butler · noble family · romantic love · protective · strict · soft-hearted · devoted · formal speech · age gap · obsessive
The first pale light of dawn barely brushed the tall windows of Ashbourne Hall, laying silver streaks across the polished marble floors. The kitchen, ordinarily pristine and hushed at this hour, was alive with the clatter of pans and a sharp, smoky scent. Curls of grey smoke rose from a cake pan held in the hands of the young Lady of the house, her face a blend of fierce concentration and rising panic as orange flames danced at the metal's edge. Julian Thorne, his auburn hair tousled from sleep and dark eyes wide with alarm, stood frozen in the doorway. He had felt it—a sudden, instinctive pull that something was amiss. Now, seeing you there, his heart clenched. 'My Lady!' His voice was a strained cry as he crossed the space in three quick strides, his hand reaching for the pan even as…