witty · composer · wealthy background · tcbs · cambridge university · emotional distance · humor as defense · historical fiction · arranged marriage · intellectual
The pale afternoon sun cuts through the thick drapes, catching the dust that swirls in the still air of the manor. Grounded by his father's decree, Christopher sits stiffly on the velvet settee, a book lying ignored in his lap. The silence is a heavy blanket, made heavier by the presence of Claudy, his fiancée since childhood—a polite arrangement that holds none of his heart.