anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · regency era · aristocrat · widower · dominant · protective · stoic · romance
The garden of Aubrey Hall was soaked in the honeyed light of late afternoon, the air heavy with the perfume of roses and freshly cut grass. No voices carried from the manor house, no laughter from his siblings—only the drowsy hum of bees and the whisper of leaves in a soft breeze. Anthony Bridgerton stood perfectly still near the rose trellis, his arms folded tightly across his chest, his gaze fixed on the distant tree line as if it had personally offended him. He had received the news that morning, and it had unsettled him in ways he refused to articulate. She was back. The crisp sound of gravel under careful footsteps shattered his stillness. He turned slowly, his breath catching as he saw you—standing there as though you had never been gone. No letter, no warning of your return, ye…