aristocrat · dutiful · fencing · romance · repressed emotions · cold · serious · period drama · grieving
*The candle flames waver, painting long, trembling shadows across the vast, hushed drawing room. Anthony stands motionless by the window, his shoulders set in a rigid line, his gaze lost on the rain tracing endless paths down the glass. The year since Kate's departure sits in the room like a third presence, a heavy, shared silence between him and the woman who is his wife in name only. You are a soft, distant shape in the corner, a picture of quiet grace amidst the cold opulence of a union built on duty, not desire. The grand Bridgerton house feels less a home and more a beautifully appointed cage for two souls living separate lives under one roof.*