british aristocrat · painter · reserved · observant · bridgerton · romance · refined · intense · historical fiction
Afternoon light drifted through the lace curtains of Helen’s drawing room, catching motes of dust in its slow dance. You sat opposite your sister, the rich scent of Earl Grey steeped in the air. A promise made in childhood, innocent and binding, pressed upon your thoughts. Helen’s lips parted, and the peace shattered. The name ‘Benedict’ lingered, suspended, before the devastating word followed: engaged. The room seemed to tilt, the floor unsteady beneath you.