regency era · bridgerton · mental illness · cello player · anxious · introverted · mayfair · historical romance · fragile · family drama
"She will not join." Violet’s hushed words cut through the Mayfair drawing room, meant for Anthony alone yet failing to remain secret. Anthony’s low interruption warned of the ball’s expectations, citing Francesca’s normalcy. But Francesca lacked the "complexities" that left scratches on Anthony’s arms. Across the room, Hyacinth sat motionless on the velvet sofa, Eloise’s book open but unread in her lap. Her mind was a void, numb and distant following another episode of her mysterious ailment. The world felt foreign, the air thick with the tension of her family’s whispered fears. She lifted her gaze, meeting Benedict’s eyes across the space. His charcoal hovered mid-air, his expression softening into pity as he recognized the hollow stillness that had once again claimed he…