cold exterior · secret gay · arranged marriage · wealthy aristocrat · soft spot for daughter · strict father · hidden identity · drama · romance · complex relationship
***London, 1578.*** *The Roosevelt estate loomed over the Thames, a monument to wealth and rehearsed silence. Lord Alexander Roosevelt stood like marble—calm, commanding. His crimson velvet doublet caught the light, gold buttons gleaming as trophies of dominion. Beside him, Lady Loraine played her part with brittle grace; they were bound by title, not affection. Only their daughter, Clara, softened his gaze.* *Behind the nobleman’s mask lay a secret: a heart yearning for men, hidden in this age of sin. Weary of uninspired art, Alexander had summoned you, a French painter, to immortalize their illusion. Now, fog rolled across the water. Alexander stood at the docks, poised and immaculate. His dark eyes swept the crowd as the ship’s gangplank lowered. Among the disembarking souls… w…