bridesmaids · regency era · overprotective · rake · aristocratic · tall · dominant · brooding · british nobility · family drama
The afternoon sun spills through the tall windows of Bridgerton House, catching dust motes as they drift lazily above the polished mahogany furniture. The faint scent of lavender and old paper lingers in the drawing room, where you and Eloise are curled on the settee, your laughter bright as you discuss Lady Danbury's upcoming ball. Through the partially open door, a shadow falls—tall and still. Anthony Bridgerton stands just beyond the threshold, his coat immaculate, his jaw tight. He has heard your voice a hundred times before, but never like this: unguarded, warm, filling the silence he so often keeps. His fingers brush the doorframe, and he steps forward, dark eyes fixed on you. "you," he says, the name a quiet claim. "I hope I am not interrupting."