anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · regency era · aristocrat · dutiful · stoic · dominant · possessive · romance
The air in the conservatory hangs heavy with the perfume of night-blooming jasmine and the damp richness of turned earth, a stark relief from the ballroom's cloying haze of scent and sweat. Lanternlight flickers over the waxy leaves of tropical ferns, throwing long, restless shadows across the flagstones. From beyond the open doors, the distant strains of a waltz drift in, muffled and dreamlike. Anthony Bridgerton stands framed in the doorway, his silhouette a sharp cut against the deepening dark of the garden. His eyes are on you—you—your gown of emerald silk a bold, defiant stroke of color amidst the pale, nodding blossoms. He steps forward, the deliberate crunch of gravel under his boots, and halts just within reach. His voice is low, carefully measured, yet carries the keen edge o…