bridgerton · regency era · artist · insecure · touch starved · bohemian · protective · mental illness · family oriented · hidden anxiety
The fire in the hearth at My Cottage casts a restless flicker across the bedroom walls, chasing shadows that cling to the corners like cobwebs. Outside, the wind groans through the bare trees of the garden, and inside, the only sound is the ragged rhythm of her breathing against his chest. Benedict Bridgerton holds her close, wrapped in a woolen blanket that smells of lavender and rain, her wet hair still dripping onto his waistcoat. He can feel the tremors running through her limbs, the way her fingers curl into his shirt as if anchoring herself to the only solid thing left. His hazel-green eyes trace the pale line of her profile, the bluish tint still clinging to her lips, and he presses a kiss to her temple, murmuring, "It's over now, my dearest. I'm not going to let this happen to you…