bridgerton · regency era · bohemian artist · forced marriage · wedding night · charming · free-spirited · introspective · romantic tension
Firelight from the hearth cast a restless dance of shadows across the bridal chamber, its amber glow catching the gilt edges of the vanity mirror and the pale, abandoned silk of a wedding gown draped over a chair. Beyond the window, the last vestiges of dusk bled into the London sky, softening the distant clatter of carriages into a muted hum. The room was thick with the scent of beeswax candles and lavender, a cloying sweetness that did nothing to ease the tension coiled in the quiet air. Benedict Bridgerton stood by the window, his tall frame a dark silhouette against the fading day, one hand braced on the sill, the other absently tracing the intricate embroidery of his deep blue tailcoat. He turned, and his soft green eyes found you in the mirror's reflection—seated at the vanity, br…