The conveyances of the Duke of York and the Earl of Waterford were early upon the road on Wednesday morning, the gentlemen who frequented the vehicles as they made there way along the roads of Surrey were in a gay mood. For to them an outing to the country was just what they wished for. The duke was happy to have as his companion on the journey Virginia Lady Waterford, who had some what recovered from the loss of her betrothed. However her deepest wish now was to see some one pay for the death of the unfortunate young man for her it was not a matter of honor but a deep personal loss.

To the Earl it was a wound which he could bear for he had considered the connections that the young man could bring to his family and the position in society to which his daughter could have risen now the search for a suitable young man had to begin again from the start.

The arrived shortly before eleven to be greeted buy the entire household of Oakland Park the greetings between Hiss highness the Earl of Waterford and Sir Thomas were to say the least cold. Sir Thomas to his credit went out of his way to be the genial host, when the party had been settled in there chambers to every ones great satisfaction the gentlemen enquired after any occasion for hunting to which Sir Thomas had great pleaser in obliging showing the Duke the gun room where the duke selected not with out consideration a weapon which much pleased Sir Thomas.

Thereafter the gentlemen proceeded to the ground sin search of deer and fowl. Returning late in the afternoon they deposited the bag for preparation by the kitchen servants. His lordship and the Earl of Waterford made much of Lady Ann his highness saying he had seldom met a woman with so much wit. While Sir Thomas found himself sitting ignored by his house guests.

The following morning Sir Thomas was out early to put in place things for the events of the following morning he did not have much occasion to worry as to what his difficult guests were up to He was of the mind that his wife would keep them entertained. He found much to keep him occupied during the day returning in the evening from Notheringay he spent a little time in there company before retiring to bed.

Rising early he was happy to see that Harry Watson had arrived during the night they made there breakfast on the remains of a cold chicken which had been left for this purpose. Upon enquiring as to the location of Lady Ann he was informed that she has left half an hour earlier with the duke and the Earl. Sir Thomas was much put out at this news for he had wanted to wish her good day before setting out to the field of honor.

Sir Thomas and Harry made there way to the clearing in the wood which had previously been selected here he found the carriage of the Earl the nobleman and the prince were smoking a pipe while waiting for the arrival of Sir Thomas. The terms of the duel having previously been arranged there was now nothing more to do then the combatants and the seconds take the field of honor.

Sir Thomas was much surprised when Lady Ann stepped from the carriage and took the place of the second for his lordship. “Sir I must protest at this unseemly arrangement,” said Sir Thomas.

“Indeed sir I am under an obligation to Lady Ann for she requested that she stand as my second,” replied the Earl. “Very well then but I find it unbecoming,” said Sir Thomas.

Taking there places the two noblemen began to pace away from each other at twenty paces they turned the Earl was the first to fire the shot going wide. Now in the silence of morning the sounds of bird song been hear the clearing silent Sir Thomas took his time he planed to fire high as he had no wish to wound the Earl his only wish was that the matter was at an end just as he was about to fire a deer broke from the trees to his left startling him he fired low. A terrible cry rang around the clearing as the Earl sunk to the ground his breeches which had formally been white were now covered in red blood Sir Thomas dropped his pistol and hurried forward as did the Duke Lady Ann and Doctor Barry whom Sir Thomas had required to be present to render any assistance to who ever was wounded.

“The Earl lay upon the ground moaning in great agony “Harry Watson remarked in a frightened voice “It seems Sir Thomas that you have shot away his lordships unmentionables,” “Clear the way man” said doctor Barry as he begun to administer Brandy to the stricken man. “Pray help me to lift him to the carriage we must get him to the house” said the doctor Harry been the youngest man helped the doctor lift the Earl into the carriage which rushed off towards the house the Duke Lady Ann and Sir Thomas left to walk back to the house at there leisure. “Ann may I ask why you consented to be the Earl’s second” asked Sir Thomas. “Sir it is because you have a hussy to whom you write love sonnets” remarked Lady Ann crossly. “Indeed madam you are mistaken for I begin to see a great mistake has occurred here” said Sir Thomas;’Pray husband who then is Juanita?

““She is as far as I am aware the lady in whom my young companion is affianced and deeply smitten he asked me to write a few line s which he could copy to woo her” replied Sir Thomas.
“Then I am at fault Tom for I found the note and bethought that you had found a place in your heart for another in the place of me” replied Lady Ann quietly.

“Most unusual indeed I have never heard of it” said the duke who began to see the humor of the whole situation and began to laugh.

“Your Highness I fear that it is not kind to laugh at the condition of the poor Earl who is now stricken in the worst sort of way,” remarked Lady Ann seriously.

“I fear that his gaying pistol will be of no further use to him” said Fredrick duke of York “But let us hear what the doctor can do” said he as they mounted the front steps of the house.

They had not long to wait the doctor reported that the Earl was resting quietly and would recover but as Fredrick duke of York had said his lordship would no longer frequent with his former vigor those less sociably acceptable places of entertainment in town for Sir Thomas’s shot had quite carried away his lordships weapon of choice..

In the mean while Lady Virginia had become reacquainted with William they were later in the day to be discovered in the garden making dove eyes at each other.

In the days that followed the duke and Sir Thomas became firm friends the Earl having lost that instrument which is most precious to men became quite a different man when pressed upon to give his daughter in marriage to William the son of his former foe he gave it gladly knowing that he could not have been bested by any better shot in England Lady Ann continued to write and Sir Thomas did eventually submit for publication his manuscript on the birds of Southern England, which was published with a short dedication to his highness the duke of York it recived great acclaim.
There dear readers we must until another time bid our friends and foes from this story farewell and Adieu until such time as the fates determine we once again meet them, but who can say when that may be?

Tags: regency novel, jane austen