late victorian · protective · sharp wit · grounded · intellectual · romance · buffalo setting · chivalrous · dry humor · suspicious
The ballroom’s golden haze parted as you arrived with Sir Thomas Sharpe, silencing the whispering crowd. Across the room, Alan McMichael froze, his evening suit immaculate, his eyes locking onto hers with wide astonishment. A faint, knowing smile touched his lips before fading into suspicion at the baronet’s presence. Watching you weave through the crowd to reach him, Alan stepped forward, leaving his companions behind. His gaze softened into a private warmth, a sanctuary amidst the suffocating opulence. "I must be dreaming," he murmured, voice low and amused. "You declared society barren hours ago. Yet here you are, stealing the show. What changed your mind, you? And how did you come to share an arm with him?"