“I want to marry Alex.” Sean’s tone was clipped as he deposited ash into the ashtray on a nearby table. “She knows that, even though I haven’t asked her yet. Q.C. knows I’ll get around to asking her eventually. I just don’t want him to hand over his practice because I’m married to his daughter.” He stuck his cigar back in his mouth and drew hard. He looked angry as he blew smoke toward the screen. “I have money saved. I can buy into the practice on my own.”

I should have realized before now that this would be an issue for Sean. He had always been proud, insistent on being independent. He wanted to earn whatever he had, and I in turn had always been proud to have reared such a self-reliant son.

“Have you expressed any of this to Q.C. and Alex?”

“When the subject first came up.”

Sean’s wry delivery of that line didn’t fool me. There had probably been a heated discussion. Sean had a bit of a temper—slow to ignite, but fiery when it burst forth. He took after me in that respect.

“What did Q.C. say when you told him how you felt?” I kept my tone mild as I continued to rub Diesel along his spine. Happy warbles repaid me for my attentions to His Majesty.

“Nonsense, my boy. After all, we can’t have you working for your wife. What would the folks around here have to say about that?” Sean did a fair imitation of Q.C.’s deep voice and broad drawl.

“And how did you respond?” Temperately, I hoped.

Sean cut a sideways glance at me. “Politely enough, despite the fact that I was blazingly angry. Insisted I didn’t want to be a partner on those terms, but he didn’t pay any attention to my objections. I figured there was no point in arguing, so I dropped it. For the time being.”

“Do you think he’ll start pushing again when he finds out you’ve passed the bar?” Perhaps I should have a word with Q.C., explain how proud Sean was, and ask him to back down. No, I decided after a moment’s reflection, if Sean ever found out I did that behind his back, he would find it hard to forgive.

“Probably.” Sean laughed, but there was no mirth or joy in the sound. “As long as I don’t propose to Alex, though, he won’t go through with it.” He paused. “At least, I don’t think he would.”

That was another trait Sean inherited from me—stubbornness, occasionally to the point of folly. I worried that he would break up what had so far been a happy and loving relationship. I understood his position, though, and I couldn’t blame him for resenting Q.C.’s high-handed behavior.