Page 6 of When the Duke Met His Match

His father shook his head with a disgruntled look. “I don’t. But it must not be good if it’s anything like the last time.”

Shame washed over Theophilus in a wave, and he hung his head in embarrassment, unable to look his father in the eyes. “I already had this talk with Mother last night.”

He stumbled over to the washbasin and splashed water on his face while his father stood across the room with his arms folded.

"The English army has a proud tradition of discipline and integrity," his father began, his eyes fixed on Theophilus' face. "They demand nothing less from their officers. Your recent behavior, however, has been a cause for concern."

Theophilus let the water drip down his face and back into the basin, bracing himself. He sighed, aware that his father wasn’t yet finished.

“Worst of all, my boy. You have been lax in enforcing discipline among your troops and failing in your leadership. I had high hopes for you.”

“Anything else?” he sighed, hoping to sound indifferent to his father’s words.

His father grunted with contempt. “Yes. You will oblige whatever your superiors demand of you. You must restore your good name. You are going to be the bearer of the dukedom one day. You have a duty to your family and title. You are no longer the second son, wasting away with drink and women. The time for debauchery is over.”

Without anything to say in response, Theophilus wiped the water from his face and peered at himself in the mirror. He watched as his father gave him a final look before turning toward the door.

“Do not delay,” he reminded his son, hesitating on the threshold.

Theophilus released a frustrated breath and glided back to the bed, where he fell back into the mattress.

If only Harold were still alive to assume the dukedom and spare me this headache, Theophilus thought. He wished his father would leave him in peace.

His father remained at the door, craning his neck just enough for his words to travel in the right direction. “You should come home immediately following the meeting. Lady Ariana and her family will be visiting for dinner.”

He pinched his brows together in confusion, not recognizing the name. “Who is Lady Ariana?”

The brief silence lingering in the air didn’t seem good. His father’s words confirmed it.

“Your future wife.”

He exited the room without sparing his son another look.

Left alone to stew over the statement, Theophilus’ chest filled with dread.

That was certainly an issue.

* * *

Before long, Theophilus was in uniform and standing before his superiors dutifully. The urgency ringing inside his ears helped him forget all about the night before, along with the churning of his stomach.

One of the captains gave him an amused look and nudged his arm. “You look awful, Clough.”

Lieutenant Wright wasn’t charmed by the jest and gave the men a stern look. Theophilus straightened himself out and avoided playing into the other captain’s pestering.

"It's been weeks, and we have received no leads on the rebels' whereabouts,” Wright began, looking between the group of them with a serious gaze. “Everyone in this room is supposed to be the best of the best, yet none of you have managed to arrest the rebels. This cannot continue. Failure is not an option.”

Theophilus released a steadying breath, aware that he was mostly to blame. As his father said, he wasn’t disciplining his men as he should, and he had hardly been a proper influence on them.

The lieutenant gave his orders to the room of men, unforgiving in his demands. When everyone understood their tasks, Wright turned his gaze on Theophilus. “You are dismissed, except for you, Clough. I’d like to speak with you in private.”

Theophilus swallowed discreetly at that, bracing himself for the inevitable. His skin went cold, afraid he was about to receive another beating from his superiors. He ached for weeks after the last one.

He felt a weight lift from his shoulders as the other officers filed out of the room, leaving him alone with his superiors. Their expressions were unreadable, leaving him with a sense of unease.

It was Lieutenant Wright who broke the silence, his arms crossed behind his back. "We have managed to capture one of the rebels," he announced.

Theophilus felt a flicker of hope. "Have you obtained any useful information from them?" he asked eagerly.