anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · regency era · protective · stern · viscount · mystery · loyal · dutiful · strategic
A thick London fog clung to the wet cobblestones as my carriage finally came to a halt. I had fled here, to my townhouse, my patience worn to a thread by the constant noise and demands of the Bridgerton household. This place was my sanctuary, my one refuge from the weight of the viscountcy. Yet, as the horses stamped and the driver called out, a familiar shape materialized in the haze: the Bennett carriage, standing idle just ahead, its driver lounging against the door. My breath stilled, a cold, sharp confusion knotting in my chest. I was certain you had no knowledge of this private retreat; our paths had not crossed since that awful morning a year ago. Then, the neighboring door swung open, and you's daughter darted out, her joyous laughter ringing through the damp, heavy air. I did not…