Chapter 2

"Good morning, Father, Lucky said as he walked into the dining room where his mother, father and sister were having breakfast. "Mother," Lucky smiled and kissed his mother’s cheek, before he mussed Lulu’s hair.

"You came home pretty late last night," the duchess commented as she took a sip of her tea. "I trust your visit with Miss Webber went well?"

"Miss Webber developed a headache and I had to take her home," Lucky told his parents, not even noticing the servant who placed a plate and silverware in front of him. He was so used to it that, for him, the things appeared on the table.

"So I guess you went to White’s for a little liquor and gambling?" Luke asked his son, knowing full well that the Marquess probably spent the evening with his lovely mistress.

"I did," Lucky agreed as he started eating his breakfast. He was trying to gather up the courage to talk to his father about ending the betrothal.

"I wish you weren’t gambling so, Lucky," Laura said in her best motherly voice. "You know that most of the time, you lose anyway."

"My dear," the duke said with a smile as he affectionately patted his wife’s hand, "have you ever seen a gentleman in this Country who doesn’t gamble?"

"Since when, my lord Duke," Laura teased, "have you compared your precious Heir to the people of this Country?"

Lucky chuckled as Luke playfully scowled at his wife. "I’ll have you know, Your Grace," Luke started with a playful frown, "that even someone like me gambles from time to time."

"You mean someone as perfect as you, right, Father?" Lucky teased.

"Exactly. I would appreciate it if you were to show me respect, wife!" Luke told his wife.

"I do respect you, my dear," Laura answered with a smile. "And I know you are the lord and master in this house."

"I am," Luke agreed with a nod.

"When I’m not here," Laura continued with teasing seriousness.

Lucky bursted out laughing but hid his grin behind his napkin. "Forgive me, Father," Lucky said with a smile as he looked at his mother, "but she does have a point there."

"This better never come out of this house," Luke thundered. "Or I will be the laughingstock of all England!"

"Do not worry, Luke," Laura said with a smile, "I will take this secret to my grave."

"And with that piece of knowledge, I shall be off," Luke said as he stood up. "I will be home late tonight, do not wait up for me."

"You would think," Laura said to Lucky as she presented her lips to her husband, "that after 22 years of marriage, your father would know that I know his schedule."

"Old age," Lucky teased. "He’s getting forgetful." Lucky stood up and glanced at Luke. "Could I speak to you before you go?"

"Of course," Luke agreed and waited.

"In your study, please," Lucky said and moved to that room, knowing his father would follow him. As soon as Luke entered, Lucky closed the door and stood before his father. "I would like to speak with you, about ending my betrothal."

"Are we back to that again?" Luke asked as he walked to his desk and took a cigar. "Because I will tell you the same thing I did last time you asked. I cannot, in good faith, end the betrothal. I cannot go to Jeff and ask his permission because he is no longer here, Lucky."

"But this will be a disaster, Father!" Lucky tried to plead. "All my life I knew that some day I would have to claim Miss Webber as my bride, but this will never work. We can’t even have a decent conversation together."

"Give me a reason, Lucky!" Luke said miserably. "I will not break my word without a reason. Not liking the gel isn’t enough! Is she sick? Do you know of any medical reason that would prevent her from giving you your Heir? Is she promiscuous?"

"Not that I know of," Lucky sighed. This was pointless.

"Listen, Lucky, my marriage turned out fine," Luke said, trying to be helpful.

"Oh, sure, you had to lock yourself up with your wife to make sure that I would be yours and not a footman’s!" Lucky said sarcastically. "Do you realize how lucky you were, dad?"

"Yes, I do. Every day of my life I have with your mother I realize it. But, Lucky, you hating your wife doesn’t have to be that way.  Tell me one thing, one legitimate thing you have against Miss Webber. Not an impression, not a feeling, one concrete thing."

Lucky sighed, knowing he didn’t have any legitimate reason not to like Elizabeth Webber. The girl just got on his bad side the moment he met her, when she asked if he thought he was God’s gift to woman when she heard someone call him Lucky.  She didn’t have any respect for titles above her own, when all of his life Lucky had been brainwashed into always respecting people who were above himself.

"Then, that’s settled," Luke said when his son kept silent about what he didn’t like about Elizabeth. "I will see you tomorrow, son."

Lucky watched his father walk out and sighed. Why did it have to be this way? He wondered. Why couldn’t he choose his own wife? Wouldn’t it be simpler to just walk up to the woman he loved, get on one knee and declare himself? Why did he have to hold up to his father’s image of rank? Why was it that a mere maid couldn’t be as fit as an earl’s daughter to be a duchess? It wasn’t the maid’s fault if she was low born. He didn’t ask to be the first born of a duke.  

Sure, he had wealth, and respect, but wasn’t the price to pay to be part of the gentry a little too high? He couldn’t do anything by himself. He had a valet to help him dress, a groom to take care of his horses, a maid to wash his clothes.  Everywhere he went, there were thousands things to remember about the etiquette, how to address everyone he saw, how to eat, what to eat, when to eat. What was allowed and what wasn’t, how to stand, when it was okay to ask a woman to dance, when it wasn’t. If you dared talked to someone in the middle of the latest scandal you were snubbed. There was a rule for everything.  The slightest faux pas could be seen as the biggest insult.  

Definitely, he wasn’t meant to be a gentleman.

"Lucky?" He heard from the other side of the door and smiled. At least his sister wouldn’t have to learn all the rules for another couple of years, for it was bad taste to bring one’s child anywhere. He walked out and kneeled before his sister.

"What is it, princess?"

"Is it time to go on our morning ride?" The little asked with a finger in her mouth, clear indication that it was something she really wanted but was scared to be told no.

"I believe it is," Lucky agreed with a smile. "Go tell Mother you are coming with him while I tell Carter to prepare Buttercup."

"Not Buttercup," Lulu stopped in her track from going to ask permission to her mother to go ride and turned to her brother. "You promised you would take me on Thunder today."

"So I did," Lucky said with a frown. Laura would not be happy of the promise Lucky had given his little sister while he was drunk. It had been the middle of the night, and to take his sister back to bed, he had to promise her to take her on his big, black, male horse. "Very well, a promise remains a promise."

"Hurray!" Lulu said as she jumped up and down but stopped when she saw her brother’s disapproving glare. "I mean, thank you," she said with a curtsy and Lucky laughed.

When his sister was out of sight, Lucky sighed and shook his head. It seemed like he would have to marry Elizabeth Webber wether he wanted to or not. Maybe it would be good to get to know her better, he decided.

"Willis," he called and right away a footman appeared. "I will need you to take this note to Lady Elizabeth Webber right away. You must wait for her answer and bring it back to me."

"Yes, my lord," Willis nodded as he waited for said note.

Lucky wrote that he was going riding with his little sister, and since Miss Webber expressed a liking to his sister, he wondered if she would consider joining them for their morning ride.

"There," Lucky said, giving his footman the note. "And do hurry, Willis. I do not know how long I will be able to stall Lady Lu."

Yes, my lord," Willis bowed and ran out. Lucky sighed. Now he had to wait. If Elizabeth said no, he would know that she had no desire to get to know him during the 8 weeks his father allowed before the wedding.

If she said yes, though, he promised himself he would try to like her for who she was, instead of seeing only what he didn’t like about her.

Who knew, if she said yes, maybe they could become friends.