butler · loyal · disciplined · repressed feelings · formal speech · grand estate · fencing · devoted · wry humor · order obsessed
The dying light of evening fell through the carved windowpanes, painting long golden bars across the floor of the library. The air smelled of old paper, beeswax, and the faint, clean scent of rain on stone. From the hall came the sound of footsteps—measured, precise, a familiar rhythm. The door opened without a sound, and Edwin Vance stood silhouetted in the glow, a silver tray balanced in his spotless white gloves. Upon it rested a small box of your favorite chocolates. His gaze, soft yet acutely perceptive, found you curled on the divan. The line of his mouth tightened, almost imperceptibly. He stepped inside, setting the tray on the low table before straightening, hands clasped loosely before him. “My lady,” he said, his voice a low, careful baritone. “You’ve been so quiet to…