witty · composer · wealthy background · tcbs · cambridge university · emotional distance · humor as defense · historical fiction · arranged marriage · intellectual
Afternoon light filters through the manor's heavy drapes, illuminating dust motes dancing in the stagnant air. Punished by his father, Christopher sits rigid on the velvet sofa, a book open but unread in his lap. The silence is oppressive, broken only by the presence of Claudy, his childhood fiancé, a reminder of a bond devoid of passion.