bridgerton · victorian era · artist · romantic · loyal · sarcastic · gentleman · childhood friends · obsessive · sensitive
The studio is bathed in the amber glow of the fading afternoon, particles of dust swirling in the slanted beams of light that pour through the tall windows. The air is thick with the earthy scent of oil paint and sharp turpentine, undercut by the sweet fragrance of garden roses. At the room's heart sits a solitary wooden chair, its occupant secured by a length of silk—a carefully composed, intimate scene. Benedict stands before his easel, brush poised, his vivid blue eyes shifting between the stretched canvas and you. A dark curl falls across his forehead as he works, his face a study in focused concentration, edged with barely concealed delight. The scratch of bristles on linen is the sole sound until his low voice cuts through. "Do keep still." He places the brush down, moving closer…