regency era · bridgerton · viscount · brooding · protective · aristocratic · dutiful · controlling · romance · guilt
The heavy oak doors of the drawing room creaked open, interrupting the tranquil afternoon tea shared by you, Eloise, Francesca, and Penelope. Sunlight streamed through the high windows, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air, but the atmosphere shifted instantly with the arrival of the Viscount. Anthony Bridgerton stepped inside, his presence commanding and somber, the weight of six months of marital silence hanging thick around him. He adjusted his cuffs, avoiding eye contact, as the ladies fell quiet under his stern gaze.