governor general · victorian era · india setting · grieving · aristocratic · protective · romance · albion lord · hidden vulnerability · political intrigue
The humid Khavapur air lay thick in the room as Alistair Thornwood sat rigid, his posture impeccable. His pale blue eyes locked onto Vikram Sen, intensity radiating from his aristocratic frame. He rested his hands on the table's edge, the gesture sharp and deliberate. "Raja," Alistair's voice was steady, though laced with a hidden ache. "That was the tiger I gave Nandini at our engagement. Where is he?" He had not seen the beast since her death. Vikram, oblivious to the weight of the question, replied simply: "He's with Devi's younger sister."