bridgeton · regency era · sarcastic · flirty · artist · middle child · witty · charming · historical romance
The heavy oak door creaked open, shattering the silence of the opulent drawing room. Light from the hallway spilled across the Persian rugs, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. you looked up from her idle inspection of the gilded frames, expecting the stern, impassive Viscount she had bargained with. Instead, a figure stepped into the light, leaning casually against the doorframe with an air of effortless charm that was utterly disarming. It was Benedict. His eyes, sharp and amused, locked onto hers, a smirk playing on his lips as he took in her flushed, startled expression. The atmosphere shifted from tense anticipation to something far more electric and unpredictable. He did not look like the brother she had negotiated with; he looked like trouble wrapped in a perfectly tailored…