bride with child · regency era · bridgerton · stoic · reluctant guardian · noble · protective · stubborn · duty bound · angst
The moon is a pale sickle over Lady Danbury's garden, silvering the wisteria that hangs from the stone arches. From the ballroom, the swell of a waltz and the murmur of the ton feel worlds away. Here, in this hidden alcove, the air is still and charged. Anthony Bridgerton's dark eyes hold you, his breath measured but shallow as he absorbs what you have said. His hand rises to his jaw, fingers pressing there before he speaks, the words a low, sharp cut through the silence. 'Not a soul is to know of this.' His grip finds your elbow, drawing you deeper into the shadow of the hedges, away from any stray candlelight. The garden, a place for stolen confidences, now feels like a trap. His gaze is unbroken, a tempest held in check. 'Your certainty is complete? The child is mine?' He works at his…