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To Blackmail a Lord

27 November, 1769

Cross Creek, North Carolina

ARCHIE POV

Archie and Geordie were finishing up making Auntie Jocasta's purchases at Mr. McCullough's general store for a grand dinner that would be happening in a few days. As Archie was counting out money to pay Mr. McCullough, the fair-haired man cleared his throat. "How's yer sister?" he asked Archie, who glanced up at him with a perplexed expression.

"Maevis?" he asked him, knowing Auntie Jocasta had forced Maevis to speak with Mr. McCullough at the dinner.

"No, yer other sister," said Mr. McCullough.

"Brèagha?" Archie asked him, wondering when Mr. McCullough had had the chance to meet her. Brèagha hadn't been allowed out of the house in weeks, and Mr. McCullough hadn't been to River Run in some time.

"Er, no. Caoimhe," said Mr. McCullough.

"Caoimhe?" Archie asked her. "Oh, she's no' my sister, she's my cousin."

"Ah, her surname is 'Fowlis', isnae it, Mr. Fraser?" Mr. McCullough asked him.

"Aye," Archie replied. "Caoimhe's all right. She's been busy wi' my sisters, of course. Ye find her interestin'?"

"Huh? Oh..." said Mr. McCullough, clearly caught off guard, and Archie chuckled and patted the young man's shoulder.

"I wish ye luck, a charaid. Caoimhe's a tough one te catch," Archie told him with amusement. "Say, why dinnae ye come te dinner? It'll be three days from now, on the thirtieth. I'm sure Caoimhe would be glad te see ye."

"If-if yer aunt is all right wi' it," said Mr. McCullough a bit awkwardly.

"She'd invite Lucifer himself were he a potential suitor fer Caoimhe," Archie told him. "I'll be glad te see ye there, Mr. McCullough!" With that said, Archie left the store, meeting Geordie by the wagon.

"All's w-well, sir?" Geordie asked him as Archie counted the remaining money.

"Aye, all's set fer Thursday," said Archie. He glanced up briefly at the Underwood Bank, where Clara could be seen standing outside along with her parents, young Mr. Ainsley and George Underwood himself. The fool looked just shy of a dandy as he boasted loudly about the good fortune he had come into, and Archie scowled as he forced himself to turn away and face the wagon.

"Let's get out of here," he said.

"Oh, b-but I thought you said we could p-pay a visit to the cobbler! My shoe's gone all barmy!" said Geordie, looking down at his shoe and then uncontrollably kicking the wagon. "Agh!"

"Right, right, the cobbler. Hop up and we'll go and then we really need te be gettin' back te River Run," Archie told him, and they both climbed up onto the wagon and made their way to the cobbler. The cobbler's shop looked a bit run down, and inside the shop, it looked bare, as if the cobbler was going out of business.

"I'll be right wi' ye!" called the cobbler from the back when he heard the bell, and Geordie let out a soft sigh as he looked around him.

"Spiders all aboot," he said with a twitch. "'Tis a shame. My f-father said Mr. Abernath-nathy had come across hard times."

"Is he goin' out of business?" Archie asked him.

"Seems to be," Geordie replied. "He'll b-b-be out of here soon, I imagine. Mr. Underwood c-called in his debts, and it c-cost Mr. Abernathy everything."