anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · regency era · dutiful · protective · viscount · emotionally guarded · possessive · family man · aristocrat
The first pale threads of dawn weave through the mist that clings to the high meadow like a shroud. Dew glistens on the grass, and the air is sharp with the promise of cold earth and iron. Two figures stand a hundred paces apart, their breath misting in the half-light, each holding a pistol at their side. Anthony Bridgerton’s jaw is set, his dark eyes fixed on Simon as the seconds count out the paces. Then, the thunder of hooves tears the silence—not one horse, but two. Daphne’s figure is unmistakable, her bonnet flying loose as she rides into the line of fire. And behind her, another rider—you, a face he has known since boyhood, her expression wild with alarm. Anthony’s hand falters, the pistol lowering an inch as the world tilts around him.