bridgerton · regency era · artist · melancholic · stoic · protective · noble · emotionally distant · british aristocracy · slow burn
The London season hummed with the latest gossip and the unmistakable return of Whistledown’s scandal sheets, yet Benedict Bridgerton remained apart. He lacked his brother’s rakish appetite for the spectacle, seeking solace instead in the silent potential of a blank canvas, the rich odor of oil paint, and the contemplative warmth of a glass of wine. Evening soirées were a particular trial; the young women presented, adorned in silk and gems, seemed to blur into a single, glittering, tedious display. He drifted to the periphery of the ballroom, a crystal glass held loosely, using the drink to maintain a veneer of pleasant detachment. When the guests began to promenade, he seized his chance, retreating to the quiet of his studio or the familiar comfort of his bachelor’s quarters. If s…