Post by Thomas Tawney on Nov 22, 2022 0:37:36 GMT
Blue skies with white puffy clouds made for a picture perfect day, but it did nothing to ease Thomas's nerves as he brought his horse to a halt outside Horse Guards. A trooper sat astride a tall black horse that tossed its head from boredom at having to stand still. The face of the trooper was mostly obscured by his helm, and he didn't try to stop Thomas from entering. As a captain, he wore a scarlet coat with one gold epaulette on his right shoulder.
Past the gate, a steward took his horse, and the young earl stepped into the tall marble building alone. Other officers dressed in scarlet or dark green stood around talking, waiting outside of closed office doors, and occasionally pausing mid sentence to let someone pass before resuming in more hushed tones. This should have been a place where Thomas was at his most comfortable, but the halls that echoed his footsteps made him feel small and suddenly insignificant.
It was the middle of the afternoon at a time when other people were finishing up morning calls. If he was lucky, there was still time to promenade with his friends in the evening before dinner. That was only if he was lucky and this could be a quick meeting. He doubted that much. His career hung in the balance, and he longed to get back to some kind of work. Or if he was forced to retire, then he hoped to secure a pension. Not that he needed it, but a pension ensured that he kept his rank. His superior officers had never written poorly of him, and he'd been mentioned in despatches a few times throughout his career.
He stood outside of General Langham's office and waited for the steward to invite him in. It only took seven minutes, but left alone to his own thoughts and worries, it might have been an hour. The steward opened the heavy wooden door and held it open for Thomas. "The general will see you now."
Thomas stepped inside and saluted sharply. "Sir." His shoulders were back, feet square, eyes forward, and attention. As the inferior officer, it was his duty to wait to be spoken to.
Tagged: Alexander Langham
Past the gate, a steward took his horse, and the young earl stepped into the tall marble building alone. Other officers dressed in scarlet or dark green stood around talking, waiting outside of closed office doors, and occasionally pausing mid sentence to let someone pass before resuming in more hushed tones. This should have been a place where Thomas was at his most comfortable, but the halls that echoed his footsteps made him feel small and suddenly insignificant.
It was the middle of the afternoon at a time when other people were finishing up morning calls. If he was lucky, there was still time to promenade with his friends in the evening before dinner. That was only if he was lucky and this could be a quick meeting. He doubted that much. His career hung in the balance, and he longed to get back to some kind of work. Or if he was forced to retire, then he hoped to secure a pension. Not that he needed it, but a pension ensured that he kept his rank. His superior officers had never written poorly of him, and he'd been mentioned in despatches a few times throughout his career.
He stood outside of General Langham's office and waited for the steward to invite him in. It only took seven minutes, but left alone to his own thoughts and worries, it might have been an hour. The steward opened the heavy wooden door and held it open for Thomas. "The general will see you now."
Thomas stepped inside and saluted sharply. "Sir." His shoulders were back, feet square, eyes forward, and attention. As the inferior officer, it was his duty to wait to be spoken to.
Tagged: Alexander Langham
