The Sterley’s of Oakland Park, SAREJESS [best e reader for epub .txt] 📗

puts before us, I have been quite unable to keep any thing down in the morning other then the formally mentioned tea. I hope I have not caught some thing for that would quite ruin our planed excursion to Edinburgh, which we have been planning for later this week.

I must tell you my dear Mamma the Scots are such somber people seldom have I seen people who smile as rarely as our northern neighbors do. On our first evening here, we had for dinner that most strange dish that is beloved of the Scots Haggis I cannot say I care for it. It really is not to my tastes while George embraces all things Scots he has even gone so far as to buy a kilt and looks quite magnificent when dressed. We find a great many Englishmen go about in search of Scotland enquiring if these or that place be the spot on which a Scot of ancient memory once had his dwelling or if this were the place where Burns the poet of the Scots may have chanced to spend an afternoon whiling away an afternoon composing verse.
I have done every thing exactly as you instructed me George was very gentle and knows just how to treat a lady. I believe that I will never have occasion to doubt in my dear George who is simply the best husband a woman could ever have found.

Your loving daughter
Lydia Parker

Oakland Park
30th April 1814

Dearest Lydia,
I am glad to have word of you at last; I am glad that Scotland agrees with you. I would beg to inform you my dear that the symptoms you describe are to your father and me of the best news for the foretell of an addition to the family. I give you our congratulations on the news of your forthcoming childbirth.

“Pray Lydia dear take some sugar water in the morning this will help with the morning sickness. Be not afraid dear child for when you return to Morton I will come, see you well settled, and help with the arrival of the dear child. Please convey my sincere felicitations‘ to George.

Life here at Oakland’s continues we have had another visit from that unpleasant Mr Holder who it seems has heard there are great opportunities for persons of all classes to make there fortunes in Africa. Well I wish him well although I would be loathed to loose the services of his good wife for, as you know she is simply the best baker in the county.

Papa is overjoyed with the news of your current condition and has all manner of plans to set up a trust for the child.
Dearest Lydia pray do not let George overtax you with walks and trips for a woman in your condition should be abed as much as is possible. Indeed, it is not good for the child to be moved around to much by to much walking about of its mother therefore I beg you to rest as much as possible. As for Haggis, I quite agree for there are certain things Scots that should be reserved for the Scots and the devil alone.

Your dear papa has left this morning to oversee certain work at Morton in preparing the house for your homecoming. Your Mamma Parker sends her deepest and sincere love and best wishes for I have just this morning shared the news of your communication with her to her great delight.

The grange is a nice house with the renovations that Lord John made to them will make it one of the most modern houses in the county, my dear you should count yourself very fortunate that papa was able to make such a good purchase of the house. I foresee that that house will one day hold many happy hours for you and George and pray god that there will be many children to fill its many rooms

I trust that we will hear from you err long and that your homecoming will not be overlong in arriving for your sisters are most anxious to be once more in your company.
I should mention that Arabella and Tom are becoming quite good friends and are always in each other’s company. I fancy that before to long we might have occasion to have another wedding here at Oakland.

Your Loving mother
Ann Sterley


“Dear Mamma I am exceeding glad that you have come to Morton,” said Lydia “Pray take some tea before we explore the house,” she continued. “Dear Lydia it is excessively warm I would gladly forego the tea for a glass of chilled Mulberry wine,” said Lady Ann

“Morton is a grand home Mamma I am happy that Papawas able to secure it for us,” said Lydia “Your father communicated to me that the house cost ten thousand pounds I hope that you will be so kind as to make your expressions of thanks well known to him,” replied Lady Ann

“Oh Mamma I will make every endeavor to do exactly that next time I see him” said Lydia “Pray how are the rest of the family,” she enquired. “Life continues at Oakland it is the lambing season and Papa is busy most of the day with the farmland,” replied Lady Ann

An adjournment to a half an hour later when Lady Ann Lydia and George are upstairs in the rooms “This is the room where we would like to make a nursery for the children” said Lydia. “It is a passing fancy chamber tell me was this not formally a larger chamber?” asked Lady Ann who had previously visited the house when in the ownership of Lord John.

“It was madam I believe it was the chamber where poor unfortunate Lord John expired” said George, “Oh no this will not do imagine if the ghost of Lord John was to make an appearance and scare the poor child witless” said Lady Ann “Oh Mamma how can you say such a thing, indeed I have always though of you as a most sensible person not taken to flights of fancy” said Lydia.

“Lydia I will not be gainsaid in this fashion I am reminded of certain events that occurred at Moorcroft Hall when I was a child” said Lady Ann “Old Moorcroft Hall I have not thought of Moorcroft in many a year” said Lydia who was considering the last visit that the family had made there some five years earlier for the funeral of her maternal Grand Mamma.

“Mamma pray how can any thing that occurred at Moorcroft have any bearing on Morton?” she asked

“When I was nine or ten there was an unhappy occasion when a visitor accidentally shot himself in one of the gun rooms ever since then there has been a clod chill in that room no servant would be found near that room after five o’clock PM if it could be helped” replied Lady Ann.

“It took a bishop and a bevy of parsons to lay the ghost of the unfortunate guest who it seemed would lift up the skirt of any female who chanced to be in that part of the house after five o’clock” said Lady Ann “I remember that your grand Mamma was one evening unfortunate enough to be in that part of the house when the very incident of which I have just spoken happened to her. She if memory serves correctly came away vowing never to enter that part of the house again if father did not that instant get some one to lay the ghost of the lusty ghost,” said Lady Ann

“Really Mamma I doubt that the shade of Lord John would have any evil intent to us after all he and papa were the best of friends,” said Lydia.
“You are mistaken in your assumption that the shade of Lord John would not wish to do evil for he was a man grievously wronged and this I fear will make him the most dangerous of all ghosts at Morton,” said Lady Ann

“What do you suggest we do madam?” asked George who had stood a little apart from his mother-in-law whilst she had related the events just told with a amused smile which as she told the story the expression upon his countenance had changed from amusement to more serious consideration. For George Parker had no wish that his first-born should in any way be harmed by persons of this world or the next. “George I would consider it most fortunate if you would consent to have the child’s room moved further away from this corner of the house if you so wish I am sure that the reverend Thomas would consent hold a service to lay the shade of Lord John and any other errant spirit that might chance to be with in the grange,” said Lady Ann

“I believe we can be accommodating of that,” said George for he had considered that he might if needs prevail be obliged to sleep in the chamber himself to set at rest the fears of his mother in law, for he was quite fond of her. For indeed he held her in the greatest respect as the mother of the woman he loved the most in the entire world.

‘Thus it was that the following afternoon that most reverend of gentlemen James Thomas of the parish of Notheringay found his way to Morton to conduct the service for the spirit of the late Lord Jon Morton. He had as a matter of course taken advantage of reading up on the matter at hand thus as to be able to better conduct himself should he be confronted by the angry ghost Lord John. It was not that he was fearful but a certain caution prevailed upon his spirit to treat with care in areas where Angels fear to tread.

After dinning with the family the most reverend gentleman and George entered the chamber a fire had been lit, the chamber been made comfortably warm for the night. At the door Lydia bid George, a good night and success at laying the ghost then retired to bed. Leaving the town gentleman to there own devices George had upon him