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

David Davis listened intently for he knew that what was to follow was of great importance.

“The lieutenant and the captain are to take twenty paces; each will have the opportunity of firing twice more if the first shots do not find there mark.” George continued. “As arranged first blood will settle the debit of honor, are we clear upon this?” he asked the voices of the assembled men assented to the correctness of the rules. There after the second of lieutenant Davis approached Captain Aubrey. “Are you willing to accede that you were wrong in this matter,” he asked. “I am afraid I cannot withdraw my statement for it is true,” replied Aubrey.

“To your places gentlemen” said George, the two duelists began to remove there coats and prepare for what must surly follow. Sir Thomas and the second from the lieutenant’s party checked the pistols before offering first choice of weapons to the rifles officer. He chose with great care the pistol, although both were a matching pair having been made in London in the year 1780. Returning Sir Thomas offered the remaining pistol to Captain Aubrey, who lifted it lightly in his hand testing the weight before moving into the place designated. The early evening mists were rolling in with fine dew beginning to make its presents felt upon the leaves of the surrounding forest. The field of honor had been chosen for its obscurity the fact that it was in the great forest of Oakland made it ideal for the current purpose.

The second for the army officer lifted his handkerchief and waited but a moment before the men began to mark there paces. Both men it seemed took there paces with a leisurely pace. Turning they faced each other lieutenant Davis waited but a moment took aim the clearing was filled with the sound of the shot a cloud of grey gun smoke filling the air, a number of nesting inhabitants of the forest rose to the air in confusion as the sound of the shot reverberated. In moment it appeared that, the officer had missed his mark for Captain Aubrey stood uninjured now waiting his turn.

Measuring well his aim, he fired high the cloud of smoke rising like an offering to the deity of honor. Immediately the seconds inspected the pistols and reloaded them returning them to the protagonists.

One more lieutenant Davis took aim and fired this time the fire brought down a branch,
James Aubrey once again took his time to aim he had no wish to harm his opponent for it was not in his nature to hurt an officer when it was not in a matter of war thus when he fired the shot was wide and clipped one of the great oaks.

For the third time the men loaded, the weapons before returning them to the combatants Davis took aim and fired. This time the ball found its mark wounding Aubrey in the arm.
“Gentlemen I thank you honor has been satisfied ”remarked the officer of the rifles as he closed with Aubrey now to shake his opponents hand. For during the duel the young man had become aware of certain truths and he considered Aubrey a worth opponent. Furthermore, the young man had become aware that life was too short to be lost over a trifle. Sir Thomas and George wrapped a sheet around the young navel officer’s arm and lead him off towards the coach. While the driver collected the pistols and deposited them in the hold all at the rear of the coach in a few moments the clearing was deserted for the officers of the rifles had also made there departure.


It fell to Lady Ann and her daughters to tend the young captain as he recovered from the wound of honor, at first it did not seem if he would make a full recovery for he fell into a fever of the most vigor which kept the woman of the house busy at all hours cooling his brow. Poor Sophia was his constant companion as he tossed and turned in the bed the doctor
Came on the very first evening after the duel to clean the wound and remove the ball, which had lodged itself in the captain’s upper arm. Upon surveying the wound, he had shaken his head and mentioned some thing about the habits of young gentlemen been foolish in the extreme.


Where as when the bandage was removed for, dressing the following morning the captain had thought nothing of it saying he had recived far more serious wounds while at sea. However, the weather been warm he had fallen into the aforementioned fever, which brought on hallucinations of the most frightful kind for his dreams were filled with the enemy ships over powering his vessel. At times, he would cry out at others he would slump back into the bed unconscious of his surroundings the fever raged for three days during which Lady Ann, Lydia and Sophia tended to him. On the morning of the fourth day, he awoke early to find Lady Ann asleep in the chair next to his bed. Sophia was reading by the fire. Speaking softly for the first time he asked Sophia for a glass of water. Moreover, bid her not to wake her mother for he knew that what must have passed had taken a lot from the woman sleeping in the chair.

There on a quite morning as the sun rose the two young people sat and talked softly of there dreams and hopes. James Aubrey was gladdened to find in Sophia a young woman who was not in the least expectant of making a great noise in society. but preferred living quietly in the country, she spoke of her love for her sisters of the tender love she felt for the animals which had come injured to the back door where the under gardener might have wrung the neck of a young chick. However, she had taken the bird and brought it to its adulthood much to the satisfaction of her papa. For in itself it was but a little thing but to win the praise of her papa was a big thing. She was fond of her papa for she found in her father a friend be it many years her senior but a friend with whom she could express her deepest fears and hopes. She wondered at herself been so forward with the young man in the bed for she had never before spoken thus with any one let alone a member of the opposite sex.

It was at a quarter after seven when Lady Ann awoke from her slumber her first reaction was to check to see if her patient was any better. to her delight she discovered the captain and Sophia upon the balcony in close company speaking as friends of old do, this suited her desire to make the good captain her son in law thus she withdrew with out letting them know that she had seen them.


Chapter Sixteen


It was one of those rainy evenings toward the middle of the year of 1815 the Sterley’s and there assembled guests were gathered in the library it been the warmest room in the house. Upon a side table, lay the post a number of dispatches lay open upon the table. The Parkers senior and junior had come to dinner and had been detained by the unusual downpour of rain. Thus, they would be staying the night, been unable to return to there respective homes due to the condition of the roads as it had been raining for more then three days. There venturing to Oakland’s had it not been previously arranged would have been forgone. However, as the needs of polite society demanded there presents they had made the journey to the house during a brief respite in the rain.

Sophia’s joy at finding a person of like intelligence in the company of James Aubrey was only surpass at the joy that was about to great the house with news that Sir Thomas was about to impart.

“You will be pleased to know my dear” he said to Lady Ann, “that I have some most remarkable news to give you,” “Pray continue husband do not keep us all in suspense” she replied as she stitched a particularly difficult flower upon the cloth.

“You will be delighted to hear that I am promoted to the rank of vice admiral of the blue in recognition of past services to the crown,” he said. “Congratulation Sir I am most pleased to hear this,” said Captain Aubrey as he crossed the room to shake the hand of Sir Thomas.

“That is most fortuities news husband, advancement is always welcome,” said Lady Ann. “That is not all for Lord Hood has written me on a matter of urgency in regard to this promotion and has requested that I once more take up my seat in the house to deal with matter of urgency. It seems my dear you are to have your wish for I have conceded to the request thus shortly I will be leaving for London,” said Sir Thomas to the expressions of joy this news was greeted with by the assembled company. “I am very glad for your promotion brother in law, a most singular honor upon your part,” said William Parker. “I thank you William it is most welcome, Ann I am sure will be the most content with this news ,” said Sir Thomas “indeed husband I am very happy with the outcome of the situation, it is the most welcome news that we have had in a long time here at Oakland,” the lady in question said.

“As soon as the rain stops I will be going to London to speak with Lord Hood, it is fortunate that the house in London has been made ready for us on the occasion of Mary’s coming out,” said Sir Thomas. “Indeed we will be able to combine matter of business with pleasure,” said Lady Ann who was exceedingly happy as she bounced her grandson upon her knee.

“I see that Lord Bromley the son of the Earl of Waterford has been mentioned in the latest dispatches he has been promoted a colonel in the kings own regiment,” said Sir Thomas as he scrutinized the documents in his hand. “What an insufferable man the Earl is I wonder sir that his son is not of the same type of man as his father,” said Lady Ann
Have a care Madam the officer who you so maliciously speak is a relative of our guest Captain Aubrey“ said Sir Thomas ”I beg to inform you sir that I am not in