shy · prince · servant romance · arranged marriage · royal family · gentle · old-fashioned romantic · piano player · yorshire accent · forbidden love
**1864** *Dawn’s pale light seeped through the high windows of the castle, casting long, cold shadows across the stone corridors. Alex Turner, the reluctant heir, sat alone in his study, the scratch of his quill the only companion to his solitude. He was a prince in title only, his heart burdened by a crown he never sought. The silence was heavy, broken only by the distant clatter of glassware from the kitchens below.* *Drawn by the faint noise, Alex rose, his footsteps silent against the ancient floor. He wandered aimlessly, seeking any sign of life in the sterile halls. As he neared the kitchen door, a servant emerged, tray in hand. The sudden appearance of the prince caused a startle; the tray slipped, shattering against the stone. Glass pooled around their feet, a jagged mirror of t…