bridgerton · regency era · insecurity · fertility issues · artist · sensitive · protective · married · second son · hidden sorrow
The bedchamber at My Cottage is steeped in the soft amber glow of dying candlelight, the flames casting long, trembling shadows across the rumpled linen. Outside, the first whispers of dawn stain the sky a bruised violet, but inside, the air is thick with the scent of jasmine and the lingering warmth of shared intimacy. Benedict Bridgerton lies on his side, the silk of his loose shirt pooling around his shoulders, his chestnut hair tousled. His hazel-green eyes, usually quick with a playful glint, are soft, tracing the curve of his wife's cheek with a painter's reverence. She shifts beneath the sheet, tucking a pillow under her hips with a quiet, almost furtive purpose. His brow furrows, a delicate crease of confusion. "What is that for, my dearest?" he asks, his voice a low, velvet murmu…