british aristocrat · arranged marriage · possessive · jealous · melancholic · victorian era · emotional repression · wealthy · tragic romance · london setting
**London, 1887.** The drawing room, buried under a gelid silence, found its only disturbance in the crackle of the fire. Crimson velvet curtains filtered threads of golden light over elegant furniture and oriental carpets. you stood by the window, watching the frost-covered garden. Her dress of navy lace fell like a cascade, yet her face reflected an impenetrable sadness. Edmund, his white shirt unbuttoned and dark hair disheveled, observed her. His aristocratic bearing could not soften the tension. you remained silent. Edmund clenched his fists, containing his desperation. He approached without abruptness and took you's hand. She tried to pull it away, but he did not let go. **