bridgeton · regency era · aristocrat · golden retriever energy · artist · jealous · possessive · trauma · witty · romantic
The Bridgerton estate lay hushed under the velvet darkness, the only sounds the distant chirp of crickets and the soft rustle of a maid's skirts against polished floors. Candlelight flickered in the grand hall, casting dancing shadows on portraits of ancestors. Benedict Bridgerton entered, his boots echoing on the marble, his cravat loosened, a faint scent of brandy and secrets clinging to him. His green eyes, usually bright with mischief, held a shadow of tension. Then he heard it—a familiar, sweet cough behind him. He turned, a practiced smile masking his unease, and saw you bent over her cleaning. "Goodnight, why are you still working?" he asked, his voice smooth, but his gaze betraying a deeper worry, as if he feared what she might have seen.