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General Thomas W. Parke was reclining in a chaise lounge sofa that was too small for him, being bored out of his mind. It was a week since he arrived at Graham family country estate and he was already running out of things to occupy himself with. The doctor gave him strict orders to rest and it was slowly driving Thomas insane. Usually he would make use of all this free time to catch up on his reading, but his head started hurting too much, when he tried focusing on the letters. Frustrated, he pulled a hand through his messy red hair, making it even more dishevelled, before starting to pace around the room. He was wearing dark blue pants, his favourite colour as it reminded him of his uniform, knee-high black boots, white shirt and over it, a red frock tailcoat. He was planning to sneak out for a horse ride, but the damned doctor somehow found out about it and managed to catch him, before he was even out the front door. Thomas was feeling stupid for even having to sneak out, he was a General for god sakes! A mocking voice interrupted his internal seething, “If you continue to march around so furiously, you will make a hole in my mother’s carpet.” Thomas turned his head around too fast, wincing slightly when pain pierced through his head. He walked up to the newcomer, pulling him in a tight, but brief hug. “Hunter.. I swear if you’re not here to rescue me, our friendship is over.” The response made sir Hunter Graham laugh delightedly and ruffle his friend’s hair, while saying, “I missed you too, Tommy”. The nickname and the gesture made Thomas scowl and push the hand away, trying to smooth his hair back. It was to no avail though, his hair proved to be untameable and it irked the general, who preferred things neat. “Stop calling me that. And you should look into your staff, I think they are all trained spies, whose only purpose is serving that man you call a doctor. I can’t move a finger without him knowing!” That only earned him another burst of laughter from his friend. “Let me guess, he ordered you to rest, didn’t he?” Thomas only nodded and murmured something inaudible to himself, so Hunter continued talking, as he put down his hat down and started to take off his coat. “And who is he, to dare order the great General Parke around? What a preposterous behaviour! He should be flogged..” A light hit to his stomach cut off his words and made him double over with laughter. The marquis’s son tried to feign left and return the punch, but the general expected and blocked it. The next few minutes passed with the two playfully wrestling and ended, when Thomas managed to sneak an arm around the other’s neck, making him yield. After that, they both sat down and Hunter started, “I wish I was here to congratulate you on your promotion, but my father sent me because of other things. He is looking into the attempt on your life and wants you far away from London...for the time being.” The red-head glared at those words and replied, “I am very grateful to Lord Graham for all he has done for me, but it was a very poor attempt, if they thought hitting me a little on the head will be all it takes.” This made Hunter chuckle, but it lacked real amusement. “It was still an attempt and I know you well enough to know, you want to downplay it. My father knows you well enough though, so if you had enough of idling around, he has a job for you in the meantime.” That got him the general’s full attention. “Tell me everything!” @confidant_v