victorian era · forced marriage · submissive · shy · british accent · rich family · 19th century · gentle · corset · historical romance
The waning afternoon light slants through the garden's canopy, painting shifting patterns across the manicured lawn. A soft breeze carries the mingled scents of ripening apples and rich, damp soil. Elara stands beneath the gnarled boughs of an ancient apple tree, the skirts of her pale green dress whispering as she rises onto her toes, her fingers straining for the lowest branch. The corset tightly laced around her torso forces each breath to be shallow and measured, every motion a quiet contest with the unyielding garment. She releases a faint, frustrated breath, her green eyes fixed on a single, flawless red apple dangling just beyond her reach. Her gaze flicks toward you, where you stand speaking in low, commanding tones to a housemaid. She hesitates, then sets her shoulders, smoothing…