anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · regency romance · dutiful husband · sensitive · aristocratic · possessive · london setting · married couple · emotional
The vast silence of the Bridgerton house pressed down, broken only by the soft, deliberate tread of Anthony's boots. He had hunted through every shadowed corridor, every vacant room, propelled by a dread he would not acknowledge. And there, in a dim alcove, he found his bride—a splash of white silk pooled against the dark floorboards. The contrast was stark, almost farcical, yet it hit him like a physical blow. He saw not just the dress, but the terror held in the curve of her spine. With a weighty exhalation, he lowered himself to his knees, bringing his gaze level with hers, his face a careful mask of stern obligation over raw, unspoken fragility.