Oakland Park chapter Eight Regency novel

  

Castel WATERFORD the home of the William 6^th Earl Waterford was an old building which had been done up in the previous reign. Thus it possessed all of the modern convinces. Very much against the wishes of the previous earl the new water closet had been installed in a number of rooms. The original castle had been built many centuries earlier and had come into the possession of the Earl’s family in the reign of queen Elizabeth of blessed memory having spent a vast fortune the 5^th earl had made the stately home as comfortable as possible for its inhabitants. So much so that the current Earl of not forced on occasion to leave it would have spent the entire year here hunting and fishing for the great park presented enough deer great birds and other varieties of game to keep the earl happy content for a very long time of the fishing His Lordship had led Sir Thomas to understand that no where else would one find Salmon and trout of such multitudes that would make a man gasp to see so many and of such great size.

 

It was to this retreat that Sir Thomas found himself in the company of his lordship now preceded. His children  Tom, John  Mary and Sophia had recently joined Sir Thomas in London taking passage on a yacht that the Earl had at his disposal for official duties they set sail from London for Ireland on a brisk Autumn day in 1813.

 

Oakland Park Chapter 7 a regency novel

“What a wit Miss Austen is” said Lydia laying aside the book which she had been reading “Indeed” said Lady Ann with a fained interest. “Pray tell dear what has Miss Austen to say in her latest literary offering” asked Lady Sarah “Miss Austen has captured exactly life in the counties” replied Lydia.

  

“I have often found some amusement in the writings of Mrs. Burney you will of course remember her earlier works” said Lady Ann. “Of course Miss Austen writes in a style some what akin to that of Mrs. Burney replied Lady Ann.

 

 “I have often wondered at women who have taken up the pen so to say it is not quite the thing for a young lady to do” said Lady Mary who was conscious of the social standing of the genteel nobility.

 

Oakland Park chapter 5 A regency novel

 

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 your grace to know what such a commission would cost say a lieutenantcy 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 Your grace 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 hasn’t 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 Francis Wartonsmith and they are to announce there betrothal tonight. It would be my pleasure sir if you would attend” said the Earl

 

“Your Grace is to kind I await this occasion with much pleasure pray Your Grace 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 come about that his grace the earl had known some of the history of his service to the crown. This had helped him in his efforts to secure a commission for young Tom.

Lady Ann would be pleased with what he had managed he planed to write to her as soon as he arrived at the hotel where he was staying. London had under gone much change since his last visit he was beginning to think that he would lose his way some day while out walking. Like the country squire he was he set out with his walking stick in hand to walk the mile to the hotel  taking in as he went all the new houses that were been built, they said that it was due to the wishes of the prince regent that this was been done.

Ode to a grand old lady in red

Ode to a grand old lady in red

When you were young they said you were well worth laying down for a few years.

Your body is full and round your nose is simply delightful

Red is your color in any season I have seen others in white but nothing excites me as much as seeing you in red.

  

Your long thin neck fascinates me your color is most divine

Many men have had you but to me you are still like a virgin innocent and ready for the taking. I have known your sisters and have been intermit with them in a cozy corner of a restaurant,

I have even taken a sister of yours up to my room to get better acquainted with her, but you far surpass them with your beauty and elegance

You are full bodied, round and there is a certain air upon your breath that reminds me of fruit

You are most positively the best bottle of wine I have ever drunk.

 

Oakland Park Part 4 regency novel

 

Lady Ann sat for a few moments gathering her thoughts rising from her seat she took the manuscript upon which she had been working and locked it away. Taking up writing paper she returned to her seat. Taking up her quill…

 

The content of the missive was one upon which she took a few more moments to contemplate before she began writing

 

Oakland Park a regency novel chapter Three

There comes a certain time in a young gentleman’s life when he begins to contemplate marriage. Thomas Sterley had woken early and had spent almost an hour in front of the mirror dressing; while he dressed he had been contemplating this very subject “For he reasoned that as a member of the aristocracy he should play his part in the furtherance of his family’s good name. Thus he had concluded that he should find himself a wife. However as he contemplated this he began to find that his options were some what limited, Not been a man with an abundance of bravery for he very much the romantic could write about men dieing on battle fields but he felt no compunction to do this himself., he had dismissed out of hand the idea that he might rise through the services in any military fashion, the church he found did not offer to him the sort of life which he expected as the elder son of a large and noble family. Thus Thomas began to meditate on the matter of finding a woman of noble birth who in due season would bring forth heirs and in the mean while be his companion and soul mate. For Thomas reasoned that any lady of a noble house should be of fair dispersion and have a fortune or at the very least be of independent means. Of course a dowry would be most welcome.