"My deepest condolences, my lord. I know how much of a disappointment this must be to you, but rest be assured, there will be plenty of other opportunities."
Alistair Beaufort, Earl of Marlcaster and the eldest son of the Duke of Exeter, regarded the physician carefully while swallowing down the remains of his recently refilled glass of whiskey. He didn't even bother trying to hide the contempt he was feeling inside of him.
How come his wife could never do anything right?
He never wanted this marriage to begin with, but as the heir apparent to his father's Dukedom the decision of whom he was to marry didn't fall to Alistair. No, his father had carefully picked out the most suitable of brides for his son, and as one who never shirked his duties, Alistair complied with his decision.
His wife Constance, the Countess of Marlcaster, was in every sense of the word a lady. As meek as a lady ought to be, just as boring as all the other ladies of his acquaintances and her sensibilities were of the most fragile kind. The kind that can only ever be found in the fairer sex.
The first months of their marriage were quite uneventful. Alistair went by as he used to, his days looked much the same as those before he was a married man, with the exception of his nightly visits to his wife's bed-chamber. About once or twice a week, he opened the door to Constance's chamber and performed his husbandly duties. And duties was truly the right word it. The act went by quickly and without any type of unnecessary actions that could disturb his wife's sensibilities, just as his father had ordered him to go about the whole ordeal.
And finally, after 4 months of doing the unpleasant deed, Constance got pregnant. If he had been happier any time during his 32 year long life, he couldn't remember it. Not because he was finally going to have a child, no that was not what made him so ecstatic. It was the fact that he didn't have to fuck the blasted woman for a whole year that filled him with joy. Getting a son, a legitimate one that is, to carry on his name would just be a bonus, a very good bonus that meant he wouldn't have to sleep with his wife ever again.
And now, his wife had given birth to a daughter.
A worthless little chit who would be of no use to him what so ever.
But that was not what angered Alistair the most. No, it was the fact that now he had to sleep with his wife again until she conceived another time. Who knew how long that would take? He put his crystal glass down on the desk and looked up at the doctor still standing in front of him.
"How long until her ladyship is... fit for another attempt, so to speak?"
The physician reddened a bit at his way of phrasing. "I would recommend at least 2 months rest for her ladyship, my lord", he replied. "The babe didn't make a lot of fuss during the delivery so I don't see why you would have to wait longer than the regular recommendation."
Alistair dismissed him with a curt nod of the head and after the doctor had left his library, he immediately ringed for his butler.
"My lord," he said with a bow after entering the room.
"I'm planning on going to White's tonight, Palmer. See to it that my carriage is ready to depart at 9 o'clock."
"Right to it, my lord." He fidgeted his feet a little. "If I may, my lord. I would like to, on behalf of the entire staff, congratulate his lordship on his recent addition to the family."
Alistair noticed that Palmer was a bit unsure whether or not he had overstepped his place as butler, and even though Alistair himself didn't feel very cheerful, he could tell that Palmer was genuinely happy for his master's sake.
"Thank you, Palmer, though I am sure you and the rest of the personnel will not get much rest in the future if her screams so far are anything to judge by."
His butler released a breath, which he probably didn't even had noticed he was holding, and even dared showing a little smile.
"No need to worry about us, my lord. I will see that the carriage is brought up. Was there anything else, my lord?"
He thought about it for a moment. He ought to say something to his wife, didn't he? Even though she had made his life almost unbearable for the last year, she had carried his progeny for more than nine months. That has to count for something, doesn't it?
"Yes, one more thing, Palmer. Tell her ladyship that I hope she recovers quickly from her endeavours and that I will visit her and the babe on the morrow."
"Certainly. My lord." The butler bowed and the moment later he was already gone.
Alistair refilled his glass once more and quickly gulped the liquor. There was only one thing which could clear his mind at this point, and when the night was over he was sure his mood would have improved massively.
~~~~~
"You old man, I hear felicitations are in order!"
Alistair turned in his seat at his regular table at White's to look at the man who had just spoken to him.
"Not you too, Lennox. I came here to escape all the fuss about babies at home. If you speak another word on the subject I will be forced to leave this place as well."
Lennox (or more exactly Henry Sawder, Viscount of Lennox), who had been one of his closest friends since Eton, laughed and took the seat next to Alistair.
"Relax, Marlcaster, I won't mention it again," Lennox replied and grabbed the whiskey carafe on the table and filled his glass. "But a daughter! Damn, you must not be the Lord's favourite child at the moment."
Alistair took the bottle from his friend and started to pour himself another glass. God knows how many he had had since his offspring was born.
"What sins have I committed that caused God to not even bless me with a son after putting up with that woman for more than a year?" His friend knew all the inside information about his marriage and how horrible it was. During the last year they had gone out gambling and whoring together more often than ever before as the unhappy nature of Alistair's marriage had more or less forced him out of his house.
"You know what, Marlcaster? Let's leave this place and go get some female company instead. What do you say about Jewel's? One night with Minette is guaranteed to improve your mood."
Alistair stared at his friends with wide open eyes. Minette had been his friend's mistress for more than six months, and even though she still lived at the premium bawdy house Jewel's, Lennox was the only man she had ever entertained since their relationship began. Alistair had tried multiple times in the past to persuade Lennox to let him share his mistress on their nights out but he had always refused. The fact that he proposed the same thing now... He must jest.
