After all, Henry was so young yet had already entered the ranks of the wealthy, and with his outstanding abilities, he had far too many choices available.
If this scenario really happened, this committee would definitely become a laughingstock in high society—unable to even keep the outstanding talent born and raised in their own town!
All topics concluded, and after Henry's swearing-in tomorrow morning, he would become the official sheriff.
When the meeting ended it was already nearly 7:30 PM. William invited Henry to dine at his manor, and Henry gladly accepted.
Deputy Sheriff Ronald remained largely silent throughout, only briefly offering platitudes when analyzing the bandits' motives. When the meeting ended, he hurried toward his house.
Ronald's wife and children lived at the McKinley family's Dwyer Manor 5 miles outside town, while he lived alone on this side.
After returning home, Ronald took out letter paper and wrote furiously, quickly completing a letter.
Just then the doorbell rang, and James and two others arrived as scheduled.
Ronald handed the letter to James, saying: "Deliver this into the hands of Clan Chief Sean at Dwyer Manor."
James and the other two immediately went to the police station stable to get horses and rush to Dwyer Manor.
Mayor William's manor was Victorian in style.
Victorian houses had exquisite details in almost every part, from intricate wooden decorations, ornate staircases, stained glass, and decorative woodwork.
The manor had steep gabled roofs, forward-facing gables, patterned tiles, bay windows, round towers, and front porches.
The architecture incorporated Gothic elements with pointed roofs, fish-scale wooden shingles on the exterior walls, and circular or square columns with fine decorations at the entrance, giving the entire building an intricately carved feeling.
The manor's interior was decorated in natural wood tones with European-style furniture.
Since this was an impromptu dinner arrangement, it wasn't very formal.
Moreover, this wasn't a British noble's home, so dining etiquette wasn't so strict.
As a child, Henry would occasionally come here to dine with his grandfather, and he privately called Mayor William "Grandpa William."
So he was very familiar with this place, and tonight was equivalent to a family gathering.
In fact, without William's care, Henry as just an ordinary member of the police station wouldn't have received such a large sum as $24,000 in prize money, even with his distinguished military achievements.
The meal was very rich, with 8 courses served including appetizers, main dishes, desserts, and so on.
Only William and his wife were present, along with two younger grandchildren.
The grandson Frank was 7 years old, and granddaughter Janet was 10.
William opened a bottle of French Burgundy AOC Premier Cru red wine, and the couple drank with Henry.
William was 64 this year and had three sons and two daughters.
William's wife Mikaela was a year older than him, and she was very fond of Henry.
His eldest granddaughter Alice was only one year younger than Henry.
When Henry's grandfather was still alive, he had frequent contact with William, and Henry and Alice could be considered childhood sweethearts.
But four years ago in June 1876, when Henry had just turned 16, his grandfather who had been his only family passed away, and Henry rarely came to this manor.
After that summer, Alice went to her parents in New York to attend a private girls' high school, and the two had never met again.
The conversation opened from people they both cared about.
"Alice will return at the beginning of next month to stay for half a month. She just got into Smith College and will start school in early September, two months from now," William said.
Henry exclaimed admiringly: "I remember Alice's childhood dream was to attend a women's college when she grew up. Congratulations on her wish coming true—she's truly excellent."
Mikaela looked at Henry kindly and said with a smile: "You're both very good and excellent children. Henry, can you visit me more often like before?"
Henry immediately replied: "Of course, Grandma Mikaela."
Janet interjected: "Henry, I heard you killed over a hundred bandits today. Is that true?"
Henry looked at the doll-like little girl, nodded with a smile, and said: "It's true. If you encounter trouble in the future, just say you're my sister and see who dares offend you."
Janet let out silver bell-like laughter and said: "Henry, I'll remember that. Can you help me warn that fat boy Blake tomorrow at noon? He keeps deliberately dirtying my friend Kent's clothes."
Henry asked gently: "Why doesn't Kent warn Blake himself?"
Janet said helplessly: "He has, but Blake doesn't listen. He's two years younger than Blake and much shorter."
Henry noticed that William and Mikaela both looked cheerful, and realized these children were classmates taught together by private tutors from several close families.
"If I warn him, I'll only shoot. Janet, do you want me to fire a gun in front of Blake to scare him?" Henry asked with a smile.
Janet quickly shook her head.
"So, either Kent fights back against Blake himself—regardless of whether he can win, he at least needs to immediately show his resistance and that he's not easy to bully."
"Or, have Kent record Blake's bullying behavior in his diary one by one, then pay him back all at once when there's a suitable opportunity."
"In this western world, people can only rely on themselves. The sooner you understand this truth, the better."
William raised his glass in a toast, and Henry quickly clinked glasses with him.
"Henry, what you just said is very correct. Here, people can only rely on themselves, but this 'self' should include members who share your bloodline," William said, then drained half his wine glass in one gulp.
Setting down his glass, William continued: "Henry, we both have noble blood from the same place flowing in our veins—we are natural partners."
Henry agreed: "That's exactly right, Grandpa William."
From memory, Henry's grandfather had told him the family's ancestors could be traced back to the Scottish hero Robert Bruce, and they were of royal bloodline.
The Sinclair family was a Scottish noble family with a long history.
However, Henry's grandfather's branch was a side branch of a side branch that had long since declined. Before his death, he had only urged Henry to live well and continue the family line.
Supposedly the Bruce family had vast properties in Canada and India.
But all of this had nothing to do with Henry.
However, his bloodline would make him easily accepted by American high society.
The earliest English, Scottish, German, and some Irish settlers who landed in America were the only ones they truly recognized as local residents.
As for the so-called Native American indigenous people—what kind of savages and strange people were those?
Though his body was a marginal member of the so-called blue-blooded nobility.
But this didn't prevent him from using this advantage to help himself and those he wanted to help live better lives.