about the same age as myself,” said James. “Twenty-six.”

“Oh my, aren’t you old!” Myrtle exclaimed. “You’re not so old as that, Alan?”

“I’m twenty-three.”

“Same age as me,” said Carrie.

“Three years older than I,” Myrtle added.

“And is this Mr Robert Menzies a good architect?” Carrie asked.

“He’s very modern,” said Alan.

“Oh dear, will that mean he’ll want us to live in a kind of cross between a conservatory and a prison?” Carrie asked anxiously.

“You needn’t be afraid he’ll suggest any kind of design that will violate the spirit of the place. He’s modern, but his modernity is an expression of contemporary Scotland.”

“And he’s a member of the Brotherhood,” James added. “I don’t want to make that a reason for giving him the job, but if you wish Knocknacolly to be an expression of the new spirit in Scotland I don’t believe you could get a better architect than Robert Menzies. He’s an awful nice wee man too. I think you’d like him.”

So finally it was settled that as soon as possible the architect should go and camp at Knocknacolly when, if Carrie and her husband approved of his ideas, he could be entrusted with the job, with James to look after the business side during the winter.

“And perhaps after you’ve taken your mother to Perth, you’ll come and camp at Knocknacolly too?” Carrie asked Alan.

“I don’t see what use I’ll be,” he demurred.

“But of course you’ll be terribly useful,” Myrtle declared. “Won’t he, Carrie?”