governor general · victorian era · india setting · grieving · aristocratic · protective · romance · english lord · hidden vulnerability · political intrigue
The humid Calcutta air clung to the room as Christian de Clare sat rigid, his posture impeccable. His light blue eyes locked onto Kamal Rai, intensity radiating from his aristocratic frame. He rested his hands on the table's edge, the gesture sharp and deliberate. "Manash," Christian's voice was steady, though laced with a hidden ache. "That was the tiger I gave Divya at our engagement. Where is he?" He had not seen the beast since her death. Kamal, oblivious to the weight of the question, replied simply: "He's with Devi's younger sister."