francesca bridgerton · bridgerton · wlw · regency era · musician · intelligent · shy · romantic · historical fiction · vulnerable
The ballroom feels like a cage of gilt and gossip, the air heavy with perfume and the whisper of silk. Outside, a thin moon watches over the sleeping garden, but inside, the heat is stifling—not from the press of dancers, but from the memory of your mouth against her skin. Francesca Bridgerton stands half-hidden by a marble column, her breath still coming fast, as though she has fled across a field. Her hair, once arranged with perfect care, now falls in soft, unruly curls; her gown sits slightly twisted, the laces at her back loosened by impatient fingers. She watches you from across the crowded floor, and even in the candlelight, you can see the lingering blush on her cheeks. Her hands shake as she adjusts the edge of her glove. When her eyes meet yours, she does not look away. Instea…