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

visit us at Oakland Park I am sure the children would love to have there cousin here. Sir Thomas is away in London at present and is not expected back for a few more weeks, thus it would be a grand occasion should you and Arabella be here when he returned.

Young Tom has been asking particularly about Arabella, as you will recall they were very close when last the visited.

So pray dear Lady Sarah do come and visit us at your convince she wrote these words thereafter she closed the missive with the usual graces.

Sealing the letter she had but to wait for the next time that there arose an occasion to visit the village and to post the letter. However, after a few moments of contemplation she called for a servant who took the letter directly to The Bell the inn in the village from whence the coach would depart at three O’clock in the afternoon

At midday, the family found themselves round the table partaking in that meal of the day, which brings much, thought for contemplation in the later hours of the afternoon for there was a quantity of food, which made the table groan.

Lady Ann having said grace watched as her family descended on the unsuspecting food hot steaming plates of mutton, pork, and beef graced the table.
The gravy tray been passed around as each member dug in and began to eat. The sons of there neighbor Mr Parker were present having spent part of the previous day and the night at Oakland’s.

George Now seated next to Lady Ann’s dearest daughter Lydia seemed very much taken by her and it was with a fervent expectation that the two young people would in due course be betrothed.

The thought gave Lady Ann a sense of contentment with the world for the Parkers though not of the aristocracy had to there credit.
The fact that they were one of the wealthiest families in England owing to some wise investment s of Mr Parker’s father. Who had first made his fortune as a merchant many year previously. To Lady Ann’s way of thinking it would not be long before the Parkers would rise to the peerage for Mr Parker had been busy in government for some small time, his ideas of reform gained from the study of Wilberforce had lead him to the conclusion that much could be gained from reform in government.

Lady Ann ever forward thinking had not considered at this time the implications for people of a certain class unto which she herself belonged of radical reform. Of course, she knew that radical reform carried to far could be dangerous one had but to look a short distance across the channel to see the result of this dangerous action.

Of course, things had a way of righting themselves she reasoned for had not Bonny made himself the emperor of France once the initial troubles had been settled.

In the mean time, Thursday week would be the next assembly and there would as was the custom of the ladies of the house be much preparing for this even. I hope that by then Sir Thomas would have sent word as to when he was to be expected back from London.

“I have written to Lady Fitz-Gibbon asking her to visit with us and to bring her daughter Lady Arabella for a few weeks” said Lady Ann. “Oh Mamma that is a nice thing I can hardly remember when last they spent time here,” said Mary. Who was the only daughter of the house to show any real interest in her relatives. For the young lady had collected a book of relatives from the earliest times of the family’s existence in that part of the county.

After the midday meal the daughters of the house and there guests found occasion to spend some time in the garden, for it was there custom to spend lazy afternoon’s near the lake watching the water fowl. Thomas retired to his fathers study to do some writing while John descended once more on the garden to take up a spade and rake for this son of the house of Sterley loved gardening more then any thing in the world.


Chapter Three


The sound of a busy London street drifted upward to the ears of the men sitting in the study Of the Earl of Waterford Lord Lieutenant of the tower of London and Gentleman of the privy seal. For a moment before he began to speak Sir Thomas listened to the sounds of horse and carriage passing by the house in Grosvenor Square

Sir Thomas had recently arrived in town and had as a matter of urgency requested an interview with the Earl on a matter of mutual business.

“I am lead to understand that there might be the possibility of certain commons in the Royal dragoons,” said Sir Thomas.

“Indeed there are a certain number available to worthy members of a certain good families for a not inconsiderable consideration,” replied the earl of Waterford.

“I would be most interested my lord to know what such a commission would cost say a lieutenancy or a captaincy,” said Sir Thomas

“I am not exactly sure Sir Thomas but I would be able to find out from the commander of the dragoons he owes me a certain service.” Said the earl “May I enquire for whom you require the post? He continued. ”

“My boy Tom is of a moody nature who spends to much time writing poetry and prose I have half a mind to by him a commission and give him a chance to get out in the world don’t you know” said Sir Thomas as he raised a snifter of Brandy to his lip’s

“Ah I have just the right command for a young lad like that,” said the earl. Give me a few days to arrange it, fear not Sir Thomas your troubles are at an end for a certain consideration. Of course I am sure I we will be able to make available to your young man a command which is ideally suited to his nature and complement“ he continued.

“I see that Sir Grenville has been mentioned in the latest dispatches,” said Sir Thomas by way of reference to the earl’s second son who had been leading quite a charmed life under Lord Wellesley. “Ah yes Grenville he is a wonderful boy going into the army was the best thing I could ever have arranged for him of course, he fought and screamed against it he wanted to go into the theater of all things. What a member if the nobility in the theater have you ever heard of such an idea” said the earl “I blame his mother of course always encouraging him to act

“I fear that it was seeing his uncle of Shadberry in the company of the prince regent that put such a notion in his head. As you know John Shadberry has always followed the fashion of Prinny and as a result this has rubbed of on Grenville but I knew the army would make a man of him” ended the earl.

“It says here that he performed with the utmost bravery when leading a contingent of the rifles whilst with drawing from an open position,” said Sir Thomas


“Indeed the lad seems to have found his place in the service,” replied the Earl. Who held a glass before his rather large red nose savoring the flavor of the illicit cognac recently seized by a very alert captain on a revenue cutter in the channel on dark evening.


“Pray Sir Thomas I am confounded sir that you would want your lad in the Army for I believe that you are a navel man yourself?” said the Earl

“Indeed my lord is correct I fought at Cape St Vincent the first battle of course, yes I meditated upon the Navy for my son. However since Nelson was killed there has not been much of a chance of honors at sea. With most of the war effort going on land” replied Sir Thomas.

“Exactly sir you are correct in that assumption for the glory now days is not at sea but on the many fronts on the continent don’t you know said the earl as he swallowed the cognac


“My service to the crown during my tears at sea also taught me one thing that some men will never make good sailors poor Thomas cannot even get out on the lake with out becoming green about the gills. Thus I am forced to turn once more landward,” said Sir Thomas with a sigh as the thought of his son becoming a great navel captain disappeared from his mind.

“Indeed sir Thomas you have my sympathy but we have time to consider this matter latter tonight I have a little celebration of my own. I would like you to attend as my guest for my daughter Virginia is to marry captain Sir Benjamin Witling and they are to announce there betrothal tonight. It would be my pleasure sir if you would attend,” said the Earl “Of course straight afterward I am sending her back to Waterford for the season is to hot here for her,” the earl. “Quite unfitting that a young lady should be in London quite un-chaperoned you might be surprised to know that the countess is not fond of traveling and has not left Waterford these twenty years,” he continued

“My Lord is to kind I await this occasion with much pleasure pray my lord at what time will the event begin?” enquired Sir Thomas “ ”We shall dine at nine“ replied the earl as he showed Sir Thomas to the door.

Outside the great house of the Earl Sir Thomas stopped to consider what he had achieved. For by mere accident it had