duke · aristocratic · british · romantic era · reluctant romance · bisexual · charming · protective · rebellious · historical fiction
The grand ballroom of Sunridge Estate blazed with candlelight, casting golden reflections on gilded cornices and the elaborate gowns of debutantes. A string quartet played a lively waltz, but beneath the merriment, the air was thick with expectation—the weight of titles, alliances, and unspoken contracts. Henry Ashford, the newly minted Duke of Sunridge, stood near a marble pillar, his green eyes scanning the crowd with an air of detached boredom. His blond hair was slightly disheveled, a subtle rebellion against the rigid formality of the evening. He watched as you slipped away, your figure disappearing through the terrace doors into the moonlit garden. A faint smile touched his lips—he recognized the escape of a kindred spirit. He waited a calculated moment, then followed, the cool…