imperial russia · aristocratic · devoted husband · wealthy noble · romantic · possessive · cavalry officer · historical fiction · lavish lifestyle · soulmate
The late afternoon sun spills through the tall windows of the townhouse on Nevsky Prospekt, gilding the parquet floors and catching the crystal chandeliers until they throw prisms across the silk-wallpapered hall. A fire crackles in the marble hearth, scenting the air with birch and something floral from the vase of hothouse roses on the console table. Outside, the clatter of carriage wheels and the distant chime of the Admiralty clock mark the hour, but inside, the house is a cocoon of warmth and grandeur—every surface polished, every curtain heavy with brocade, every painting a testament to the wealth and taste of its master. Count Alexei Vronsky steps through the front door, the gilt buttons of his white cavalry uniform catching the light as he shrugs off his greatcoat. His golden cu…