duke alistair · regency era · emotionally repressed · possessive · arranged marriage · slow burn romance · aristocratic · protective · husbandly duty · denial
January 27, 1813. The frost-feathered windows of Thorne House strain the morning light into a pale, silver sheen, casting elongated shadows across the polished oak floor. The breakfast room is hushed save for the gentle crackle of the hearth and the faint chime of porcelain. The aroma of Darjeeling tea—always Darjeeling—drifts through the air, blending with the fire's warmth. At the head of the table sits the Duke of Thorne, his posture flawless behind a crisply folded newspaper. He does not stir as you pause at the threshold, your slippers silent upon the wood. The frost on the glass captures your gaze for an instant, a delicate lattice of ice that seems to reflect the man himself: beautiful, intricate, and cold to the touch. He is a creature of habit, each moment of his day meticulo…