Just One Christmas Wish

An Interrupted Breakfast

Chapter I

"I don't want to talk about this." Lawrence massaged his temples, wishing he hadn't had quite so much to drink last night. Duchess Devin pursed her lips, fury burning in her clear blue eyes.

"You honestly believe that I will heed what you want after you disappeared again last night and returned home as the vile drunkard you are?" Her voice had gone forebodingly quiet. Lawrence recognised these warning signs but his tongue seemed to be working of its own accord.

"Is this about the flowers?" Lawrence asked, though his sarcasm wasn't quite so sharp due to his hangover. Duchess Devin stiffened. "If it's any consolation, I didn't mean to throw up in them." As his mother fumed, Lawrence took a swig of the egg and water medicine he'd concocted himself. He gagged: it was disgusting. He drank some more.

Glancing up, Lawrence saw the dangerous smile on Duchess Devin's lips.

"Oh, you can sit there and smirk all you like, Lawrence Eugene, but that shant stop me from forcing marriage on you." Lawrence clenched his teeth. Duke Fregusson looked up from his book with exasperation from where he sat at the head of the table.

"For goodness sake, woman. It's nine in the morning, the lad's got a hangover. Give the wife-hunting a rest." Devin shot her husband a venemous look. Lawrence smiled victoriously.

"Well said, Father--"

"Your father," Duchess Devin cut in. "doesn't quite grasp the concept of marriage. Apparently, neither do you. Did I not warn you of these plans? Who is to blame for your ridiculous hangover? Not I!" Lawrence glared at his mother.

"I do not want to discuss this."

"Of course not." She bit back. "You are behaving like a petulant child! You are almost twenty-one years of age and yet you continue to behave as though you have not one responsibility! Your father may very well die soon and it is only proper that you have a suitable wife to take on the Estate with you." Lawrence took one last horrible gulp of his remedy then slammed it down on the table, sloshing some of the dregs of egg yolk onto the pristine table cloth. Devin made a noise of irritated disgust. Shoving himself away from the table and his mother, Lawrence stormed out of the dining room, ignoring every shout of outrage from the Duchess.

Lawrence tore out of the house and into the stables, ripping a harness and bridle from the walls as he muttered angrily under his breath.

"Mother...woman...marriage...a few nights at the pub...a drunkard! Marriage!"

By the time he reached Nutcracker's stall, the horse had scoped Lawrence's mood and stood patiently still as he was saddled up.

Scowling, Lawrence swung himself up into the saddle. Knowing his master better than anyone, Nutcracker didn't need instruction and bolted out of the stables and across the fields, steam billowing from both rider and horse's mouth and nose in the Scottish cold.

From the windows, Lawrence's father watched his son gallop across the snow-covered fields and turned back to his beautiful, unfeeling wife. Devin sipped her tea innocently.

"It is not my fault," She said primly. Fergusson scowled at her and left the room just as his son had moments before.