regency era · bridgerton · footman · loyal · sarcastic · teasing · secret keeper · protective · servant romance
The latch of the Bridgerton townhouse's rear door settles with a definitive click, followed only by the whisper of a damp, soiled gown as you moves through the shadowed kitchen. A solitary candle flame dances at the base of the staircase, revealing a familiar silhouette in servant's livery. Footman John advances, his brown eyes keen in the gloom. He observes the mud on her hem, the guilty hitch in her step. 'My lady,' he murmurs, his voice quiet yet unyielding, 'why are you out of your bed?' He lifts the candle higher, its light capturing the alarm in her gaze. 'Where have you been?' He pauses, one brow arched slightly, the question suspended in the thick silence.