Author's Notes: Just a note to let everyone following this story that I have actually given into the temptation and written a combined/expanded version of Luck is Not Always a Lady and Luck Sometimes Stacks the Deck called Luck Changes the Game that I will start posting here sometime next week, possibly Wednesday; I'm just waiting for the final beta reading to be completed. With eleven chapters and an epilogue and at over 50,000 words, it is about two and a half times as long as the original two stories, so there is a lot of fresh as well as expanded/revised material in the new version, so it is more than just a combination of the two. And in order to conform to site rules, I have a little excerpt of one of the new scenes here, and oh, there is also an excerpt of a different scene added to Luck Sometimes Stacks the Deck as well.
Excerpt from Chapter 6: Courting a Good Opinion
Although Mrs. Younge had a prior acquaintance with the lady, Wickham first circulated the edges of the room, sending admiring glances her way whenever he thought he could catch her eye. Once he was certain that he had sufficiently captured her attention, he then let Mrs. Younge know he was ready for an introduction. He had his most charming smile on display.
Mrs. Younge spoke first. "Mrs. Montcraven, how good it is to see you here," she said. "It has been such a time."
"Indeed," Mrs. Montcraven said, her voice rich with condescension as if she were granting a privilege to a lesser being. "I hardly knew whether we would meet again so soon." She then turned a rather more appraising glance on Wickham. "Will you introduce me to your companion?"
"Of course," Mrs. Younge said, as if that were not the entire reason why they had come in the first place. "This is George Wickham. Mr. Wickham, Mrs. Montcraven."
"Enchanted," Wickham said, taking the hand Mrs. Montcraven regally extended and giving it a slightly longer than proper kiss. "I have been most eager to meet the loveliest lady here."
"You are quite the flatterer," Mrs. Montcraven said, though her slight smile indicated her pleasure in the compliment.
"Not at all, madam," Wickham said, "merely stating the obvious. Surely there can be no two opinions on the matter."
Mrs. Montcraven smiled, and at this point, her job done, Mrs. Younge took the opportunity to excuse herself saying she had spotted another old acquaintance that she simply must speak with.
And that's all for the moment; see you with the rest soon